Before you rush to make any changes, stop to figure out exactly what you don’t like about it. If you are simply tired of the color, feel it looks drab, worn, and old, the fix will be easy to take care of, and shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg, either.

 A fresh coat of paint, new café curtains, recovering your kitchen chairs, a perky centerpiece on the table and some new throw rugs and dish towels should have you smiling in no time. If you wooden table is scratched and dull, try spray painting it, add some fun placemats and a table runner, and you will have a nice brand new look!

However, if the quick fix won’t do it for you, it is time to seriously analyze the problem. Ask yourself some pertinent questions:

1. How many people use the kitchen at the same time?

2. Does your family all sit down to dinner at the same time or is it catch as catch can?

3. Is the traffic pattern convenient?

4. Do you have enough counter space?

5. Do the kids do their homework in the kitchen?

6. Do you entertain a lot?

A lot of newer homes have center butcher block or appliance islands…even when the kitchen is really too small to sustain it. Why? Because it is the trendy thing to do. If you hate walking around that island to get from the sink to the refrigerator, and it is more of a mess collector than an asset, remove it! There are mobile kitchen islands that can be pushed against a wall or moved to the area you are working in, as you need it.

If you want the kids to do their homework in the kitchen while you are preparing dinner, and if you would like to observe their computer habits without appearing to be spying, tuck a small desk into the kitchen, making sure there is computer access, a few drawers for storing, and a shelf above to place their books on. A stool that pushes under the desk to clear floor space if necessary, and some task lighting under the upper cabinet, and you have a perfect set-up!