Around the turn of the century, it was fashionable to ignore the kitchen's existence-cooking was done in the nether regions of the house, often by servants. Fashions change. Now, attention is focused on the kitchen-we ac-knowledge it as the busy center of household activity. The well-designed kitchen of today should not only be pleasing to the eye but should reflect the individual needs, work habits, and entertaining styles of members of the household. You can plan an efficient kitchen that will meet your needs and your wants, as well as your budget. To help you, this chapter presents suggestions for kitchen planning; concrete information on dimensions, building materials, and appliances; and guidelines for working with de-signers and contractors, as well as for doing the work yourself. You can include and adapt the ideas that are best for you.

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