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" When Home Magazine and co-sponsor Lowe&amp;#039;s announced a makeover contest for the most important room in the house, the responses were overwhelming. Thousands of readers vied to win up to $40,000 worth of kitchen products from our partners: KraftMaid Cabinetry, DuPont Corian countertops, and KitchenAid appliances.   Before    After      A new layout, windows, flooring, appliances, cabinetry, and countertops made a brighter, more efficient space, and breathed new life into Marykay Powers&amp;#039; kitchen. Her design reorganized the kitchen for easy access, tore down a wall, and created a sitting area.   Kitchens are an emotional hot button, and the editors were inundated with pleas for liberation from Harvest Gold appliances, brown laminate cabinets, and avocado vinyl flooring. Choosing one winner from the stacks of thoughtful, creative submissions presented some tough decisions. After many heartfelt discussions, the editors selected a plan that was simple and straightforward but with potential for a dramatic impact.   The Powers family   That winning homeowner was Marykay Powers. Although the kitchen of her suburban Connecticut home was livable, the late-1960s design just wasn&amp;#039;t cutting it for her twenty-first-century family, which includes her husband, Rob, and their young daughters, Samantha, Lily, and Charlotte.  Before submitting her final plan to us, Powers did her homework. She assessed the existing space and spent hours sketching a room that would meet her active family&amp;#039;s day-to-day needs. &amp;quot;I felt like I was doing a college term paper,&amp;quot; she says, &amp;quot;staying up so late every night planning and drawing pictures.&amp;quot; Like most educated consumers contemplating a major remodeling project, she used the Internet to research cabinet door styles, finishes, hardware, and appliances. &amp;quot;It was helpful to have contest guidelines that specified DuPont Corian, KraftMaid, and KitchenAid, otherwise it would have been overwhelming,&amp;quot; she says.   The new dining area has glass doors that enhance views to the backyard.  The desk is incorporated into the kitchen design with matching KraftMaid Cabinetry and DuPont Corian countertops.     This slim spice trolley slides discreetly into the island.   KitchenAid&amp;#039;s 36-inch gas cooktop and a retractable downdraft vent equip the kitchen island for family meals.     Click here to see the floor plans \u2026Continued in the October 2003 issue of Home Magazine  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.elledecor.com/home-remodeling-renovating/a1027/best-in-show-17540/>