Upgrading a kitchen is just one of a host of renovations cash-strapped Brits are making to their homes during the recession, it has been suggested. People are increasingly taking on the mantra of dont move, improve while the current economic climate is unfavourable, hoping that redecorating could add value when the sector recovers, the Times reports. Homeowners Harry and Julie Walton purchased a two-bedroom farmhouse in Herefordshire for 290,000 and after a number of improvements it is now listed on the market at 2.35 million, with the central feature being its timber-frame kitchen. Richard Brindley, a director at the Royal Institute of British Architects, warned those looking to make large-scale renovations that the UK has some of the strictest planning permission rules worldwide and it is important to gain approval before work is carried out. In recent news, Gordon Edwards of Halifax estate agents hinted that simple decluttering measures in the kitchen - such as tidying away sink accessories - could be a valuable way of attracting prospective buyers.