No comments about London: Architecture & Design (Architecture & Design Guides).

5 comments about Kitchen Redos, Revamps, Remodels, And Replacements: Without Murder, Madness, Suicide, Or Divorce.

1. If you're looking for the "best ever" kitchen book, look on. This one is just average. It's outdated and, unless you're a complete beginner in the remodeling game, won't tell you much you haven't already learned or thought of on your own. (Just for example: the author is clueless about butcher-block countertops, saying that they must be scrubbed with a wire brush every week. ??? I've had butcher block countertops, and neither I nor anyone I've ever known has been silly enough to use them as unfinished cutting boards. And do we really need to be told that countertops should be level and cleanable? Oh, darn, I was thinking about a wavy sod surface--I guess that's out.) "This Old House Kitchens," although far from new, is far more helpful. I was disappointed after the rave reviews here. I probably paid around $15 incl. shipping and it wasn't worth that much.



2. I've never written any book review before, but feel compelled to let others know how great this book is. I've looked through over thirty (30) books on kitchen projects-at libraries/in bookstores/from an architect- and found none I wished to own but this one. It's almost too thorough, as many of us just wish to read conclusions and then go on to the next project. This book covers ALL aspects of a kitchen project, including detailed reference/contact material at the end of the book. So don't waste your time reading anything else-- it's the only book on the topic I've actually purchased and I don't regret it for a minute.



3. I recently completed a major addition to get the professional kitchen of my dreams. For almost a year prior to demolition, I studied just about every other "kitchen book" known to mankind, and saved hundreds of idea-pages from magazines, etc. Then I found Jan Weimer's book, and I so wish I had know about it so much earlier. This book is a must-read for anyone embarking on any type of kitchen renovations. Jan's writing is witty, relating the saga of all the foibles and pitfalls she encountered during her own renovations. But, more importantly, she provides a wealth of information on just about any possible aspect of kitchen overhauls, and far more informative than all the other publications I purchased combined. In retrospect, I would have saved lots of time and money if I had read this book first before starting this project.



4. I recently completed a major addition to get the professional kitchen of my dreams. For almost a year prior to demolition, I studied just about every other "kitchen book" known to mankind, and saved hundreds of idea-pages from magazines, etc. Then I found Jan Weimer's book, and I so wish I had know about it so much earlier. This book is a must-read for anyone embarking on any type of kitchen renovations. Jan's writing is witty, relating the saga of all the foibles and pitfalls she encountered during her own renovations. But, more importantly, she provides a wealth of information on just about any possible aspect of kitchen overhauls. In retrospect, I would have saved lots of time and money if I had read this book first before even starting this project.



5. Not a cookbook, but a really valuable guide for anyone who wants to build or remodel, Jan Weimer's "Kitchen Redos, Revamps, Remodels & Replacements" is a superior sourcebook. Not for nothing is this volume subtitled "Without Murder, Suicide, or Divorce." The problems inherent in letting strangers run rampant through your domain, charging fees left and right, have been known to harden even the most optimistic of homeowners.

   Weimer does an admirable job of making the reader examine thoroughly his or her kitchen needs--and then divide them into "needs" and "wants." She can take a glimmer of an idea and give you the hard facts on how it would work on a day-to-day basis. She covers such neglected topics as contractual obligations of the contractors, kitchen lighting, countertop choices, and depth of storage cabinetry.

   There is such an abundance of information herein that it would take�-well, it would take a book to tell you all about it. And here is that book, highly recommended by yours truly, who has been through the kitchen design/house-building experience.

1 comments about DIY to the Rescue (DIY): 50 Home Improvement Projects (DIY Network).

1. Does any homeowner not have at least a short list of things they would like to change in their house? This book is a description of 50 do it yourself projects that just might include what you're thinking of.
   
   In my case it is windows. My house has windows that are single pane (and very heat inefficient), painted so many times that there's no way they'll ever open, and non-standard size. Page 132. - Making a Custom Window.
   
   Garage a God-Awful mess. Try Gardener's Garage. Page 256. And that's just two of the 50 projects that are discussed, illustrated and described well enough that you just might be tempted uo schedule a trip to Home Depot tomorrow morning.
   
   A particularily nice thing about this book is that the book was done by the hosts of DIY to the Rescue. The co-hosts of the show are Karl and Amy. Note Amy, a girl's name. In this day and age there are a lot single women living alone. Here is a bit of home repair, One of the co-hosts on the series is female. Seeing her in these pictures and on the show, there is no reason that snothre coman the same skills can't do a lot of similar projects.

3 comments about Mini House Style.

1. The projects covered are (from my perspective) very interesting. I like modern, minimilistic elevations.
   
   As someone who is considering building a 'mini' house project I have been inspired.
   
   However, it was extremely disappointing to have so few photographs of relevence or to have those photographs plastered over the floor plan. Perhaps the editor is concerned we readers might infringe copyright? I don't think so...



2. There is no author for this book, only a design/editorial group (ricorico), and that is the problem. That is why there is an impersonality to the approach, a studied, purposeful detachment from the subjects..
   
   Yes the houses are really small (unlike Susanka's huge houses) but almost all of these are these modern boxes or domes built in the middle of nowhere.
   
   Maybe it's supposed to be a highly conceptual, intellectual study. It's about if the whole world got destroyed in a nuclear meltdown, how would you rebuild. It's not about making do with what you have, which was built eighty years ago.
   
   As a layperson, I got little enjoyment or real life, real-budget advice out of it. There are hardly any people, no magazine piles, no food, no messes in this book.
   
   You do get lots of blueprints and plans.
   
   The text is also not fun to read. I think the whole thing was written in Japanese, then translated into English. There's something that is too much of a literal translation and does not jibe well. A lack of editing, I think, a lack of interest.
   
   Lastly, the photographers use weird wideangle photographs - there is a very noticeable distortion - they should have invested in a better architectural lens. Using the extreme wideangle creates a false illusion of greater space, which contravenes the interest in a small space.



3. The houses profiled in this book are of the minimalist modern style, and sited in Europe or Japan. You know the type: futuristic boxes that are basically a glass cube, or strange triangular shapes, or an experimental modular house that's meant to be connected to other modular houses. There's even a spherical house.
   
   This book is great -- if you're into that type of thing. But to me, they looked largely unlivable. Furnishings inside were minimal, as if they were there for show. It appeared as if the occupants never so much as boiled an egg or read a newspaper. The bathrooms look like airplane bathrooms. One building had a rusted metal grate draped over the roof and windows. I'm sure the authors thought it was an architectural wonder, but it looked like a prison to me.
   
   If you can get past the style, the pictures are very pretty and the layout is okay. The architects seemed very passionate about their work. Their articles had a lot of substance about form and function and natural light. However, the busy line-drawing blueprints, which I'm sure is all the rage, are very hard to follow.

4 comments about Bamboo Style.

1. Bamboo is appealing because of its beauty and because it's a renewable resource. While it takes 25 years to grow an "old timber" forest before it can be harvested, it's only a few years before bamboo shoots grow into usable, er, timber.
   
   This book provides a great overview of how you can decorate a home with bamboo, inside and out. You'll find plenty of beautiful pictures with everything from Balniese homes to all-bamboo living rooms, to furniture, flooring and fencing.
   
   However, if you're looking for a how-to book, you may be disappointed. Bamboo Style's emphasis is definitely on _style_ rather than construction. It devotes quite a bit of (well written) text to the reasons to choose bamboo, and those many photographs do an excellent job of demonstrating the breadth of what the material is capable of, both physically and in a decorating sense (i.e. it can fit into a modern decor or an Arts & Crafts scheme). Plus, the book has an extensive resource section, in case you want to explore more.
   
   There are indeed a few hands-on projects, but they're more illustrative of what you can accomplish than anything else. If you want to start building with bamboo, you should definitely get this book -- it's quite inspiring! -- but you'll want another book for the how-to.



2. It's true, bamboo is the future. With all the many ways bamboo can be used it will continure to grow in popularity. This book does a great job educating the reader about this unique plant. The photographs of the many ways bamboo is utilized in the home and garden are beautiful. This book makes a great gift for the plant lover.



3. Everywhere you look, you see bamboo -- advertising, catalogue goods, book lists. If you have noticed and are intrigued, if you have EVER considered bamboo, then you want Bamboo Style on your bookshelf and in your hands. The author is a well-traveled architect and her skills and experience are reflected in her offering. The publisher is well-known for beautiful "style" books, among others, but it is the author who determined the scope of this publication: Why Choose Bamboo, The Ways of Bamboo, Bamboo Inside, Bamboo Outside, On Your Own, and Afterword: Bamboo and Beyond. There are many ways to read this book and benefit -- hit only the photos and captions, read the chapter you already know you'll love, try the "how-to" projects or use the resource lists at the end. Any single approach would be sufficient to warrant the purchase of this book, but do yourself a favor, and go through the entire book! There is a wealth of information here. Enjoy every bit of it and welcome to BAMBOO.



4. Bamboo Style by architect Gale Beth Goldberg is an amazing and superbly presented guide to crafting works of beauty and wonder from bamboo for the purpose of adding either a functional or an elegant touch to home decoration and interior design. Enhanced with lavish color photographs throughout, Bamboo Style offers an informed and informative history of bamboo uses the world over, as well as offering simple projects that anyone can create, this unique reference and truly beautiful book is enthusiastically recommended for the professional as well as do-it-yourself interior decorator wanting to try something fresh and vibrant.

2 comments about Environmental Psychology for Design.

1. This was a required school text which I was very excited to buy, but I found the level of information was more general than I wanted. The author has certainly pooled together great amounts of research in each chapter (eg. children, elderly, commercial space) and admittedly gives plenty of references to delve further into, which I did. As an interior design senior with children and aging parents who has worked in corporate and retail spaces, the information provided seemed more in the common sense arena. Maybe it's just me.
   
   I also found the repetitive nature of the text a little tedious, and the core information could have been compressed considerably. The review sections and then further questions to ponder after each chapter struck me as more high school than senior level, or maybe the book is the culmination of powerpoint slide shows the author delivers in class?
   
   I'm sure readers will find it interesting but in the end I was disappointed at the value added versus book cost. Ouch.



2. This book is a must for anyone studying architecture and or interior design as well as those practicing professionals who desire an understanding of environmental psychology. It is organized in easy to comprehend chapters by subject. This book is loaded with information that addresses issues design professionals need to consider in their design process. This book is filled with practical ideas and solutions. You will understand how important good design plays on the overall well being of the end user.
   
   No architecture or design curriculum should be without this book as required reading.

No comments about Furniture + Architecture (Architectural Design).

No comments about The Modern Interior.

2 comments about Desert Style.

1. This book is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Perfect condition and rapid delivery. Excellent service.



2. This was also added to my design collection of southwest decorating at its best. This is a very enjoyable book I always look at this for more items for another project. Or just to enjoy what someone else has done to make their living environment lovely.

5 comments about A Home for the Soul: A Guide for Dwelling wtih Spirit and Imagination.

1. Beautifully and intelligently written, this book is not another "how to hang a picture" or "the feng shui of sofa." Rather, it advises simple, practical ways of enjoying our surroundings and transforming home processes into meditations. It's not menial and tedious to do your dishes or dust once you've been enlightened. Chores become soul-satisfying ritual and enjoyable exercises in mindfulness. Lawlor helps you transcend mundane materialism and to thoroughly appreciate every minute you spend in your home. Aside from the beautifully written text and wonderful photography, YOU SHOULD BY THIS BOOK IF... you're deadly tired of housework drudgery and wish you could just be delighted by sunlight on your newly swept wood floors-- you no longer appreciate the fragrance and texture of freshly laundered terry towels-- your house is just a Mortgage Albatross around your neck-- you feel engulfed in belongings and are contemplating Great Grandpa's arrowhead collection for Goodwill-- you don't have time or energy for church or yoga--- REJOICE! This is YOUR book.



2. This book is not for anyone who is looking for an interior design book. This book is strictly for the soul. We live in a world where we are in a rush to do everything. We rush to clean our homes, eat, bathe, etc. This book explains in detail what each room represents and how it aids in healing us within. Being in the moment of cleaning, cooking, cleansing, enjoying that cup of coffee in the morning, that sunset we take for granted. The joy of putting different elements in our homes and how it makes us feel within. Our home is a place for healing us within, rejuvenating us, that place to go for tranquility and get away from the madness. We have to stop regretting the past or worrying about the future and be in the moment. Doesn't matter how much money you have you can still create a place that you can truly enjoy and call a home. Get it "a home for the soul", not the body.
   
   This book is a must have. As a result, I actually enjoy cleaning my home and no longer refer to it as a chore.



3. This book seems to be written for people that have no taste in interior design/arrangement. For them it gives lots of ideas but not enough photo's for my taste. Reading through the book I figured it had been written 20 years ago because of the way it looks, but it is actually a 1997 book. I think the author needs to read a book on how to make a book feel like it has some soul to it!



4. If you are looking for lots of ideas for floor plans, design or decorating ideas, this is not the book you want. If you are looking for a book that will help you create a space that feels like "home," this book will help you think about what that means in terms of your space.

   Lawlor takes an unusual approach to his subject by first examining each living area with respect to the Greek gods typically responsible for that space. Before one dismisses this as a New Age thing, study the ideas behind the activities represented by that god. It's simply his "hook" to get the reader to continue on, to think about what this space is intended to do in the routine of life. As a storyteller, I was thrilled to read of his ideas for planning one's living area, which should be a space for stories, music and social interaction. He does not ignore the ever-present television, but he does suggest planning for lively, involved social interaction, which we all crave but often lack in our busy lives.

   He does give general suggestions for room layouts if you are in the planning stages of construction, and closes each chapter with his vision of the ideal layout for that living area. He suggests materials, colors, furnishings and accents for each specific area, so that if you are looking to change existing space, you'll find that, too. Anyone who places a priority on books as a major furnishing component will win me over every time, but his vision of planning for a home, not a house, has appeal as well.




5. Light a few candles. Put on the tea kettle. Find the most comfortable spot in your home and settle in. This book will transport you to the essence of your soul room-by-room. There are many ideas on how to turn your space into a nurturing nest, and not all fluff--many practical ideas that make a huge impact. I highly recommend this book.