Your kitchen is probably one of the most important rooms in your new home. Not only does it need to be functional, but beautiful and welcoming, a place where your family will gather and enjoy many meals. After you consult interior designers or design books on perfect kitchens, your own common sense is probably the best tool for deciding on your final kitchen design.

Adapt a suggested design by analyzing your own routine for preparing food. Typical routines go from collecting ingredients from the refrigerator or pantry to washing these ingredients in the sink and then to the stove for cooking. Design these areas in a close work triangle with easy pathways to move between them. Design for accessibility!

Allow about three feet of counter space for each major appliance so that there is room to put food near the refrigerator, room to drain dishes near the sink and room next to the stove for pots and pans. And don't forget to included counter space for food preparation!

Lastly, design your kitchen with colors, materials and styles that will stand the test of time. Faddish kitchens may look good now, but may prove expensive to remodel in the future. A well planned, well organized kitchen will become a focal point of your new home, adding pleasure for cooking, gathering and dining for years to come.