STARTING POINT The kitchen is one of the most frequently used rooms in the house, and as such takes a lot of wear and tear. But a kitchen must not only be practical; it should also be nice to look at. Cabinets are the main focal point of any kitchen, and they come in a wide variety of colors and finishes-there are so many choices on the market, it can be overwhelming. White is the universal favorite, but too much white can be boring. By adding colorful prints, accessories and/or interesting wall treatments, however, you can make it more inviting.  If your kitchen space is limited, choose a light color scheme. Add coziness to a large kitchen by choosing a warm color palette. If the kitchen is large enough, an island or and peninsula is an excellent idea. Just add high stool or two, and you've got a great conversation and eating area. You can add charm by using a piece of traditional furniture in place of a ready-made kitchen island. Make sure that the piece can withstand the rigors of daily chores. COUNTERTOPS You can update an old-fashioned kitchen by replacing the countertops. Countertops usually take up a large amount of space, so they have a major effect on the overall look of the kitchen. You can use more than one countertop material at a time, for example you might have marble in the area you intend to use for baking, and laminate elsewhere. Granite and marble are both quite popular as countertop materials. Granite has hard surface, comes in variety of colors, and doesn't stains easily. Marble, in comparison, has all the benefits of granite-except stains are more difficult to remove from it. There are also various synthetic materials available, such as DuPont Corian, that are easy to maintain and come in even more finishes and colors. Corian is especially low-maintenance, in that its texture is such that any stains are easily scrubbed away.