Almost everyone knows that the kitchen is the heart of the home -- where families meet up to cook, eat and enjoy one another's company. Realtors will also tell you that nothing sells a house like a nice, updated kitchen.

Sometimes, though, buyers pick a home knowing the kitchen isn't perfect. That's what happened when Nicole Simmons and her husband purchased their home several years ago. "As it turned out, we loved everything about the house except the kitchen, which for some reason wasn't updated," she said. "The home was in a great neighborhood in a good school district, the layout was great, the living areas were attractive, the bathrooms were fabulous, and the yard was spacious, beautifully landscaped and private. But the kitchen had some issues. The countertops, appliances and light fixture were dated, the paint was not an attractive color, and there was no refrigerator."

Simmons says because the white cabinets were in good shape -- as were the tile floors -- they bought the house knowing they could make the kitchen as lovely as the rest of the home. "We bought all new appliances and paid someone to replace the countertops. My husband changed out the light fixture and the kitchen faucet, painted and added an attractive peel-and-stick white subway backsplash. So, for less than $5,000 we were able to make the kitchen as nice as the rest of the place."

So, if the room where you gather needs some sprucing up, there are many ways to modernize without breaking the bank. Designer Diane Henkler suggests changing out the cabinet hardware for a quick new look. Do-it-yourselfers can install kitchen cabinet pulls very easily. Keep in mind that many kitchens have cabinets in a variety of sizes, so one kind or size of pull won't work on every drawer. Check out places like Menard's, Lowe's or Home Depot. With so many knobs and pulls to choose from, it's easy to find something you like. Right now, brass, nickel, aged bronze and matte black are popular.

Backsplashes are another easy way to give any kitchen that added pizzazz that everyone wants. Simmons chose inexpensive white subway tiles, but the classic and budget-friendly tile comes in an endless variety of glazes and colors.

Henkler also likes the idea of removing some cabinet doors for the popular open-shelving look. If you want to jazz things up even further, consider adding a colorful backdrop to the shelving by painting the back of the cabinetry or by installing easy-to-change foam board covered by fabric, wallpaper or even gift wrap.

For another nice, final touch, try putting a few pretty pots of parsley, basil or oregano on your windowsills or better yet, try adding a "living wall" to grow those fragrant spices.

"After we purchased our home, we didn't have a lot of money to spend but that was OK," Simmons said. "We shopped around and bought nice mid-priced stainless-steel appliances that were also on sale. Granite or other pricey countertops weren't in our budget, so we picked something attractive, but less expensive. We bought our paint, light fixture, the faucet and the backsplash tile off the shelves at a local home improvement store. But you know what? Nobody seems to notice that we kept to a budget. They just tell us they really like what we've done to update the kitchen and that it looks attractive and new!"