The kitchen: command center of the home, headquarters for all things edible, family-member traffic funnel. Whether you're a bachelor or bachelorette in a small starter home or part of a larger family, if this isn't the most-used room in your house, you must not be home very often. In the kitchen, functionality and aesthetics go hand-in-hand; the mood is just as important as the machinery, and if you're looking to capitalize on the space in your home - no matter how big or small - you're going to need a few pointers. Fortunately, in Kitchen Ideas You Can Use, our home Do-It-Yourself expert Chris Peterson gives you a chapter-by-chapter breakdown of all the kitchen essentials: cabinets, countertops, appliances, flooring, wall treatments, storage, islands, eat-in areas, lighting, and ventilation. Kitchen remodeling is normally the most expensive home improvement project. But with over 300 inspiring photographs, Peterson's straightforward insights, and our attention to the latest trends from professional designers, you can skip the cost of hiring a professional and craft your own kitchen--your own way. From choosing between traditional and induction cooktops to drawing up the most efficient layout scheme and landing on that perfect backsplash, Kitchen Ideas You Can Use might finally be the one thing in your house more useful than the microwave.

Chris Peterson is a veteran home improvement and design author. Among the many books he has written are 5-Gallon Bucket Book, Building with Secondhand Stuff, Manskills, four books in the Ideas You Can Use series, and many books in Cool Springs Press's BLACK+DECKER Complete Guide series. He has also co-authored numerous home design books with noted media celebrities. He lives in Ashland, Oregon.