Real Life Kitchens

In the current economic climate, homeowners are increasingly choosing to remodel their current homes instead of relocating to a new space. Lyn Peterson’s Real Life Kitchens can help remodelers and designers ease their clients’ fears before, during and after the remodeling process.

With floor plans, checklists and planning lists throughout each section of the text, the author provides tips professionals can share with their clients to educate them about topics they may not otherwise be aware of. Full color photos showcase how remodeling can transform a kitchen into a space suitable to meet today’s challenges.

Detailed information on renovated home case studies offers creative design ideas. For instance, one featured kitchen includes a uniquely designed pantry cabinet, which adds balance to the space while providing additional storage.

The book also looks at key questions clients may have, including information about cooking styles, schedules and surface areas. All features and functions of kitchen products are addressed, including appliances, cabinets and countertops.

A discussion on green appliances, specifically trash compactors and garbage disposals, is also provided to help designers create an eco-friendly space.

Mexican Style, Sustainable

Mexican Style, Sustainable by Tina Skinner is a book offering design ideas about how to create sustainable design with a southwestern flair.

According to the author, Norma and David Butterfield set out to find a perfect place to retire. Finding this place, they began building an entire community without destroying the culture and history of the existing area. From this, a Trust for Sustainable Development was created and the couple continued their design inspiration throughout the Loreto Bay area. With full-color photographs, the book describes how the couple implemented their ideas and shows what is possible with sustainable design.

The text provides quotes from Thomas Jefferson and Kofi Annan on sustainable development and discusses the three pillars of sustainability – environmental, social and economic, including how to ensure economic growth, improve social welfare and establish a foundation to carry out these practices. Showing kitchens and baths among its projects, this book presents a challenge to all industry professionals to see what they can do with sustainable design.