The kitchen is the room that is most likely to be changed by new home owners. And that puts vendors in a difficult position. Do they update the kitchen before selling? If they do, they are unlikely to increase the value of the property by the amount that they have spent. But if they don’t, does it detract from the merits of the rest of the house?

Bill Spreckley of Stacks Property Search says: “When it comes to kitchens, I would advise vendors to concentrate on layout rather than content.

“Look at how you could knock it through to other rooms to open it up into a large living space; and look at how it interacts with the garden.

“Talk to planners; draw up plans, establish costs, get artists impressions. That’s where your money will be best spent. But I wouldn’t advise spending money beyond a really good repair, tidy and paint job. As buying agents, if we walk into a kitchen that’s had £50,000 recently thrown at it, we immediately consider reducing the bid.

“The difficulty with kitchens is that they date so quickly. What’s cutting edge one year is available in all good DIY shops the following year, and by the year after that there’s a new trend, a new must-have material, and the three year old kitchen looks dated. He says the best kitchens are bordering on utility. They tend to last longer than anything that tries to be decorative or clever. Neutral colours for floors, work surfaces and cupboards; workmanlike handles; concentrate on ergonomics and lighting. Think professional kitchen.

If you want to add character and colour, play with the walls, free-standing furniture and accessories that don’t cost too much to replace when the trend swerves.

According to him the kitchen trends that will last feature: – Agas, amazingly, considering the cost of fuel. Place them centrally so they disseminate base heat to kitchen and surroundings – Breakfast bar – they have endured decades and aren’t going away – (Space for) enormous fridge – once you’ve had one, there’s no going back – Built in essential gadgets such as espresso machine (cluttered work space is so yesterday) – Wall-mounted TV – we spend more time in our kitchens than anywhere else – Separate utility/boot/dog room. (Possibly the old kitchen once you’ve built the extension) – Boiling water dispenser. Kettles = clutter.

– Concealed cupboards – Integrated recycling – Reclaimed and natural materials – Subdued neutral colours