Get cooking with a redecorated kitchen

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Q: My kitchen is painfully outdated, and I'd love to fix it up this year. Any suggestions?A: Yes, don't delay. For nine long years, I drank my morning coffee in a room that could have easily won the Ugliest Kitchen on Earth award. The crowning touches had to be the sparkling turquoise countertops and the plaid turquoise carpet with a big rip down the center. Every time I vacuumed, the frayed strings got sucked up and wound around the vacuum brushes.Every time I broached the subject of remodeling the kitchen, Dan cringed because he knew it would be expensive. But when the last antiquated appliance died of old age, we both knew we couldn't put it off any longer.As you evaluate your own outdated kitchen, first determine how extensive your remodeling project must be. Do you need to tear out sagging cabinets and replace antique appliances, or will a fresh coat of paint and a few well-chosen accents bring it new life?Then decide what you want your new and improved kitchen to do. When my friend Jean redid the kitchen in her 1950s ranch, she knew she wanted loads of work areas where she could prepare meals and an open floor plan so her family could gather around as she chopped and diced. So she knocked out interior walls and installed loads of open counter space.My friend Lisa has young children, so she incorporated a huge center island into her kitchen floor plan so her girls could be near her as they did their homework or enjoyed an after-school snack.Next, think about how to use your kitchen space more effectively. Some of my customers have told me that they have built-in desks in their kitchens that they never use, except to dump piles of paperwork. So they are tearing out the desk units and replacing them with attractive pieces of furniture, like bookcases to hold scads of cookbooks, hutches to store and display serving pieces and huge plate racks to show off a killer collection of dishes.There are also zillions of low-cost ways to add pizzazz to your dull kitchen. How about tinkering with your lighting? Lots of folks who have recessed lighting in their kitchens are now installing interesting light fixtures to give their kitchens added character and charm.Others are hanging interesting artwork that stretches beyond traditional kitchen themes. In my kitchen, I have a wide collection that ranges from oil portraits to plates to antique maps. A friend has hung a collection of silver trays on her kitchen walls, and the effect is simply stunning.If the furnishings in your kitchen are a blast from the past, consider updating them to give the space a fresh feel. That's exactly what I'll be doing in my kitchen this year, thanks to my puppy and her razor-sharp teeth. I had a darling table and chairs in my kitchen breakfast nook, but Sissy decided to use the chair legs as a chew bone. Now I'm on the hunt for two new chairs that will harmonize with the set while also giving it a new kick.Now, take a look at your kitchen accents. Pull down everything you display above your kitchen cabinets, wash them and then give them a brutally honest evaluation. Are these decorative touches making your kitchen look fabulous or faded? Maybe it's time to invest in a gorgeous soup tureen, silver trays or stoneware pitchers to brighten the top of your cabinets.Finally, add a few little touches that will make a big difference. Replace old, dreary towels with beautiful linens that accent the look of your new kitchen. Find a set of interesting salad plates to perk up your everyday dishes. And create an eye-catching centerpiece for your kitchen island or table.(Mary Carol Garrity is the proprietor of three successful home-furnishings stores in Atchison, Kan., and Kansas City, Mo. She is the author of several best-selling books on home decorating. Write to her at nellhills(at)mail.lvnworth.com. For more stories, visit scrippsnews.com.)