No matter where it is, no matter how it's decorated, a home should always provide a sense of warmth and welcome for family and friends.

Whether you're an aspiring top chef, a novice cookie maker or anything in between, the kitchen can serve as the central meeting place for family and friends. Using warm wood colors and accents, while opting for the newest styles, instantly creates a more inviting look for your kitchen. Here are some ways to warm up your kitchen with color.

So many delicious colors are available to help you create an inviting mood in your kitchen. Many of today's hottest hues are inspired by favorite foods and pleasant kitchen experiences such as cooking, baking and entertaining. Examples include today's popular paprika and cinnamon colors; soothing neutrals such as tarragon and sage; and the deep, rich tones of wine or cherry. These colors, when used in wall coverings, flooring or accessories, can provide a backdrop that sets the tone in your kitchen.

There's nothing like the look of real wood to add a comforting feel to any room. And, since cabinetry is often one of the biggest visual elements in a kitchen, consider cabinetry in a warm color to make a high-impact statement. Many on-trend wood types are available in surprisingly affordable styles from manufacturers of semi-custom cabinetry.

"Today's semi-custom cabinetry gives homeowners access to some of the most desired wood types including cherry, known for its deep reddish tones, and alder, which can lend a rustic or casual feel to a kitchen," says Cathy Hitz, brand manager for Diamond Cabinets. "It's easy to combine these woods with special cabinetry touches, such as turnings and moldings, to create a very comfortable and personalized look for a kitchen."

Recently Diamond made some of its most popular door styles available in new wood types. For example, the Shiloh door style features a simplistic look and is available in cherry, alder and rustic alder. Another warm look can be created with Montgomery, a venerable favorite shaker/cottage style door, in alder and rustic alder. These wood types not only provide a cozy look, but their transitional styles can complement a variety of design themes.

Offset the warm tones of the wood with the gleam of reflective accents. One way to add both style and light to the space is to choose decorative glass inserts for the cabinet doors. You can create just about any look you want with glass designs ranging from clear reeded glass with copper metal, to clear antique glass with zinc black patina metal. Textured glass styles are also available with shimmering special effects such as bronzed fabric. And with the popularity of mixed metals, feel free to introduce additional metallic elements such as a copper hood over the range or decorative hardware in contrasting metals.

Complement the warm design theme by treating the eye to textured surfaces. Use woven baskets for storage or decorative purposes, add comfy textured pillows to the bar stools and bring in other textured elements in the form of rattan, fabric or pottery. Don't be afraid to sprinkle in elements of color surprise here and there to keep the space interesting, whether it's the splash of a lipstick red vase or a family photo framed in a vivid shade of electric blue.

Let your kitchen be a personal palette that reflects your true personality. Warm it up with color, and no one will ever want to leave the room.