(Click on the title for more of Majjie's thoughts)

I have an earlier, hardback edition of this book, so I don't know what changes have been made in the new edition. It's a true classic, though; as far as kitchen design is concerned.

Johnny Grey introduced ... or that should perhaps be "re-introduced" ... the idea of the "unfitted" kitchen, for Smallbone, back in 1987. Most traditional kitchens would, of course, have been unfitted before the advent of the "modern" kitchen in the 1960s and 1970s ... but in 1987 most new kitchens were very fitted indeed.

Even in 1987, Johnny Grey was advocating a sociable, living kitchen arrangement where the occupants of the house could gather and talk as well as cook. And he was also advocating the use of real furniture in the kitchen, as opposed to modular, boxy "units".

This book is a fascinating read (and a "must have" for all budding bespoke kitchen designers - whether it's your profession - or you're wanting to design your own bespoke kitchen). It covers the history of kitchens and some of Johnny's own history, in which his aunt, cookery writer Elizabeth David, played a big part.

There is a lot of really great kitchen design advice in the book too ... but don't buy it if you want a practical guide to designing a small kitchen ... and it's only going to be useful if you are using bespoke kitchen units and want quite a free standing look. The fact that Johnny originally realised his ideas with Smallbone (average kitchen price - today - around £40,000) gives you a clue as to which sector of the market the book is aimed at.