Refresh the kitchen ceiling and walls with a new coat of paint.  If you want to make your kitchen area to appear bigger select a light shade of color.  If you have old wallpaper plastered on the walls of your kitchen strip it off and paint the wall rather than replacing new wallpaper.  These days, home improvement gurus will tell you that paint is more popular and cost-effective than wallpaper material, and it can really give your kitchen its much-needed makeover.  Make sure that you use a semi-gloss paint that is of good quality, so that you can effortlessly wash the walls when needed.