The Right Kitchen For You

A kitchen for a fast-paced lifestyle. Enlarge this image Photo/Styling: Yunhee Kim/Molly Fitzsimmons

1> Simple and sleek, the Culinaire faucet has a high neck and a pull-down nozzle to ease cleanup ($500?$600; americanstandard-us.com).
2> A speedy second oven, the 1,700-watt Waring Pro convection oven sits on the counter and makes quick work of baking, roasting, broiling, and rotisserie cooking ($399; waringproducts.com).
3> Stain-resistant, germ-resistant, and easy to repair, Dupont solid-surface countertops (here in Storm Blue) can take just about anything you dish out ($45?$75 per sq. ft., installed; corian.com).
4> Backsplash spice racks put seasonings out in the open for fast access ($150; hafeleonline.com).
5> Brushed stainless-steel tiles deliver pro looks and low maintenance in a backsplash ($56 per sq. ft.; walkerzanger.com).

A kitchen for a fast-paced lifestyle. Enlarge this image Photo/Styling: Yunhee Kim/Molly Fitzsimmons

7> Aluminum-framed, glass-fronted Destiny cabinet doors give you a view of what's inside (ultracraft.com).
8> The latest in quick-cooking appliances is the 240-volt Advantium oven, which uses the power of halogen light to work up to eight times faster than a conventional oven (from $1,350; geappliances.com).
9> A high-efficiency induction cooktop stays cool to the touch while it uses magnetic energy to rapidly and precisely cook food ($2,000; electroluxusa.com).
10> A glass-door refrigerator means no wasted time rummaging through shelves in search of hidden items (from $9,000; northlandnka.com).
11> Save precious counter space with a knife block mounted on a backsplash rail ($160; hafeleonline.com).

A kitchen for a family. Enlarge this image Photo/Styling: Yunhee Kim/Molly Fitzsimmons

1> Who says a bulletin board has to be cork? Stick lists, messages, and kids' masterpieces on the stainless steel (yet still magnetic) Muro bulletin board ($40; blomusproducts.com).
2> A pull-out microwave drawer means young'uns can pop their own popcorn without having to stand on tiptoe ($850; sharpusa.com).
3> With four independently adjustable food compartments, the QuatroCooling convertible refrigerator ensures that your vegetarians and your burger lovers won't squabble over shelf space ($2,500; samsung.com).
4> An undercounter beverage center puts drinks and snacks where they're easy to grab ($1,300; u-line.com).
5> Marmoleum flooring, in click-together tiles or planks, is soft underfoot and made of natural, low-tox materials (from $5 per sq. ft.; forbolinoleum.com).
6> Silestone quartz countertops (here in Red Eros Leather) are hard as rock but also infused with a lifetime antimicrobial agent (from $39 per sq. ft.; silestoneusa.com).

A kitchen for a family. Enlarge this image Photo/Styling: Yunhee Kim/Molly Fitzsimmons

7> Convenient for grownups, neater for kids, the Parma Dual hands-free faucet has a sensor that automatically turns water on and off ($800; danze.com).
8> Brighten up a backsplash with ceramic subway tile, interspersed with colorful glass pencil strips (ceramic, $1.75 per tile; glass, $33 per sq. ft.; nemotile.com).
9> The simple lines of the Hancock cabinet door give it the flexibility to work in casual as well as more formal spaces (qualitycabinets.com).
10> When it's breakfast for all, all at once, the toast needs to come quick. It will with this wide-mouthed 4-slice toaster ($50; cuisinart.com).

A kitchen for a party host. Enlarge this image Photo/Styling: Yunhee Kim/Molly Fitzsimmons

1> Matte-finish glass tiles, in 4-by-8-in. rectangles, add depth and elegance to a backsplash ($14.85 per sq. ft.; annsacks.com).
2> Large pots and pans need a sink that can accommodate them. No problem for the Epicure farmhouse sink in stainless steel, with a 20-by-16-by-10-in. main bowl ($1,640; houzersink.com).
3> Raised-panel cabinet doors, like the Labelle from Merillat Classic, have the right look for a traditional space (merillat.com).

A kitchen for a party host. Enlarge this image Photo/Styling: Yunhee Kim/Molly Fitzsimmons

4> Blast pots clean with the restaurant-style Promaster faucet, with a hefty pull-down sprayer (from $1,292; kohler.com).
5> No showcase kitchen would be complete without granite countertops. Costa Esmeralda—"Emerald Coast"—is renowned for its soft green color and marblelike veining (widely available).
6> Put the party away with stemware racks, which install in or under cabinets and keep wine glasses organized ($17; rev-a-shelf.com).
7> If you're feeding a crowd, you need the versatility of a 6-burner cooktop, like this 48-incher with infrared griddle, and a range hood powerful enough to keep the air clear (cooktop $3,200, vent hood $1,500; wolfappliance.com).
8> A warming drawer allows you to prepare multiple courses in advance, which means you can spend more time hanging out with your guests (from $1,250; wolfappliance.com).
9> Dacor's new 30-inch dishwasher has 40 percent more capacity than a standard 24-in. model, which means you can load it with 20 place settings at once ($1,999; dacor.com).
10> You're always prepared for a toast with an undercounter wine cellar that holds up to 50 of your favorite vintages ($1,550; jennair.com).
11> Solid Brazilian cherry flooring looks rich and is prefinished for maximum resistance to soles and heels ($8?$10 per sq. ft.; mohawk-flooring.com).

A kitchen for two cooks. Enlarge this image Photo/Styling: Yunhee Kim/Molly Fitzsimmons

1> Modular cooking hobs, like this gas wok burner, give each chef individual control ($1,100; gaggenau-usa.com).
2> Refrigerator drawers make it easy for two cooks to keep their favorite ingredients close to the point of use (from $3,000; subzero.com).
3> Refrigerated "columns" for food and wine storage can be used side by side or separately (from $3,600; thermador.com).
4> An individual cooking hob can be equipped with its own telescoping downdraft vent, to keep odors contained ($1,719; gaggenau-usa.com).
5> Serious cooks—and those who want to look the part—make room on the countertop for KitchenAid's iconic stand mixer ($320; kitchenaid.com).
6> Two cooks require multiple surfaces, like a marble slab for rolling out pastry and a hard maple butcher block for chopping ($23?$25 per sq. ft; mapleblock.com).

A kitchen for two cooks. Enlarge this image Photo/Styling: Yunhee Kim/Molly Fitzsimmons

7> Having two sinks is a must. The single-basin Alcott, with its apron front, is reminiscent of a turn-of-the-century pantry sink (from $975; kohler.com).
8> She's fine French pastries; he's hearty Italian pastas. But they agree on stone mosaic tile, which brings old-world inspiration to any kitchen ($25 per sq. ft.; walkerzanger.com).
9> The simplicity of Shaker-style cabinet doors makes a subtle backdrop in a kitchen filled with individual touches (plainfancycabinetry.com).
10> Another take on the authentic country look comes from Shaws Original, which has been hand-making undermount farmhouse sinks for more than a century ($995; rohlhome.com).
11> Why take a chance on colliding with a pot of water in tow??Instead, give your arms a rest and fill it right at the range with a wall-mounted pot-filler faucet ($395; blancoamerica.com).

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Easy Upgrades That Say Welcome Home

overall kitchen remodel how to build a bar bedroom remodel this old house editor Scott Omelianuk desk and bookshelf

More than any other room in the house, the kitchen should be a reflection of our personal preferences—not just of the way we cook but also of the way we live. For some, it's the hub for the family. For others, it's all about no-fuss efficiency. Either way, chances are that the kitchen you have, with its awkward layout, tired appliances, and outdated style, isn't the one you dream about. Remodeling offers a chance to finally right those wrongs and get the kitchen that's truly meant for you.

But with so many options out there, how do you sort through all the choices? Turns out it's not as hard as you might think. After talking with architects, designers, and kitchen and bath pros, we've boiled down most people's dream kitchens into four basic types: the 30-Minute Kitchen, for those who are short on time but insist on eating well; the Family-Friendly Kitchen, for young cooks as well as grownups; the Host Kitchen, for ­people who love to cook for a crowd; and the Two-Cook Kitchen, for couples with a culinary bent. For each type, we offer a selection of the appliances, cabinets, counter materials, and other tools that best serve its needs and cooking style. "The kitchen has to be a pleasant space as well as productive, and that's why it's so important to align the design with the people who are going to use it," says Sara Ann Busby, veteran designer and president of the National Kitchen and Bath Association. You might see yourself in one of these setups, or pluck ingredients from several. Either way, we've got the recipe for your ideal kitchen.

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Article: 9 Steps to Getting the Kitchen You Want

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