Want the ultimate kitchen? Try these tips...

Ahhhhh...the holiday season is quickly approaching.  For some people, that means spending extra time in the kitchen - or worse yet, having lots of guests spend extra time in your kitchen.

In the world of real estate, the kitchen is generally the center of the home.  It tends to be a major focal point of buyers, and it usually is the most expensive room in the house.  And the room that we spend the most time in.  Not only to prepare and eat meals, it also serves as a homework space, hobby nook, home office and entertainment hub.  Have you ever noticed how many people congregate in the kitchen, whenever you invite a group to your home?

Better Homes & Garden put together 25 Tips to Get the Ultimate Kitchen.  While some are a bit more extensive (& expensive) to pull off, there are also some simple ideas that can easily be completed in time for the holidays.  Love your kitchen, it is such an important part of your home!

What one change could you make today?

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An easy way to upgrade not only your kitchen, but your...

Backsplashes.  Once a staple for a kitchen, used to protect the wall behind the stove top from grease and food, backsplashes have now become a key design feature, fulfilling more of an aesthetic role in home decor.  No longer reserved for the cooking area, a backsplash often runs the full perimeter of the kitchen - filling the space between the counter top and the bottom of the upper cabinets.  The styles and products available for backsplashes are almost endless - tumbled marble has been a very popular option over the past decade, however glass, metal and granite are commonly used.  Ceramic tile can be easily painted - allowing for more customization than some of the other materials.

While still used prevalently in kitchens, backsplashes have ventured into other areas of the home.  Bathrooms are easily spiced up by adding a tile finish along the sink vanity in the bath.  Dress up your laundry room by adding tile to the wall above the counter or behind a utility in laundry room.  Be sure to scale the size of the backsplash foundation to the size of the room you are installing it in - use mosaic tiles, or smaller cuts of marble, stone or glass in the bath and laundry area.  One of the benefits to using mosaic tiles is that the design are usually pre-assembled and attached - minimizing the time required for installation.

An easy way to upgrade not only your kitchen... http://ow.ly/twnSW

who wants to win a $50,000 kitchen?

Lowes Home Improvement Stores and Houzz on-line home improvement website have paired up together to offer a great sweepstakes.  On the line - a $50,000 combo prize!  Register quickly - deadline is midnight TONIGHT!http://www.houzz.com/lowes