The kitchen remains one of the most popular rooms in the house. If it's well laid out and equipped, it becomes a magnet for family members. “It’s the place where they begin and end their days and also interact with friends,” says designer Cheryl Kees Clendenon, founder of In Detail, Kitchens, Baths, Interiors, a design firm in Pensacola, Fla.



But it can do more. “A home that’s in move-in condition (or better) is often at the top of today’s buyers’ wish list, and having a finely finished, open kitchen is among their highest priorities,” says Jennifer D. Ames with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Chicago. “What’s in style in kitchen design changes more often than hemlines, and buyers have minimal interest in buying a home with outdated rooms, whether they cook or not. A well-done kitchen absolutely can sway a buyer’s decision.”

Conversely, a poor design, dated appliances, high-maintenance materials, and an overly personalized palette can send buyers running, particularly since savvy shoppers know the cost to redo a kitchen keeps escalating. A major upscale remodeling now hovers near $112,000, according to Remodeling magazine’s latest Cost vs. Value Report.  But many kitchens don’t have to be gutted to work and look better. Read the remainder here: