Kitchen krunch

Vacation = sporadic posting. Sorry.

My wife and I both enjoy cooking, so it's no surprise that one of the things that has migrated to the top of the home improvement list is an update of our 1940's-era kitchen. They layout is terrible, the linoleum is not only ugly but also gouged beyond recognition, and the cooktop – well, I'd rather cook on a camp stove than try to regulate the heat on that sucker. So when the harvest-gold Fridgidaire that came with the place finally gave up the ghost last month, well, we decided it was time to consider an update

When we first moved in I had entertained the notion that perhaps I'd be able to handle a kitchen renovation, but having very little faith in my skills and plenty of other projects to chase, we decided to visit a few professionals. After receiving our first quote, all I can really say is ouch. I figured my estimate of what it would cost would be low, but I didn't realize I'd be that low. I'd rather not do the kithchen half-assed, either, since that's where we spend the majority of our time. I'm not talking kitchen porn here -- restaurant-level appliances and the like -- but I'd like to do it right the first time.

So, any tips on how to approach a kitchen renovation? What are safe projects for do-it-yourselfers and what is best left for the professionals?