enovating a kitchen or bathroom requires decisions that go beyond budget and even personal preference. Will a full-depth refrigerator block a window? Check the sightline from the adjacent room: the view shouldn’t take in the recycling bin or toilet. As you plan for every possible item, are you building a kitchen that requires extra steps and will take hours to clean? Look to well-designed examples here to get the wheels spinning. • Old houses present their own kitchen challenges, from inadequate square footage to nonstandard dimensions requiring custom work. On the other hand, they may offer time-tested solutions, such as a pantry or pantries for lots of storage that won’t clutter the main kitchen. Cabinets that stretch to the ceiling and a versatile, unplumbed center table are traditional elements we find practical and affordable even today.
