WE'VE all heard the cliché that kitchens sell houses, but whilst one happy outcome of this elevation from humble room to hub of the home has been a gentle collective shove in the oven's direction, for foodies, it's a result.

We have never had it so finger-lickin' good. Gone are the 'below stairs' days when cooking was strictly kept behind closed doors and the culinary culmination of a battle with a bad-tempered stove would then magically appear on the dining room table.

Now, by Jeeves, we're really making up for lost time and kitchens are arguably the most important room in a home – a domestic nerve-centre with designated areas, beautiful cabinetry, glossy multi-functional ovens and more gadgetry than you could shake a cinnamon stick at.

We now prep, cook and eat in the same space where kids grapple with homework and guests drop in for coffee and a little gossipy camaraderie.

Ultimately, as every foodie worth their Maldon sea salt will know, kitchens should be devoted to the enjoyment of food.

Style-wise kitchens tend to fall into two broad camps. There is camp modern, typified by an industrial edge, with stainless steel, crisp lines and enviable attention to detail. (Think Heston Blumenthal, sleek Italian design, Japanese knives that cost as much as your car, and tardis-like fridges.)

Then there is the more homely approach, traditional, farmhouse or unfitted in style, a nod to the past with a modern edge. (Think Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, butlers' sinks, gleaming copper pans and a cheery Aga chugging away.)

Obviously, this is no manifesto for kitchen definition, but you get the picture, and whichever camp you fall into, the choice is endless. There are precious few gadgets that haven't been thought of with the home cook in mind – fridge and dishwasher drawers, in-built steam ovens and coffee machines, multiple sinks and kettle taps providing lashings of permanently boiling water, to name just a few.

Ultimately though, the foodie kitchen starts and finishes with a good oven. You can be smug about a Smeg or similar German make, but we do ovens seriously well in the UK too.

Britannia will now even colour match your oven, alongside offering a plethora of oven sizes and combinations, and Agas have come of age with the Aga Six Four – all the good looks of the classic, but dubbed the ultimate modern range with the convenience of a six burner hob.

And Gloucestershire's own family company Everhot produces a superbly proportioned electric range with hotplates, championed by the Cotswold-based Michelin starred chef, Rob Rees.

For true extravagance though, the French, who apparently know a bit about food, produce the Angelina Jolie of range cookers, the La Cornue (pictured), a beautifully designed stove that could easily cater for a similarly expanding family.

But it's the decorative elements that really pull a dream kitchen together.

Bespoke kitchen companies Mark Wilkinson and Chalon offer signature designer ranges tailored to suit your kitchen and maximize storage, with unique touches and allotted space for everything from individual herbs to hand-carved chopping boards.

Parlour Farm Kitchens, in Cirencester, will happily hand-craft your dream cabinets, or you could just opt for a kitchen island – the modern take on a worktable that no kitchen should be without in some form or other, preferably beneath a heaving Batterie de Cuisine keeping trusty pots and pans within easy reach.

And tiles are the new kitchen art, with companies like Marlborough Tiles producing whimsical food-based designs that will always raise a smile.

Ultimately though, kitchens are an expression of your own personality. They are where function meets conviviality, and a deal's struck between creativity and relaxation. Now that's an enticing combo if ever there was one, (a bit like chilli and chocolate, but without the kick) so most importantly, enjoy yours, and pass the pie.