I'm writing about how to clean pots, kettles and pans which have been blackened by use over a wood or charcoal fire, or from accumulated grime from burnt grease; clean them very effectively, as taught by my grandmother to me, and taught to her by her grandmother.

Blackened pot bottoms are a problem particularly for those whose wood-burning stoves are not just decorative fixtures in their kitchens but are in regular cooking use. Gas or electric stove users can still get grimy pans from burnt grease and food particles stuck to the bottoms and sides.

Dirty-black bottoms of pots and pans are no-no's especially if these are an integral part of your kitchen decor — hanging on the walls or over the kitchen island. Even modern kitchen design mavens would look down on stained cooking vessels be they on the walls or on the shelves.

Gather up the wood or charcoal ash from those stoves, the fireplace or even the barbecue grill, because ash is the best cleaning agent for those dirty bottoms.

Wet these pans, coat them with ash and let stand for a bit. Using your scrub or scouring pad of choice and more ash, scrub these pots and pans then rinse.

You will see what I mean.

Our wooden table held so many memories for me, of midnight snacks and private conversations, joint efforts at preparing and cooking for family get-togethers, of homework and email while munching on snacks. Each nick, scar and stain on the wood was a story in itself.

I said I would never exchange it for the high-tech kitchen island, even if the latter was space-saving; but when I saw how my friend’s choice of a wood and stone surface evoked a hominess that belied the modern gadgetry, I was hooked. Our old kitchen table is still accumulating nicks and stains now as the crafts and projects table, and the kids still munch on snacks while working there.

The tip when it comes to renovating your kitchen is to start with a few things that do not break or renovations that won’t cost you much. Here are some simple, yet effective means to beautify your kitchen:

1 If you find your cabinet doors discolored or even not good looking after some time of cleaning, you can paint them with new color. A good paint or varnish can go a long way at the same time you can also get the opportunity to fix any broken hinges and handles.

2. Search for a simple but nice decor. For example, use your spice bottles with labels removed and the jars cleaned very well. Stack them to give your kitchen a country old look.

3. For a touch of natural beauty, why not add plants. Find something that requires little maintenance and is relatively resistant to conditions of heat and humidity found in the kitchen.

How do you go about narrowing down your selections or just blowing the whole budget and going full out? These decisions take careful consideration in order to really end up with a functional and usable kitchen space. You probably don't even need or use all of the appliances you see out there. Having it all can be a big drain on the budget. It is much better to invest in fewer quality items than to simply overload your patio. This may actually lead to more clutter and less usable kitchen space. After all, you'll be considering items like counters, furniture, lighting, grill tops, refrigerators, sinks, etc.

Your outdoor space can be just as contemporary or as rustic looking as you wish. For example, there are outdoor dining furniture sets that are made to look more rustic. These include more aged wood products. You might be familiar with the popular look of farmhouse tables.

You might be more inclined to choose some furniture that is more contemporary or modern in scope and design. There are newer wicker materials that are synthetic, so you can have the look of wicker without the deterioration of the natural material. Perhaps, glass or even a combination of metal and glass furniture is better suited to be in line with your outdoor kitchen designs and theme. If you host parties, then you'll need to keep in mind seating arrangements, too. Your new outdoor kitchen is sure to transform the entire look and feel of your patio space, enjoy!

With these ideas in mind, where does one start the design process? Well, the place you've begun here, the internet, is a great place to seek advice and pictures. You could also browse through custom home magazines and home shows. What you'll find may stretch or tax your budget. The whole idea of having every modern appliance made for the outdoors is not even necessary if you know how to maximize your kitchen's potential and your likely patio use. The list of features; faucts, lighting, sinks, refrigerators, dishwashers, coolers, ice makers, counters, etc. just continues to grow.

Just because you are designing for an outdoor space, don't think that it will necessarily cost less or be any less elegant as your indoor rooms. You might want a more rustic look and you can certainly achieve this with outdoor dining furniture like farmhouse tables and old wooden furniture. There are other natural and aged products to help create that chic look.

You could also be interested in a contemporary design or something more modern looking. Wicker patio furniture is also great looking and is now available as a synthetic material, so no need to worry about it deteriorating. There are also contemporary styles in glass and composites. All of these could work well in combination with your outdoor kitchen designs. You can imagine how it will transform the look and feel of your patio. Enjoy!

You can start by allotting a lot of storage areas for your kitchen. There are homeowners who customized their cabinets and mostly they have built-in cabinets. This is a great idea as built-in cabinets save you a lot of space and at the same tome gives you more storage options.

You can also opt for small, compact and/or multi-function appliances. Small furniture and appliance pieces can also help maximize your kitchen space. It is also suggested that you opt for items and pieces that are foldable so whenever you do not need them, you can keep them out of sight.

First thing you have to do when it comes to kitchen organization is to break your kitchen into smaller sections, which will make your task a lot easier. Everyone is different and each cooks differently, thus, do not ever be afraid of getting mistakes here. Assigning sections would all be up to you.

Once you are done making a good strategy in organizing your kitchen, the next part (and probably the hardest thing to do) is to finally start the project. The trick here is to get going and soon you will realize that you have finally done it! You can now move around easily when cooking and at the same time easily find things you need.

Kitchen design, just like with any other rooms in your home, can be both exciting and challenging. Planning for the look and materials to use can be easy but actual execution entails a huge dose of patience and determination, but it’s always safer to cover the basics first. Keep in mind that having a minimalist look is also cost-effective but still yields great results.

Painting your walls with solid light colors will not only enlarge the look of a small kitchen space but also gives a brighter ambiance. Built-in cabinets for your utensils and condiments are also better, because of their space-saving benefits and instead of using wall-to-wall carpet, complementing your flooring with area rugs would be cheaper and would still look great.

Do not overwhelm your kitchen with too much decor because it will only end up looking and feeling too cramped and this isn’t something you’d wish for especially if you spend a lot of time in there.

Contrary to what many homeowners believe, making a small kitchen seem larger does not require you spending too much on buying new things. You can start off with the wall paints of the kitchen. If you have a smaller space, you should consider painting the walls with lighter shades to give it a bigger look. Solid white is one of the most popular choices for kitchen wall paints, because it reflects a breezy and refreshing ambiance. On the other hand, do not underestimate the shades of other lighter hues such as pale blue or lilac. They are not only nice and easy in the eyes, but also make a wonderful color scheme choice that aims to enlarge the visual of your kitchen space.

Another way to get that larger look is to put more lights in your kitchen. Now, you would ask how much is enough? The thing is: we don’t want to limit our choice with artificial lighting. If your kitchen has some windows, make sure you do not cover them with heavy draperies. Otherwise, it will not only darken the space but also make the kitchen feel and look smaller than it already is. Get sheer fabric curtains to let in the light during daytime, and feel the cool air outdoors. This way, you will also feel so much more inspired when preparing your meals.

And now that you’re slowly achieving that well-lit kitchen, show some nice flooring tricks. Get modern rugs that have some clean cut designs to coordinate with the new look of your kitchen. These rugs will help define the space of your kitchen to make it look bigger.

And finally, make an effort to organize bits and pieces in your kitchen, from cooking utensils to your kitchen cabinetry. If there are things you no longer needed, then get rid of them. Do not stock items that no longer have use in your cooking or meal preparation just because it was purchased on a sale. You can either give it away for others to use or simply keep it in a storage room. Removing unnecessary clutter in your kitchen is a surefire way to achieve that brighter and larger look.