With carefully chosen colors and cabinets, Cooking with Paula Deen's art director created two dining areas in her new home that are welcoming spots to grab a bite.

The cozy combination of bright, Tiffany blue coupled with neutral browns and tans, gives the kitchen a welcoming and cheerful feel. The upper counter is a great spot for a snack or breakfast and is a simple way to sneak more counter space into a kitchen.

When they began designing their home, Lee and Tracy Franklin spent much of their time and energy on the kitchen. Since their home was being built in a planned community, they were limited in the ways they could adapt the plans. Still, they were able to customize their design by removing some framing and relocating some of the wiring. They found that with a few customized touches, they were able to make their small space into a functional kitchen with plenty of room for cooking.

Their dining room, on the other hand, was part of a bigger space, opening into the living room and foyer. The dining area is anchored by a seashell theme that separates it from the rest of the space. Using seashells to set off the sideboard's pewter dishes and to act as decorative markers on the table setting, the seashell collection adds a lighter neutral layer to the space's brown tones.