Is your kitchen killing your inspiration to cook? Are you tired of working in that worn out space with outdated wallpaper and old appliances that remind you of your first apartment? It is hard to feel like a gourmet foodie when your workspace is bleak and depressing. How much harder would you try, if your kitchen made you feel like you were a TV chef? How much better would that dinner party be, if you were preparing dishes on a professional stove and setting out courses on a new island topped with exquisite, engineered stone. Perhaps it is time to build that perfect kitchen. Here are some tips on enhancing your cooking space.

• Cabinetry: The kitchen cabinets are the landscape that frame all the features of the room. The cabinets take up a lot of space, but they also create continuity in the room. Your choice of cabinets is the single most important design element outside of the layout of the space. You need to consider this choice carefully; every other design element will flow from there. There are far too many styles to discuss in this article, but once you have made your choice, you can move on to the fun stuff like the kitchen splashback tiles and the countertop materials.

• Countertops: These days stone is all the rage. But you may not know that natural stone is facing some tough competition from engineered stone. The technology of manufacturing has come a long way and they are making countertop materials that emulate stone very well, but they have the added advantage of being made in custom sizes, matching patterns, and in a variety of looks that natural stone cannot compete with. Another recent competitor for countertops is concrete. If you have not yet seen what can be done with concrete, you will likely be surprised how gorgeous it can be. And concrete is famously durable as well.

• Appliances: The star of the show in your kitchen is going to be the range. You will want to go gas, and you should consider 6 burners and a grill. This way you can get everything going at the right time and not be waiting. Built in dual ovens are popular, and a built-in microwave should help you complete the look. Fridges come in many sizes and the trend has been larger and larger. But kitchen space is precious, so instead of buying something enormous. Consider a regular fridge for your daily needs. And then a second fridge for food storage elsewhere in the home. Combine this with a chest freezer and you will have great storage, but not lose valuable territory. Make room for lots of small appliances and consider plenty of outlets too.

Remodelling your kitchen is a big commitment and it won’t come cheap, but the kitchen is the heart of your home, and it is symbolic of our standard of living. If you can only splurge in one area, this would be the place to do it. And when it comes time to sell the house, you will be glad you took the chance.