Small Kitchens: Making Every Inch Count

The well-designed kitchen, believes Murrell, a British decorator who has planned and written about kitchens for 20 years, will be efficient, clean and attractive. It could hardly be less if the guidelines in this handsome and intelligent book are followed. His philosophy is simple: employ the principles of good design, buy the best you can afford (but never anything you don't need or like) and never let fashion dominate function. Murrell's advice will prove helpful in designing kitchens of various sizes, utility rooms or any space where storage is a consideration. German and Italian influences are drawn upon, and, surprisingly, the inspiration for the small kitchen is the busy, spacious kitchen of the 19th century. Murrell convincingly argues that a tall, shallow pantry cupboard, work surfaces accessible to several people at once and separated cooking areas (the combination range-oven is out of favor) make the best use of limited space. The neat, short sections on refrigeration, shelves and cabinets, ventilation, small equipment, etc. and the photographs of beautiful kitchens make the book a pleasure to use as well as a valuable reference. A list of suppliers is included. (February)