C O L O R Colors come and go in popularity and are highly subject to personal preference. There are some color schemes, however, that have stood the test of time. The most classic is the all-white kitchen. White, often accented with one color such as blue, is a popular choice for the kitchen because it's clean-looking and helps visually downplay the dirty dishes, pots-and-pans clutter that a kitchen is naturally prone to. Kitchens are also expensive, and white never goes out of style. The only downside of an all-white kitchen is that it can look sterile and cold, but that's easily fixed with the addition of warm-toned elements, such as a honey-colored wood floor, or soft accents such as curtains at the windows or an upholstered banquette seat. Even an all-white kitchen has color in it: An oak floor infuses it with yellow, a granite countertop can be gray, pink, green, or black. Keep in mind, too, that there are hundreds of whites; white can be warm or cool -- it can even be hot. True colors -- as opposed to white, which is a neutral -- are generally considered warm or cool. Warm colors, such as tones of red, yellow, and orange, are energizing. Cool colors, such as blue, green, and violet, are calming. Color does indeed affect mood. Studies have shown that exposure to red, for instance, quickens the pulse and breathing rate and increases the appetite. Any color can be used with great success in the kitchen if you follow a few color guidelines. Generally, it is wise to pick one color as an overall or base color and then one, or maybe two at the most, as accent colors. Complementary colors -- those that lie opposite one another on the color wheel -- intensify each other and impart the space with energy. Analogous colors -- those that sit next to one another on the color wheel -- are visually softer together, and will make the space seem more serene. Neutrals such as taupe, tan, black, white, cream, and shades of gray can be a color scheme in and of themselves, or can be paired with nearly any color as an accent. When thinking about what kind of a color scheme you'd like for your kitchen, think not only about your favorite colors, but also those that run through a favorite quilt, in the blue-and-white willowware dishes you inherited from your grandmother, or in a beloved painting. Perhaps your color inspiration will come from memories of a favorite vacation. Choose a color scheme based on something you love and you'll never tire of it.

A D D   P E R S O N A L   T O U C H E S More and more, the kitchen opens up to or flows into other living space, such as a family room or living room. These days, the kitchen is a room that isn't just used but lived in. Consequently, kitchens are being decked out, decorated, and personalized very much as the rest of the house has always been. When you're remodeling your kitchen, you can build in decorative and architectural details such as pillars and columns, a tile pattern on the floor, or a beautiful backsplash that adds to its beauty. Here, you'll learn about what comes after that -- about the ephemeral and changeable elements that make your kitchen the heart of your home. Your personal preferences in color, pattern, and furnishings make your kitchen a welcoming place that's lovely to look at, and truly a place you want to be three times a day -- and much more often than that.

P L E A S I N G   P A T T E R N S Because the kitchen is a busy place with lots going on visually, it's generally a good idea to use pattern fairly sparingly, and to keep what is used clean and simple. Geometrics such as checks (think of the classic checkerboard floor), ginghams, stripes, and plaids are always good choices, as are airy florals and classics such as Provençal-style prints and toiles. Natural materials such as wood and stone (and fabricated materials that mimic natural materials such as laminate and some solid-surfacing) have patterns of their own that are generally subtle and will blend with nearly any other pattern.

F U R N I S H I N G S After the cabinetry, of course, the primary furnishings in a kitchen are the pieces that comprise the dining arrangement. A peninsula or island for casual meals begs for casual seating: Barstools, either round or square, with backs or not, and with seat cushions or not. If you have the space and inclination, a kitchen table is more comfortable for eating because you don't have to climb up into the chair and you can face your dining companions. Study the style you've chosen for your kitchen and use it to guide you in picking an appropriate dining set. Perhaps it's a 1950s-style laminate table with easy-wipe vinyl-padded chairs, or maybe it's a marble-topped table with Italian-country-style ladderback chairs fitted with rushed seats. Mix a distressed pine table with painted chairs -- or use an eclectic mix of one-of-a-kind chairs you've discovered at antique shops and tag sales. There is no rule that says you must march out the minute you pay the contractor and buy a brand-new dinette set with matching table and chairs. If that's what pleases you, by all means do it. But dining furniture creates an intimate space for eating and conversing with family and friends; it should speak volumes about who you are. What you already have may be ideal.

I S L A N D   S T Y L E Some islands serve as seating for casual meals, some purely as work surfaces and storage. Some are stationary; others can be brought in rather than built-in. Some are technically peninsulas, or extensions of the countertop. Nearly anything with a virtually indestructible foodsafe surface that's at a comfortable height for food prep and eating can serve as an island: an antique stove fitted with a countertop, a rustic pine farm table, a mahogany library table, or a marble-topped baker's table.

W I N D O W   D R E S S I N G S Banks of cabinetry, long stretches of countertop, and boxy appliances combine to make your kitchen appear angular and sharp. Windows are the ideal place to break up straight lines, and to filter harsh light into a soft glow, with the visual and textural softness of fabric. To choose fabric, study the rest of the materials used in the kitchen. Granite or solid-surfacing countertops, for instance, are often flecked with several colors. Pluck one of these hues for your window treatment. Patterned rugs and wallpaper also offer many color choices. Whether you opt for a solid color or patterned window treatment depends on how much visual stimulation is going on in the rest of the room. If a granite, marble, or solid-surfacing countertop has an elaborate (if random) design, it can clash with a busy curtain pattern, so stick to solid colors. If your backsplash has an intricate scheme, or if your cabinets are painted or stained with more than one shade, choose fabric with a simple, complementary pattern.

A R T   &   A C C E S S O R I E S A truly successful kitchen does more than function well; it has personality. Accessories, artwork, and treasures of all kinds are what give a room its unique character. In composing the elements of a kitchen style, don't stop designing after the cabinets, countertops and appliances have been selected. Nudge your imagination into action, and treat your kitchen as an artist's canvas. Don't banish artwork to more traditional display areas. Instead, look around your house for design ideas to bring into the kitchen. Framed prints can embellish carefully selected colors, fabrics, and surface materials throughout the kitchen. Small paintings might adorn a soffit. Larger pieces can enhance dining area walls. If framed prints seem too typical, consider a mural to spark conversation.