What makes a warm and welcoming kitchen?

When it comes to the kitchen I prefer a more traditional look with modern appliances. I like the warm, worn-in look of exposed beams, bricks, and hardwood floors. I like warm woods, cool colors, deep coppers and heavy steel. I love large windows where the sun can burst through, and illuminate everything within. I like a kitchen that has a sense of history - one that tells a story of a generation, or several, past, filled with shelves or bookcases filled with books that have been splattered on, with dog-eared pages... copper pots, iron skillets hanging overhead... baskets piled neatly, tucked away. There must be a large table where family and friends can congregate, chat and prepare food. A kitchen must be warm, beautiful and utilitarian. It must be utilitarian. Lighting and layout are key. So is storage and counter space for prepping. I'd love a fireplace in mine one day. That would be the ultimate touch for me. I tend to think that a kitchen that is more modern in feel - both in structure and design is often sterile and lacks the welcoming warmth a kitchen ought to have.  For more read here.