If your family has outgrown your kitchen, the kids have finally moved out and you want a more intimate kitchen for two, or you just want to spoil yourself and your family with the latest in kitchen technology, remodeling is for you!

More varied than ever, kitchen design features sophisticated new colors, fresh styles, and innovative components. Planning a kitchen project can be fun and exciting, as well as a sound investment. According to studies conducted by the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), the use of quality products combined with the services of a professional can yield an 85 percent to 120 percent return on the initial investment.

While such a project can initially sound like a fun weekend project it can also be a complex job with a number of items to consider, including layout, style, materials and products, safety issues, and building codes. Hiring a quality home improvement professional can be the key to turning your ideas into your dream kitchen.

A home improvement professional can completely redesign and remodel your existing kitchen, moving walls and expanding the space to include additional windows, adding an island or a breakfast bar, or simply replace the existing cabinets and countertops while adding a few space saving features. Below are a few ideas for your kitchen project:

Use Varied Countertop Heights
This creates work space for various tasks (baking/mixing vs. cutting/chopping) and can accommodate short cooks, tall cooks and even those who prefer to sit while preparing meals. It is a good idea to offer counter heights when designing a kitchen, one between 28" - 36" and another between 36" - 45".

Raise Your Dishwasher
Lifting it 9" - 12" above the floor makes it more accessible and easier to load/unload because you don't have to bend to reach the bottom rack. This also creates a variance in counter height, as mentioned above.

Lower Some Wall Cabinets
Who says all of your cabinets should be hung at the same height? Cabinets can be placed right on the countertop, or can be stepped up and down to match changes in counter heights. You'll also get more storage within a comfortable reach.

No More Reaching in the Back!
In base cabinets, you can maximize storage with roll-out shelves that bring pots, pans and other kitchen supplies to the front. Drawers of varying shapes and sizes used in or between upper and lower cabinets increase storage and add design interest.

Kitchen Island
Ask most homeowners and they'll tell you that there's not enough counterspace in the kitchen, no matter how much or how little they have. Whether you need a second work station, a space from which to serve an informal buffet, or just a place to toss the day's mail, kitchen islands are popular solution to the lack of kitchen space.

Hiring a professional
A professional will undertake as little or as much of a remodeling project as you would like. If you elect a professional to oversee the entire project for you, he or she can provide all the necessary components of the remodeling job, including specifying products, hiring subcontractors, and working with interior designers and architects on material and color selection. Find a home improvement contractor who can tackle your kitchen project!

Even if you hire a home improvement contractor to tackle the bulk of the project there are several aspects of the remodeling job that the homeowner can undertake to reduce the costs and take an active role. Jobs like tearing out existing cabinets and flooring, removing trash, painting, and wallpapering easily can be completed by the homeowner.