At the heart of any home is the kitchen, and this has never been so true as it is today. In response to uncertain economic times and global unrest, consumers are investing in their homes like never before, and kitchen remodeling is at the center of this unprecedented DIY activity.
While a new kitchen clearly adds equity value to a home, the benefits to quality of life are almost beyond measure. A well-planned, well-installed kitchen becomes the focal point of family life and social activity, the home's center of physical and emotional well-being. The Complete Guide to Kitchens is the one book you absolutely need to plan and remodeling a kitchen, whether this entails a light cosmetic facelift or major structural renovation. No other book presents this important subject in such full detail.
This book includes a comprehensive idea section to provide inspiration, and an extended planning and design section to show do-it-yourselfers the latest theories of kitchen layout. Next, there is an ingenious chapter featuring quick fixes-solutions that can radically improve a kitchen without the major expense of a full-scale remodeling job.
The heart of the book, as in the entire series of best-selling Complete Guides, is detailed step-by-step how-to information on virtually any project you might attempt. In addition, the book includes detailed information on making a kitchen accessible to users with limited physical abilities.
Date Published 5/1/2004
Ratings
Rated By: Michael K. Smith
From: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Rating:
Comments: Good resource for the reluctant DIY-er Out house is now about twenty-five years old and we've recently begun overhauling and replacing a lot of stuff. Painting is easy, and laying tile isn't too difficult to learn, but tackling bathrooms and kitchens is notoriously difficult. This volume in the "Black & Decker" series is pretty good, walking you through all the pats of the kitchen -- cabinets, countertops, fixtures, appliances, floors, lighting, etc -- identifying the options for each, and showing you how to calculate costs. And, for that matter, helping you decide which parts you can probably do yourself and which you really want to call on a professional for. (Personally, I'm not about to take on electrical or plumbing systems!) There are a huge number of detailed color photos, especially for key operations like leveling tile, floating a floor, and installing under-cabinet lighting (something my wife really wants). They'll also show you which specialized tools you really need to use. An excellent book in an above-average series.
At the heart of any home is the kitchen, and this has never been so true as it is today. In response to uncertain economic times and global unrest, consumers are investing in their homes like never before, and kitchen remodeling is at the center of this unprecedented DIY activity.
