The main "furniture" in your kitchen is your cabinets and countertops. Do they express the mood you are trying to create? Are the colors meaningful to you? Where are your windows? Do they allow enough natural light to set off the colors that you've chosen? If your cabinets are not what you want them to be, it would be a good idea to consider replacing them.

If, however, you wish to renovate your kitchen less dramatically, simply make sure that your cabinets and countertops are clean and uncluttered. A new coat of paint is an excellent and less expensive option that can make a significant difference in the look of your kitchen. Just make sure that you paint in a color that matches the design you have in your head, as well as other items in the kitchen.

When you are satisfied with your cabinets and countertops, appliances should be considered. Unless you want a vintage, college student look, new and clean appliances are best. Most appliances are available in a variety of colors, and many people choose to buy matching appliances. A fun variation on this is to buy appliances in the complementary color, instead of the same color, as your walls. If you have green walls, buy red appliances. If you have blue walls, try orange appliances. This bold option however, isn't for everybody. If you are trying to design a cozy country kitchen, bright orange appliances won't do.

Remember again to keep your counters uncluttered. Have only a few appliances visible. A toaster, a blender, and perhaps a microwave would be the limit. Cleanliness adds more style than you'd think.

If your kitchen is attached to your dining room, tables and chairs should also be considered. There are thousands of varieties of these, and it can be intimidating to consider them all. Just remember to start small, find things that match your counters and cabinets. If your cabinets are a light pine, a dark mahogany table is not what you're looking for. It is good to remember dimensions of space when searching for tables and chairs. If the room is small it's important to find clean lined, smooth chairs and tables. If the room is large, a more stately set of furniture is nice. It is not only more practical to apply these dimensions, it provides a more pleasing visual experience. Curving lines and decorations on legs and backs are good as well. The general rule is, the smaller the furniture, the more extravagant the décor can be.

The spirit of a kitchen rests in its paint, its floor, and especially its lighting. The cabinets and countertops should set these off, rather than be the main event themselves. The table and chairs are important to the dining experience, and they should match the rest of the kitchen or dining room. Most importantly, everything in the kitchen should complement the other things there, so that it can all come together and create one unified space for eating, food preparation, or whatever else you want to do in it!