Kitchens: A Design Source Book

The kitchen is, and to some extent always has been, the heart of a home. When considering a redesign, Lee points out that the reader should anticipate expense but comprehend that a well-planned and well-designed kitchen can not only improve the quality of life, ease food preparation and entertaining (and clean-up!), but also greatly enhance the value of a property when done thoughtfully and well. More than 400 specially commissioned color photographs bring this large, attractive book to life for the reader. But it is much more than a pretty picture book--it includes serious discussion of principles, styles, equipment, and decoration; the importance of planning and functional design; and considerations of materials in relation to their aesthetic as well as practical and functional attributes. The index is useful and comprehensive, and the source list for materials and equipment is thorough. This is a serious, and seriously attractive, book for anyone planning or dreaming of a kitchen makeover. --Mark A. Hetts