When it comes to selling or buying a home, the kitchen is where it's cooking.

"The kitchen is truly the heart of a home," says Blue Arnold, a National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) certified kitchen and bath designer, owner of Kitchens by Request, located outside Baltimore, and former NKBA board member. "The kitchen is where life happens. It's not just a place to make meals, it's where the family gathers."

If the kitchen is the heart of a home, it needs to tug on the heartstrings of potential buyers. But Arnold says sellers don't need to undertake a massive remodeling project and spend a lot of dough to upgrade the kitchen. "It's easy to spend $30,000 on a kitchen remodel, but that money may be hard to recoup in the sale of the home," he says. "Sellers need to realize that millennials are minimalists -- and this is the demographic likely buying your home."

Arnold and NKBA's 2017 Trends Survey share culinary cues and delectable designs in the kitchen, which can fuel a hot property.

Hot Spots

Before beginning any kitchen upgrade project, Arnold encourages homeowners to first be inspired.

"Visit local kitchen showrooms. Search online for ideas and take note of kitchens in home and garden television shows," Arnold says. "Everything from the latest door hardware to trending kitchen colors is on display."

Arnold says to be upfront with kitchen sales representatives about your budgetary constraints for the best advice and service when you go into showrooms. Homeowners can get a big bang for their buck by paying attention to small details.

Lean and Clean

Homeowners should view the sale of a home as an opportunity to clear away the clutter in the kitchen. "Before you can begin to spiff up the space, you need to pare it down," Arnold says. "Open up the bottom and top cabinets and that 'junk' drawer in the kitchen and get rid of things you never use."

Donating unexpired and unused items to local food banks and not-for-profits brings a fresh energy into the kitchen, Arnold says. It also leaves less stuff to box up on moving day.

Color and Light

A fresh coat of paint brings color and life into a kitchen, Arnold says, and it's also an easy way to freshen up walls and cabinets that have been grease-spattered or dinged through usage.

"If you are trying to sell your home, the best tactic is to do as many DIY (do-it-yourself) projects as you can," he says. "Painting a space instantly transforms it. If you're painting cabinet faces, you can also change out the hardware to complete the look."

Arnold prefers paint colors that are bisque, almond and shades of grey, which are emulated in NKBA's 2017 Design Trends and dominate kitchen color schemes. Arnold's personal favorite paint shade is "Whisper" by Benjamin Moore Paints.

A bright tip to set the mood in a space is to change outdated light fixtures and remove large, bulky window treatments to let the natural light shine in. Common sense dictates replacing burned-out bulbs and broken fixtures, but sometimes spraying an old brass light fixture with a direct-to-metal paint in lacquer white or copper color breathes new life and light into fixtures.

Counter Revolution

A new Stone Age is dawning in today's kitchens, according to NKBA 2017 trends. Countertops and backsplashes made with engineered, man-made or manufactured stone have a natural look without the maintenance of real stone.

Most commonly called quartz countertops, this engineered stone is a manufactured surface comprised of more than 90 percent quartz. The remaining ingredients include high-performance polymers, resins and pigments that are colorized to mimic natural stone or concrete surfaces.

Engineered stone is nonporous, waterproof and stain-, heat- and scratch-resistant. The surface of e-stone is smooth and can have a shiny or honed appearance. Because it lacks surface holes, engineered stone does not support the growth of bacteria and doesn't require sealing as natural stone does.

Arnold says if quartz countertops and backsplashes are cost-prohibitive, homeowners can often get builders-grade granite for less money and install mesh-backed tile backsplashes using thinset and grouting in a two-day process.

Step on It

If the kitchen underfoot is in a state of disrepair, today's luxury vinyl tile options will floor you. Colors and patterns with water-resistant qualities that simulate natural flooring materials and easy-to-install tiles make this a popular mainstream choice.

If the kitchen has high-quality flooring, make sure tiled floors and grouting are professionally cleaned and wood floors are refinished, if the budget allows.

Everything and the Kitchen Sink

The kitchen sink should be free of dishes and scoured clean. Make sure to fix or replace a leaky or outdated faucet.

If appliances date the kitchen to the harvest gold era, homeowners might consider replacing them with builder's grade or like-new appliances.

Ironically, the goal of updating the kitchen of a home on the market is to make it look as though no one cooks in it. A vase of flowers, bowl of fresh fruit and decorative hand towels are eye candy in an uncluttered kitchen, Arnold says.

"Pay attention to the small details in a kitchen," he says. "If you haven't taken care of the simpler things, a potential buyer may believe the homeowner isn't tending to the house's larger maintenance issues."

Niche in Kitchen

-- Kitchens By Request Inc., KitchensByRequest.com, 1115 Baldwin Mill Road, Jarrettsville, Maryland, 410-557-6957

-- National Kitchen & Bath Association, NKBA.org, click "ProSearch" to find a certified kitchen professional near you. 800-843-6522

Lap up a watery design this winter with an indoor swimming pool.

You don't need to live in a warm winter climate to sit poolside. People are designing pools to create a resort-like atmosphere inside their home, says Teri Wiltshire, spokesperson for Master Pools Guild Inc., in Richmond, Virginia. "People are drawn to water and want to bring that experience inside their homes," she says. "Homeowners who build indoor pools are focused on health and well-being year-round, and also use it for entertaining family and friends."

But homeowners who are diving into indoor swimming pool construction need to have a plan before going financially underwater on a stylish swimscape, says Mark Reed, president and chief executive officer of Memphis Pool in Tennessee.

"An indoor pool is a way to prolong a six-month swim season, when compared to the backyard variety," he says. "Homeowners can expect to pay up to 30 percent more for an indoor pool, as opposed to the same construction in the backyard."

But swimming laps in luxury isn't as easy as filling a hole in the ground. Reed says the average indoor-size pool is between 15,000 and 20,000 gallons and is typically built on-grade. In a stroke of ingenuity, indoor pools built in a solarium-style space can feature panels on the roof that can be opened and closed for an indoor-outdoor feel.

The poolroom can be a sunny segue from the inside of the house to scenic views outside. Usually attached to the back or side of a home, the poolroom can be the centerpiece of an in-home spa experience, often surrounded by a hot tub or gym equipment.

Before breaking ground on a watery respite, the site needs to be prepared and graded so water flows away from a home's foundation. Water also travels the path of least resistance, so it's important to make sure it doesn't seep into the house by having an equipment pan in the pump room, in the event the filtration system springs a leak.

"You need to have a plan for water drainage, because you don't want the water splashed from the pool to end up inside your home," Reed says. "There also has to be a plan for the ventilation and dehumidification of the house with an indoor pool, so the evaporated water doesn't condense on walls and ceilings."

More people are swimming in style with splashy features built around their indoor pools. "Homeowners are educated about options they want," Reed says. "Each pool we build is unique and built around the personality of the homeowner and design of the house."

The size and shape of an indoor pool depends on how it will be used. A classic geometric shape is perfect for a lap pool, while a naturalistic, curving shape can be more conducive for recreation with a waterslide and diving boards.

Reed says the inside and bottom of many indoor pools are tinted to give the illusion of blue hues. Finishes inside the pool using aggregate, such as colored pebbles, are as beautiful underwater as they are underfoot. Also, the indoor pool can be an illuminating project, with underwater light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that cast cool lights in color.

But just as important as how an indoor pool looks is how it smells. "We've all been to the hotel that greets you with the chlorine smell of their indoor pool," Reed says. "You don't want that smell permeating your home."

Reed says one of the most effective water sanitizers for a pool is an ultraviolet (UV) and ozone water treatment system. "This system reduces the need for chemicals, and there's little off-gassing of chloramines, which leads to that strong chlorine smell in the air."

Swimming and safety must go together like a foot and flipper in an indoor pool. "It's really important to go over water safety rules at your pool and have layers of safety precautions in place," Reed says. "Since you can't put a fence around an indoor pool, local building codes have guidelines, which often include having an alarm on the door to the poolroom."

Extra amenities surrounding an indoor pool, such as a sauna, workout equipment and lounge chairs, give families more opportunities to enjoy the poolroom. "Our team isn't just building a pool," Reed said. "We want to create a relaxing oasis that families can dive into."

Taking the Plunge

To find reputable pool contractors in your area, go to: MasterPoolsGuild.com

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)

After the holidays, bid your home a vibrant "Happy New Year!" -- or "Felice Anno Nuovo!" -- by bringing a little Italy into your kitchen.

America's midcentury modern movement is making a comeback with the flowing curves and dramatic angles of Italian design that never went out of style in Europe, says Amir Ilin, director of North American sales for Pedini USA, based in Paramus, New Jersey. "Italy is the country that brings the world the sleek design of the Lamborghini and Ferrari automobiles, and that same design principle is found in the home," he says. "There is a small faction of Italian design that is traditional and rustic -- with carvings and gold leafing -- but today, when we talk about Italian design in America, it is contemporary and refined."

American kitchen trends, as released by the National Kitchen and Bath Association, based in Hackettstown, New Jersey, forecast design principles with streamlined spaces, which are emulated in Italian kitchens.

A clutter-free culinary space appeals to not only millennials, but active baby boomers -- or "zoomers," says Ilin. "As design in the home becomes more open, many people want the kitchen to look like the rest of the home, which is becoming more contemporary in design," he says. "This kitchen design style isn't new in Europe, but it has been catching on in the United States for the past five years."

With countertops and an island more akin to fine furniture than traditional American kitchen cabinetry, contemporary Italian style is often unadorned, featuring flush doors, natural materials and rich monochromatic colors.

Contemporary Cabinetry

Cabinets built by American manufacturers traditionally use framed construction, in which the rails and stiles form a "frame" on the cabinet front.

Conversely, Europeans employ frameless cabinet or "full access" manufacturing techniques, which offer greater accessibility by eliminating the front stiles and frame. In a technique that uses "thicker box construction" for stability, flat door and drawer fronts create a sleek, simple aesthetic.

Ilin cautions that not all installers are built the same. "It's important to not warp cabinets when installing on hanging rails," he says. "Also, larger standing cabinets need to remain square when adjusting legs."

Cabinet finishes can range from lacquer to high-gloss, using exotic woods or veneer. Shelving often rolls out for greater accessibility, with glass fronts that open at the touch of a hand.

Kitchen Island

If your home's floor plan is a vast sea of space, the kitchen shouldn't be uncharted territory for an island.

"An island can act as a buffer between the rest of the room and the kitchen itself," Ilin says. "Italian-inspired islands don't have corbels, but can be sculptural with angled legs and clean lines."

Countertops range from stainless to stone. Ilin says slabs of porcelain are the most popular countertop in today's Italian kitchen, which can be fabricated in all shapes and sizes, without the ongoing maintenance of sealing stone.

Ilin is a big fan of vented range hoods -- another sculptural element often set above the kitchen island -- that really clear the air in kitchen design. Also, a range hood is essential to remove moisture, grease and particulates from the home, and prevent these things from being breathed in and adhering to walls, cabinets and furnishings, which is especially important in an open floor plan.

Specialized Spaces

The idea of creating a breakfast bar -- stocked with conveniently located first-of-the-day foods, dining ware and appliances -- makes it easier for families to break-the-fast. Stocked and stored behind closed doors in an Italian-inspired kitchen, countertops pull out when in use and push back into a large cupboard when finished.

Often, this cupboard can house a complete coffee station, which can also be pressed into service at the end of an evening. The specialized cupboard is also the perfect place to house the blender, toaster and espresso machine.

To raise a glass to toast stylish epicurean endeavors, Ilin says a wine refrigerator is becoming a must-have appliance. Self-standing, temperature-controlled cabinets or credenzas made especially to store wine can start at $1,000, based on the design and the number of bottles they will hold.

Colorful Culinarian

When creating a sleek design in a thoroughly modern monochrome, an exciting way to color your kitchen is to allow small appliances -- such as a stand mixer -- and cast iron cookware in bright tones to reside on the corner of a countertop or cooktop.

In a more daring move, the kitchen island can be fabricated in a color -- such as a warm, yellowy "dune" hue. Ilin says the trend is shifting away from colorful islands, which are harder to swap out than kitchen accessories.

"Italian design has a timeless quality to it, in that it is pared down," Ilin says. "Good design should have beautiful form, but it must first be functional -- especially in the kitchen."

A Contemporary Kitchen

To find one of 20 Italian-inspired kitchen showrooms near you, go to PediniUSA.com and select SHOWROOMS.

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)