The PassageBeach Style Kitchen, Boston

3. Tackle a Long-Awaited Remodeling ProjectBetween saving for college and the general busyness that comes with having kids at home, it’s no surprise that plenty of empty nesters see their new situation as an opportunity to finally invest in the renovations they’ve been dreaming of for years. In this family home, designer Jean Verbridge of Siemasko + Verbridge helped a couple with four children reimagine their space after the kids moved out. By opening up the layout and completely remodeling the kitchen, the home now reflects the Scandinavian modern style the couple love.Houzz Tour: Seaside Shingle Style Gets Modern Edge

Let a large vent hood take up the upper real estate. In this stunning kitchen on the coast of Massachusetts, a striking cobalt blue range and vent hood make a strong impact. This kitchen is a great lesson in the value of white space. Vent hood and range: BlueStar; backsplash tile: WaterworksSee the rest of this home

Lou Lenzi, director of industrial design at GE Appliances, has several theories about why colorful appliances are making such a comeback. “While stainless remains a popular premium finish, we’ve seen a rise in what we call ‘stainless fatigue’ — that feeling consumers get when they have to continuously clean fingerprint smudges and dirt marks off of their shiny stainless appliances,” he says. We also may need a break from technology. “Colors tend to soften the impact of the machine world we live in,“ he says. While it used to be hard to find a range that cost less than a small car and that you didn’t have to import from Europe, American manufacturers are onto the colorful trend. Today there are many more affordable options, and soon you may even be able to switch out a colored refrigerator cover as easily as you switch out the case on your iPhone. Here are a variety of ways to add color via appliances; take a look and decide if your kitchen needs a color injection.Inject a jolt of unique color. A few design professionals were onto the appeal of cobalt blue long before it became such a rage in the fashion world. When her clients told her they did not want a kitchen that looked like everyone else’s, architect Jean Verbridge’s mind went straight to this cobalt range and vent hood. It is a stunning focal point in this seaside kitchen.Tip: If you’re going with stainless steel for your other appliances, stainless accents on the colored appliances and vent hood can help tie everything together. Range: 48-inch RNB series with Pro-Line Hood, Bluestar

11. Add a showstopper. A simple kitchen with simple cabinetry is downplayed by a showpiece range hood. Playing up one feature is a great way to detract from less interesting elements.More: 12 Great Kitchen Styles — Which One’s for You?

If you'd rather keep your tiles white but still crave some cobalt in the kitchen, check out cobalt appliances. This is the BlueStar RNB Gas Range.Tour the rest of this seaside home

"A cookbook is only as good as its poorest recipe."When you find a great cookbook, hang onto it for life and keep it close. A lot of new kitchen islands have designated cookbook space. You may find a good spot over the refrigerator or designate a cabinet shelf for cookbooks as well. For you techies, check out Why Your Kitchen Wants Its Own iPad.See the rest of this home

A splash of cobalt blue gives this updated bright, white kitchen a homey yet modern feel. Plus it's just pretty. The range is by Blue Star.

"This is a cook's kitchen," says Verbridge. The family loves cooking and has a friend who is a chef who also enjoys using the kitchen to prepare meals. While the kitchen has classic elements like white cabinets and gray counters, the clients felt no need for their kitchen to look like everyone else's, so they asked Verbridge for her advice on making a big, unexpected move. "My impulsive first instinct was to go with the cobalt blue range and hood," she says. "It kind of came out of nowhere, except that I was inspired by their love for a Scandinavian aesthetic." Another custom element tailored to the couple is the bookshelves at the end of the island. It holds cookbooks and children's books close at hand, so that visiting grandchildren can make a pick and read with their grandmother.Range: 48-inch RNB series with Pro-Line Hood, Bluestar; pendant lights: Slender Glass Cylinder, DK Living; kitchen island paint: Graystone 1475, Benjamin Moore; countertop material: Bianco Carrara

Layout of kitchen - not blue appliances

this is the stove i was talking about