Do you think it costs a king's ransom to hire an interior designer? If so, you are mistaken. Interior designers can add spice to your home by knowing the ins and outs of decorating, including more than just paint and wallpaper. Interior designers can inform you about lighting choices, carpet and much more.

You want a change - an interior design change. Change costs money. It is a fact of life. So, the first item on your interior design checklist should be: Create a Budget. Here are four steps to planning an interior design makeover.

There are two sources of fantastic interior design information. Both are associations that have large memberships. You will find professionals at both places. If it were me, I would contact both groups and see what members are located in your area to get information and free pamphlets for interior design.

How many thousands of hours will you spend in your kitchen during the next 10 years? I'll bet that it will be close to 11,000 hours (3 hours X 365 X 10)! Don't hope that your kitchen will magically work out. You must take responsibility for the destiny of your kitchen investment. The following publications and resources will help you prepare for this investment.

The kitchen is the heart and soul of a house. If you keep statistics of your waking hours when at home, you will likely find that you and many members of your family spend more time in this room than in any other in the house. Here are some things to consider about cabinets, islands and the function of your kitchen.

The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) has numerous kitchen design books and manuals. The primary one is 340 pages long! It must have 200 or more design ideas. Here are 20 ideas when designing a kitchen that I think are important.

If you are not currently disabled, but are past the age of 60, it might be a good idea to start thinking of what you would do in your kitchen in the event you start to lose your motor skills. The simplest tasks become tough or impossible! It will be worth your time and effort to explore all of the design options, called universal design, that will allow you to use a current kitchen if you are fully capable, but yet change it slightly to accommodate a person who becomes partially disabled.

The key to building and or remodeling a kitchen that will be barrier free lies in the planning and design phase. You should attempt to talk with physical therapists and occupational therapists who work to rehabilitate people who become disabled. They can be found in almost every major hospital and can point you in the direction of people who work in this field each and every day. Often they will be more than happy to share with you tips and the latest barrier-free suggestions/products in the marketplace.