Kitchen and Bath: Making Appliances Fit

It seems all kitchen design these days boils down to two different styles: The traditional, old-fashioned look and the super-streamlined, glossy approach. The first uses 18thand 19th-century-inspired kitchen “furniture,” featuring plenty of craftsmanship and period detailing. The kitchen is frequently chopped into designated work areas, free-standing cabinets, and non-continuous counter areas. At the other extreme are the virtually seamless contemporary kitchens that look as if they’d stand up pretty well in a wind tunnel. I favor a mix of classical and contemporary design. I like classic details, such as raised-panel cabinet doors and ornate moldings. But I also like to streamline the arrangement of the cabinets, countertops, and appliances, especially in a small kitchen. Small kitchens depend on illusion rather than raw square footage