A beautiful kitchen is the heart of any home (even for those of 
us who spend most of our cooking time around the microwave!) 
Time spent together in the kitchen can bring a family closer 
together and make wonderful memories (although my own memories 
of doing dishes as a teenager are less than pleasant - something 
about dishwater being "disgusting!") Turning your plain kitchen 
into something special isn't as hard as you might think. Here 
are a few simple ideas which can make your kitchen a designer 
showcase.


1. To give your cabinets a special flair, use three different 
   stains. Use one lighter stain on the upper cabinets, one 
   slightly darker on the drawers and an even darker one on 
   the bottom cabinets. Add a little pigment in a primary 
   color (red, blue or yellow) to add an additional dimension 
   and a little "pop."

2. To add a little flair, take out a few drawers and insert 
   low baskets in their place. You will probably have to remove 
   the middle drawer slide or side slides, but that is easily 
   done with a screwdriver.

3. Want to update your backsplash? Use beadboard! Have your 
   local home improvement store cut it to length and attach 
   with nails or adhesive.

4. Tired cabinet doors? Cut out the middle of the doors, leaving 
   a two inch edge all around. Stale fabric panels to the back 
   of the doors.  Cover the staples with fabric trim glued with 
   a hot glue gun. You can use any fabric from elegant to 
   country, stripes to plaid, or gingham to quilted.

5. Update your cabinets with special memories. Attach frames 
   painted or stained to match the cabinets to the front of 
   each door. Fill the frames with family photos or your 
   children's artwork. Or highlight a special collection 
   such as vintage handkerchiefs or postcards.


Try one of these ideas or use them to jumpstart your own 
creative imagination. Remember, there is a designer in each 
of you! It's just very well hidden in some - VERY well hidden!