Kitchens That Work: The Practical Guide to Creating a Great Kitchen

Rating:
Summary: A Must Have for anyone thinking about a new kitchen!
Review: Before I purchased this book, I read the other reviews and I am so glad I did! I have purchased loads of books, magazines...anything "kitchen" and found this to be the most informative. Everything that isn't covered in the others IS covered in this. This is the only book you need, if you just want to look at ideas, or if you really want to KNOW what you need actually need to know. All I can say is...you need this book if you want to be informed about a new kitchen!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Soup to Nuts, This is the book to get
Review: I bought Kitchens that Work at the same time I bought Great Kitchens, At Home with America's Top Chefs. I love Kitchens That Work, and am disappointed in the one about America's top chefs. If you are wondering what Mario Andretti's garage looks like, it is nothing like you would imagine. Probably more like a GM assembly plant. Top chefs think in terms of production, not beauty. One of the kitchens has bare cinderblock, unfinished on the wall. Very utilitarian with little warmth. Others are better than that, but I did not find anything inspiring in there.
Kitchens that work on the other hand, has every level of kitchen pictured. Some high end kitchens to dream of, as well as some a little more practical. The important thing as they mention is an intelligent design, that incorporates what you need, rather than the latest trend.
When I read some of the reviews on Kitchens that Work, I thought it would be lacking something, NOT! It has every consideration covered. Planning, layout, design, considerations when dealing with contractors, things to look out for when opening up walls, like hidden pipes for example, and the list goes on and on.
All I can say, "Soup to Nuts, This is the Book to Get" You could spend a year pondering all of the considerations they give you. Well done, definitely five stars.

Rating:
Summary: Start with this book!
Review: If you are remodeling or building a new house this is the kitchen book to start with.

What it is: a kitchen design book that covers everything from floor plan layout to appliances to decorating to the plumbing, heating, cooling, etc.

What it is not: a nuts and bolts "how to" book. A picture idea book.

I was fortunate to begin with this book. It covers every angle of kitchen design so I really had to think of everything when planning my new kitchen. I haven't built it yet but I feel very confident about my design because of the details this book made me account for.

For most people this book could be the single purchase necessary. This book covers the varying levels of needs that kitchen users have. If the kitchen is just a place to have coffee and warm up soup or restaurant leftovers, or if you are a family cook, the design basics you need are here. If you are a serious cook who entertains a lot, like me, you may need to add other resources to your library. Or if you want a show-piece kitchen, you may need to go further than this book. Whatever style of kitchen you are creating START here, then go to other resources if you need to.

Good pictures (and quite a few of them), though like I said it is not a picture idea book. Text is prosey and easy to read.

Very highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Nuts and bolts of remodeling and kitchen design
Review: There are so many kitchen design books on the market. If you want the best one, buy this. Why? Because it forces you to think about how you want to function in your kitchen before you even begin to select cabinets, appliances, fixtures and fittings. What good does it do you to install attractive features like professional ranges and refrigerators, expensive cabinetry and lighting if, in the end, you have to walk clear across too long an area to get from your refrigerator to your sink? This book guides you to examine how you work in your kitchen, e.g., whether one or two people cook, whether you entertain, whether you have special needs for children, etc. There is a great section that teaches you about the hidden systems in your walls, like plumbing and electrical, in a way you can understand, so you can be informed about these hidden elements and aren't a total dummy when talking to your contractor and when determining whether what needs to get done as far as plumbing and electrical work is in fact being done. Might prevent the old "being taken to the cleaners" problems we've all experienced as, say, when dealing with auto mechanics. The section on construction scheduling and contractors is invaluable. The chapter entitled "Designing with the Physical Space" is terrific. This book is worth every penny and probably a lot more in terms of making yourself aware of all aspects of your kitchen remodeling project, what you want and what you don't want in terms of the functionality of your finished kitchen. As it is an expensive remodeling project to undertake, it seems worthwhile to make yourself as knowledgeable as possible. After reading this book and knowing I have it as a reference, the task of remodeling the kitchen seems much less overwhelming.

Rating:
Summary: A primer on good kitchen design
Review: This book is a good primer on kitchen design and remodeling. It is one of the few willing to mention some real world issues such as "what's behind those walls" and "making sure doors don't get in the way of each other or traffic patterns" and of course "budgets". It doesn't presume the reader has a huge kitchen or budget to work with. It offers ideas that could help anyone planning a kitchen remodel. Its chock full of real world tips. I only wish they could have expanded on some issues that were simply mentioned: such as examples of using non-kitchen cabinet furniture in a kitchen design, and perhaps given xerox-able example lists of what to try to include in a given kitchen area as a starting point for readers to work with.

Rating:
Summary: great for first-time remodelers
Review: This book is great for planning, with a lot of details that would prevent a first-time kitchen remodeler from making a lot of mistakes. The authors give details such as standard counter heights that other books skip. The photos are terrific. It doesn't offer much for people who've been through several remodels or planning new kitchens in a custom home. They also omit to mention the tedium of microwaved food for six months, sliding completion dates and escalating costs (muliply time by three and money by two to get a real figure, and I'm not joking), and the reality of washing dishes in the bathtub. Reminder memo to self: you must prevent food scraps from ever reaching the tub drain- there is no garbage disposal.

Rating:
Summary: Very Basic
Review: We are working on our 2nd kitchen remodel and found this book just too basic which means it might be right as a basic book for a first timer. Just a few kitchens were used to illustrate principles and I would have liked to see a larger portfolio represented. "Great Kitchens, At Home with America's Top Chefs" had the ideas that I was looking for.