The home has become the entertainment hub for the family now more than ever because of the economic situation our country is experiencing. Families are staying in, cooking and entertaining for themselves and friends instead of going out to restaurants. The kitchen and family areas are becoming very important social areas of the home.

Today’s woman focuses on three rooms of the house for comfort and updates, the kitchen, outdoor patios, and the master suite. The investment dollars put there will give a larger return.

Starting with the kitchen, the easiest update is paint. In the eighties and nineties builders had a tendency to wallpaper the kitchen and baths. It is time for that mentality to change. Painting kitchens with warm inviting colors or creating a faux finish make them unique. Kitchen cabinets and countertops also need updating. Like the walls, the cabinets can easily be updated with paint, glazes, or even refacing them with new doors. Dressing up the cabinet doors and drawers with knobs, pulls and hinges is another simple update. Accents such as molding added to the top of cabinetry and under lights add a custom feel.

The kitchen is growing into a social center for the home. Opening up kitchens to the family room and expanding island space for entertaining is becoming the preferred standard. Transforming the workspace to entertainment space, if possible, can be achieved by expanding the island for interaction during food preparation.

Granite and natural stone finishes are the desired look and add value to the home.

Incorporating the outdoor space or outdoor room for entertaining has become a design focal point. Ways to make that space fresh and exciting can be as easy as adding an arbor to an existing patio with accent lighting. If your patio is uncovered and you are unable to build a covering, placing umbrellas can give some of the same comforts. Framing out the patio with shrubs or architectural accents gives the patio the feel of a room. Treat the outdoor room the same as an indoor room by placing outdoor area rugs, furniture and plants in pots. Elegant lighting such as a chandelier can be added to covered areas. Placing benches gives more seating and can separate a living to dining space. Transforming the barbeque pit area into a summer kitchen and dining room is the number one trend.
When freshening and updating your home you can spend as little or as much as you want. The homeowner can easily achieve many of the above ideas themselves. Visiting you local home improvement store can provide you with ideas or you can seek the help of a design professional.