The Kitchen Bible -Designing the Perfect Culinary Space

This book is a definitive guide to designing a brand new or remodeled kitchen in a home, based on a home owner’s space, budget, culinary and entertaining needs. There are dozens of examples from small to large, less expensive to expensive, all white or colorful, and sustainable or not. There are also suggestions regarding less costly ideas if a full remodeling isn’t possible since the average cost of a high-end remodeling now hovers near the $120,000 range. The book explains through plans how to read a blueprint and understand what professionals in this field suggest. In short, the book offers a road map to start and complete a job. 

Barbara Ballinger is a professional writer, author, speaker, blogger (www.barbaraballinger.com) who has written about real estate and design since 1972 when she worked at House & Gardens’ Special Publications magazines for eight years, followed by being a reporter at The St. Louis Post-Dispatch for eight years and a Senior Editor at the National Association of Realtors ®, for which she still writes a monthly feature on design and real estate. She started her own writing business 26 years ago and writes for a wide variety of publications, which have included House Beautiful, the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, HGTV online,  Hanley Woods’ MultiFamily Executive magazine. She has also appeared on many radio and TV shows, including Oprah Winfrey’s, at real estate conventions and on NPR. She graduated from Barnard College with a B.A. in art history and holds a M.A. in art history and studio art from Hunter College. Barbara Ballinger co-authored the book with long-time writing partner Margaret Crane and Washington, D.C., kitchen and bath designer Jennifer Gilmer.