Your house can be your palace, your showcase, your playground or sanctuary. But no matter how you choose to live, your kitchen is always the heart of your home. Whatever dreams you share with your family, you express them there. Whomever you welcome, you tend to them there. Children grow, couples communicate - you make far more than freshly laundered sheets and supper, you make lives in your kitchen.

For an entertaining eight months of my life I toured the West Country of Britain as a kitchen designer. In some ways, it was the best job I ever had - creative, functional, great for meeting people and, providing I agreed a good price, reasonably profitable. But it was never simple, not for me, nor for my clients.

They were often in doubt, so this became the cornerstone of my design brief:

1. Make a Personal Statement

Forget cost. When you begin to plan your kitchen, think unlimited budget. After all, this is your blue sky moment, so enjoy it! There'll be plenty of scope for adjustment within ranges and probably a good yard or two for negotiation, so make your style statement number one on the priority list.

How do you see the space? Are you ambling through the French countryside? Or racing home to a Penthouse apartment? Do you yearn for trappings of a stately home, or are you seeking clean lines with no trace of clutter? Find images that express your vision and use these to add simple design features that can kindle your affections for the room in years to come.

2. Consider the Essentials

The basics need to be in place to ensure the kitchen functions well for everyone. What appliances will you need to store in the kitchen? Do you plan to keep or replace them? If you are aiming to conceal the dishwasher, for example, you may need to purchase one on which an integrated door can be fitted. Be practical too - if you plan to move your water supply from one side of a stone floor to the other, this will eat into the budget, as will an increase in power outlets.

3. Dimensions of the Room

When you measure the space, try not to become too attached to the four walls of the room. A well considered plan that extends a breakfast bar into the center, or introduces unconventional angles can enhance a space elegantly. Above all, watch out for the flow of light. Shadows can add texture when used sparingly, but they will overpower a smaller space and need to be restricted to the less functional areas.

4. Remember the Triangle

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