If giving your kitchen a makeover is on your list of priorities at the moment you will want to be aware of all the latest trends in kitchen design. It doesn't matter what your budget is, there are plenty of ways to spruce up your kitchen and give it a more modern feel. A lick of paint in a new 'in' color could be all you need to modernize your kitchen, or you may be planning to go the whole way and start your kitchen again from scratch.

One of the most popular areas for home improvement projects is the kitchen. Like other similar projects, changing your kitchen can both change its look and add value if your home's up for sale. Increased home value is an especially useful benefit, because you may not want to sell your home yet, but if you do, this will get people interested.

Color - An easy way to change the whole look of your kitchen is simply to paint it a different color - it's amazing what a lick of fresh paint can do to modernize the look of your kitchen. If you like the rich darker colors that are more suited to the country kitchen trend, olive greens, teal blues and raspberry reds are very popular at the moment. For those who prefer lighter color schemes pastel colored candy shades are also on trend at the moment giving a retro look. You can further pick out the color with gadgets that come in the same or a blending color and by using accessories in the kitchen of the same color, such as tea towels and place mats etc if yours is a dining kitchen.

Functionality - Increasingly people want a kitchen that doesn't just look good but also serves it's purpose to the best possibilities. Smart storage solutions and clever use of space are key trends in keeping kitchens looking uncluttered and making life easier for the cook. The kitchen design companies keep coming up with clever design quirks that mean every inch of space you have in your kitchen is utilized. These include drawers with different levels of depth, overhead and wall-mounted cabinets and racks and slim-line drawers of all shapes and sizes.

Back To Nature - A trend that just isn't going to go away, and rightly so, is the leaning towards creating a more environmentally friendly home. In your kitchen you can use the sustainable and hard wearing wood bamboo for cabinets; bamboo is being used more and more because it also looks good. Engineered stone is on trend at the moment for counter tops as is reclaimed wooden flooring. The move away from halogen lighting will suit many people as LED lighting becomes more accepted. LED lights save energy and are long-lasting which is a great way to do that little bit more for the environment.

Themes - The country kitchen theme remains a prominent trend right now with rich deep color schemes and natural materials at the forefront of this style. The aim is to create a natural looking homely kitchen space that is both cozy and functional. Another fashionable theme is the retro look that is perfectly created with the use of candy colors and accessories that are vintage or just made to look vintage. The retro theme works particularly well for smaller kitchens with the country kitchen style being more suitable for bigger spaces.