(ThyBlackMan.com) Few appreciate the myriad of benefits a well–designed kitchen can bring. More than just a functional space, the kitchen is often the beating heart of a home. More than just the place you cook, it’s often a place of communication and reflection. A simple addition of an eye–pleasing design can be a major positive influence in your life. Unfortunately, for most of us unhappy with our interior layout, hitting the Internet to simply buy a house with a beautiful kitchen isn’t a feasible option. So how do you get that perfect kitchen without breaking the bank or transferring?
Planning
Obviously, it’s essential to plan out your kitchen before you start, but you don’t have to spend a fortune to do it. With little more than a measuring tape, some card, and some scissors, you can properly plan out your kitchen without the need to hire someone to do it for you. 
Measure out your kitchen and sketch it on to a bit of paper. It doesn’t matter if your sketching isn’t up to architectural standards; you’re only giving yourself a rough idea. Simply cut out the shapes of counters, tables, large appliance, etc, and place them in your sketched kitchen to get a feel for what’s going to go where.
DIYers invariably have their own way of going about things and prefer doing things their own way, this, however, doesn’t prevent you from checking out ideas from designers. It’s a good idea, during your planning phase to explore different styles and architectural plans. A good starting point is to browse through houses or condos for sale to find kitchens that match what you have in mind. You can either develop something out of those models or get inspirations to develop your own dream kitchen.
Pick a Style
Choosing a style to go with your new kitchen doesn’t necessarily mean you’re limited to one brand or range. You just need a basic awareness of color and trim to get by. A good color palette will rarely have more than three different colors (and various shades thereof), so unless you’re going for a “rainbow” theme, try to stick with your preferred color palette to avoid a “mishmash” effect. This goes for trims, too. A random assortment of drawer handles, kitchen stools, and multi-colored appliances can give a somewhat cobbled–together effect. If you’re going with chrome trim, be consistent.
Use Your Space
If you’re looking to revamp your kitchen cost–effectively, it’s reasonable to assume you’ll want to be efficient with your space as well. The biggest mistake people make in this area is failing to make full use of the height of their kitchen. In Philippine real estate and other countries, taller wall cupboards cost a little more, but the extra storage they provide will make the world of difference.
Shine a Light
Lighting is one area where you should probably “splurge” a little. Think about how your kitchen will be used, take into account the natural lighting it gets. Are you an early riser who has to have their coffee first thing? Consider lighting that allows for a lower light level. The last thing you want at five in the morning is a glaring bright light.
Underfoot
No area handles “faux” as well as the kitchen floor. From faux wood to faux stone, you can have it all. Or maybe this is one area where you just need to have the real thing. Be sure to consider your choice in the context of the rest of your kitchen design.
Staff Writer; Calvin Goode
