Kelly Morisseau, CMKBD, author of Kelly's Kitchen Sync, just released, has been a great friend, colleague and fellow blogger for many years. Kelly's new book provides a wealth of practical information and tips on all those pesky little details which make ALL the difference in a kitchen design that works for the way you live, both aesthetically and functionally, for perhaps, the next few decades or so.
I have reviewed a few books before. In one case, a long term professional relationship completely dissolved forevermore because my colleague's book on kitchen design, sent to me for review, was so far below my standard for useful (and current) information, that I felt that I could not and would not endorse it (there is no way to say that gently to a colleague, trust me on that). My memory fades on another two books that I also could not endorse, but one refusal was due to flat out inaccuracies that I easily uncovered. Point? My professional standards for information relating to the kitchen and bath industry and design process are VERY high and no, friendship does not trump endorsing what I might consider to be sub par information on kitchen design released to the public at large. I'm a bit wound tight like a lionness in that regard for some very strange reason. I know...I probably need to fix a margharita and relax.
"Kelly's Kitchen Sync" is a good book. It's the real deal by a smart and experienced (key word) certified kitchen designer, and it offers solid information that is important to know as one navigates the universe of designing a kitchen. The information in Kelly Morisseau's book can truly enhance one's investment in one's home, often the biggest investment one makes, not to mention enhancing one's lifestyle in the kitchen.
Following are nuggets of information (every page offers valuable gold nuggets) that are not only good to know but will add a layer of detail that makes all the difference in the design process, resulting in a kitchen with a higher level of aesthetics and function, especially if one tackles the kitchen design without a professional kitchen designer (no one does that, right?) Following are snippets of good information!
"Clear as glass", page 97:
Kelly talks about mullions on glass wall cabinet doors intersecting with shelves and offers solutions to work around what can be a collision of lines which would otherwise most likely not have been noticed till...later. Four pages on glass shelves and glass doors? Impressive.
Here's just one insider tip on hardware...so simple, yet proportion and scale is the foundation behind this simple, but important, advice.
"Which is better, knob or pull, page 102:
Before you buy, check the width of both your smallest and widest drawers. Buy a few sizes and see what looks best. If your cabinet is 27" wide and the handles are 4" or less, I sometimes recommend using 2 handles, spaced 3"-5" from each side of the drawer."
Ah yes...the insider's tips for ordering cabinetry correctly...
"Order up! The top 11 beginner mistakes of cabinetry orders (and how to avoid them)", page 81:
(One of my favorites) - "Tall cabinets, such as a 96" high x 24" deep cabinet, will NOT tilt upright in a 96" high room. It's a simple law of physics - the corner of the cabinet will strike the ceiling first."
Perhaps you get the idea - endless tips are provided throughout the book to help, yes, avoid disaster! An experienced kitchen designer has multiple solutions at the ready for nearly every situation that arises. Here, Kelly has laid the foundation for one to understand not only what those solutions are, but WHY these issues are important to know. And, she explains them in an easy going manner that is both entertaining and informative. Kelly's Kitchen Sync - the book!