But still an OK good all round resource, albeit woefully short on design ideas. My first reaction was that it's not the book the other reviewers read, but maybe I was too hard on it. This is an edited review, and if I could change the number of stars, I'd give it three, anyway, having set it aside and picked it up again.

I have several other books that cover the subject very well--especially when it comes to function and design--and I've been through a remodeling, so a lot of what's in this one didn't seem new, thorough or insightful the first time I sat down with. Probably the rave reviews by other readers created unreasonable expectations that this would have some fabulous unique insights about designing kitchens that work AS KITCHENS. It doesn't, but it is very comprehensive when it comes to construction, working w/a contractor, avoiding on-site screw-ups, adapting kitchen layout to the spaces that surround it, etc., none of which should be given short shrift. Maybe that's what excited the other reviewers; guess that's the main perspective and expertise of the authors. It would be quite useful for someone who has not spent as many months [years, maybe] studying the subject and been through multiple additions and remodelings.

Don't buy this one for design ideas. It tries, but it's not even the best when it comes to function, though you might have high expectations based on the title. It's really pretty basic in that respect and focuses more on common mistakes that contractors find in designers' work, like 'that door is going to bump into that [wall/cabinet/doorway/etc.]. The most thorough book on my shelf when it comes to kitchen function [i.e., making using it efficient and comfortable] is good old (1980) Build Your Harvest Kitchen (Rodale Press). For creative design ideas, try DK Home Design Workbooks: Kitchen. For innovative, high style ideas, try Terence Conran Kitchens: The Hub of the Home. Another good one is Kitchen Redos, Revamps, Remodels, and Replacements: Without Murder, Suicide, or Divorce; also the New Kitchen Idea Book. I also have and like Joan Kohn's It's Your Kitchen. My current kitchen is based on ideas pulled from everywhere, including pages ripped from obscure magazines and stuff I found on the web. If you're not as inclined as I am to cast a wide net, maybe at least these brief comments will lead you to a book or two that will meet your needs. This might be one of them--if you're handing the contruction details yourself.

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.

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.

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.