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As the family meeting ground and the room where it all gets done - cooking, entertaining, conversation, math homework - the kitchen is the heart of the home. Whatever lifestyle revolves around your kitchen, making it a place you want to spend your time is an exciting venture. The folks at The Detroit News recently highlighted this fact in an article titled "Remodel your kitchen, the heart of your home."

Therein, the newspaper cited Remodeling magazine's 2008-2009 "Cost Versus Value" report to reveal that "nationally, the average cost for ... a major kitchen remodel is about $56,000, while the cost of a minor remodel is roughly $21,000." While that may sound like a lot of cash, fortunately, a kitchen remodel affords homeowners an excellent return on investment.

In spite of a firmly entrenched recession, the phrase "The kitchen is the heart of the home" holds especially true today. And "with more people staying in their homes rather than moving, kitchen remodeling is a hot topic" even at the hefty price tags quoted by Remodeling magazine. The economy is simply causing homeowners to approach kitchen remodeling differently. "Today's typical homeowner is more cost-conscious and is leaning toward more sleek and simple designs. For example, "people [are] remodeling with general cabinets, but spending more on their counter tops and back splashes to provide the accent."

Other kitchen remodeling trends the recession is spurring include a toning down in design choices and a leaning toward "green" kitchen designs. Homeowners are yearning to get back to basics and many of them are opting to make their kitchen makeovers an environmentally friendly one. Price, of course, is still the determining factor when it comes to implementing eco-conscious kitchen elements.

Perhaps that's why, then, many kitchen remodeling experts are seeing their "remodelers coming in to buy the low-end cabinets because their customers just want to replace their old ones at the least cost, or do-it-yourself-ers who are buying the high-end cabinets because they are saving money on the installation."

Cabinetry isn't the only place remodelers are cutting corners, however. They're also opting for less expensive countertop surfaces. Because its prices have remained stable, granite is still a very popular kitchen counter top selection. And no kitchen makeover would be complete without new appliances, where the global financial situation is leading to "a shift away from all-stainless appliances toward a fully integrated look that blends in with the kitchen design."

It's in their new appliances as well that homeowners can realize their yen for a greener kitchen without breaking the bank. That's because "appliances are much more energy efficient today." In fact, many of today's refrigerators can be run for "about the same cost as a 100-watt light bulb, which is around $70 a year."

An online kitchen super center can provide ideas, sparks of inspiration, assistance and advice, so that homeowners can save money while still getting the kitchen of their dreams. With links to major manufacturers of kitchen cabinets, counter tops, appliances, hardware, faucets, sinks, flooring, lighting, windows and wall coverings, it can also assist homeowners in making that single focalized impact they're craving.