One of my favorite trends in redecorating is the new emphasis on the kitchen. Traditionally, the living room has been the focus of design, but with guests and homeowners spending a majority of their time in the kitchen, I’m often tasked with making the kitchen more inviting. If you are not investing the time or budget to makeover an entire kitchen, I have some suggestions that can easily alter the space.

First and foremost, always think about adding comfortable seating to create a more inviting atmosphere for yourself and your guests; whether its barstools, club chairs, dining chairs, a comfortable kitchen sofa or all of the above.

Secondly, lose the matchy-matchiness. Appliances no longer need to be the same color, it’s not about matching, it’s about coordination. A fun and easy way to create a fresh new look and feel to the kitchen is to update your cabinets. Consider painting them or adding new hardware for an easy and affordable way to give old cabinets a fresh start. Add glass cabinet fronts or remove the doors all together, and add color by painting the interior - this will open up your kitchen and give it a modern and fresh personality.

Lighting is an essential part of the design process. Under-cabinet lighting is a great solution, not only for task lighting, but it is also decorative when dimmed for entertaining. At a minimum, plug in cute under-cabinet lamps with low wattage bulbs and install dimmer switches wherever possible for a great way to take your kitchen from functional to fabulous.

Remember the kitchen is the new living room, so let its personality shine by incorporating your favorite artwork, beautiful handmade rugs, interesting accessories, furniture, fabrics and lighting.