What knives are "required" for a serious home kitchen?
There are three core essentials:


Chef's knife

8" or 10" depending on your preferences

Paring knife

3" or 4" depending on your preferences

Bread knife

As long as possible, 12"+
Feel free to go cheap here, it's serrated and thus largely unsharpenable



You may want to check out Alton Brown's book, Alton Brown's Gear For Your Kitchen. He spends a chapter on knives and where to go past the essentials. He also suggests which ones are worth spending money on and which should be throwaways.