If the goal of the renovation was to add resale value, as opposed to meal preparation value, to the home they did the correct thing. Kitchens and bathrooms are the "runway models" of real estate.

Expensive nonpractical kitchen remodels are at the top of every list I've seen of projects to avoid when looking to resale value because they usually add less resale value than they cost to do.

The emphasis there is on the expensive though.

How many really well laid out kitchens have you been in, where you have adequate prep space, and the fridge, cooker and sink are in sensible positions?

Kitchens are generally designed to look nice, not be practical unfortunately.

> The emphasis there is on the expensive though.

Right, but anything involving substantial marble surfaces in a ktichen, as in the article, is both expensive and impractical.

People don't cook. The kitchen is a gathering space.