Kitchens in glossy magazines may look like wonderful places, filled with the best-quality fittings and accessories and in spaces large enough to fit the average house.

As dream kitchens, they’re out of reach of most ordinary buyers, but that doesn’t mean that just because you don’t have an acre of space to fill with luxury fitments you can’t have a kitchen that makes you proud. In many cases, careful shopping can result in creating a kitchen with just the same wow factor, but at a fraction of the cost.

An expensive country kitchen is a thing of beauty. Featuring natural wood and soft neutral colours, country kitchens are cosy and inviting, exuding an aura of timeless family life and comforting home-cooked food.

Laminate work surfaces can achieve the same look at a much lower upfront cost than work surfaces of solid wood. Laminate works well with young families where hygiene is a factor. The material is easy to clean and hard-wearing, standing up well to everyday wear and tear. It’s also available in a range of colours, from gentle oak and the palest of maples right through to the rich tones of walnut. The technology used to produce realistic laminates means a faithful representation of wood grain, so it’s practically indistinguishable from the more expensive solid wood.

When natural-looking laminates are coupled with neutral-coloured cabinet doors, the effect of the country style is almost perfect. Choose cabinets with shaker style handles for a clean simplicity that completes the look. Add brass or copper pans, hung artfully from walls or ceiling, if space allows and if you can’t go that far a simple posy of wild flowers in a jug on the windowsill will give a country fresh feeling to the area.

Remember to claim your free laminate samples if you’re thinking of replacing your work surfaces and are not sure which colour would look best in your new kitchen. Having samples allows you to observe the colour right where it will be installed so you’re far more likely to find your perfect colour and style.

One of the quickest and easiest ways to give kitchen worktops a new lease of life, assuming you’re not ready to replace them, is to renew the silicon seals. These are often the first areas to start showing their age, looking ragged and tired over time.

Renewing the silicon seals isn’t hard. Given a little time and effort it is the sort of quick DIY job most people should be able to accomplish.

The first step is to get rid of the old sealant. Cut away as much as you can using a sharp knife and being careful not to damage the nearby surfaces. Sometimes old sealant will tear off in strips, other times it can be more resistant. Products are available to help with the removal if you’re having trouble. Once the old stuff is off, the next step is to replace it with new sealant. This can be a bit messy, so make sure you have plenty of paper towels handy.

Use a good-quality sealant as this will have better mould and stain-resistant properties. A mistake that’s often made is to cut too much off the end of the tip, which results in the sealant squeezing out too quickly. Not only does this make the job trickier, it’s also wasteful. Cut the nozzle at a 30 to 45 degree angle. A pair of scissors will do the job.

Before you apply the sealant, make sure the surfaces are dry, smooth and dust-free. Release the pressure off the gun before you start, so that the sealant doesn’t squeeze out until you’re ready. Aim the nozzle into the gap, then squeeze the trigger so the pressure rod applies gentle pressure to the sealant inside the tube.

Run a bead of sealant along the gap between the work surface and the wall, trying to keep it as evenly sized as possible. When you’ve gone the entire length of the gap, use a wet finger to gently smooth the sealant into position and wipe away any excess with a paper towel.

Leave the sealant alone to dry and set for a few hours, or overnight, before letting anything come into contact with it.