No comments about Celerie Kemble: To Your Taste: Creating Modern Rooms with a Traditional Twist.

2 comments about Barry Dixon Interiors.

1. I own many interior design books, and this one is by far the best. From the cover, to the preface, which includes a photo of Barry Dixon's staff, a first in a high end design book, to the back cover, there is a delight on every page. He highlights eleven homes, including his own. They each share his decorating signature, round rugs, pictures hung frame to frame, and he does seem to love his brass tack trim, and yet each is individual in style. He can do color and neutrals, he does pattern on pattern, simpler rooms, modern and country, and each is fabulous. Every photo, and they are beautifully photographed, has a wealth of ideas. This book would be a treasured edition in your decorating library.



2. I picked this book up at a local bookstore because I thought the cover and photos inside were intriguing. Upon further investigation, began to realize what a gem this resource truly is... The copy that accompanies each house it informative yet written in such a way that it's hard to put the book down. Addeo's photos are brilliant... captivating.... in a word, lush. An added bonus, Dixon gives amazing tips on how to decorate your home. It's your one source for all your real design needs.

5 comments about Interior Design Illustrated 2nd Edition.

1. This book is a great book. no color pictures but only scetches. This book is about scale, orientation, symmetry, proportion, shape of objects and interiors etc etc. You get the idea. I recommend you buy this book.



2. No regrets for having bought the book. Excellent illustrations, something you can refer to over and over again!



3. I got this book earlier than i expected and it is everything i expected.



4. I am currently getting my degree in ID, and I think that this resource is invaluable. The drawings are great and they really help with perspectives and rendering.



5. The auther is fantastic, the book is well written otherwise he wouldn't have got the 4 stars, the book covers the subject from A to Z literally speaking, a must have, BUT it is too much outdated.

5 comments about Atomic Ranch.

1. Good book with lots of interior and exterior pictures of houses. Only improvement would be more mod accessories shown, but overall I would recommend.



2. God Bless the folks at Atomic Ranch! I have been a subscriber to the Magazine for over 2 years now and have been dying to get the book. Finally, after a couple of strong hints, my wife got it for me for my birthday.
   This book is chock full of beautiful photographs of incredible mid-century masterpieces. Some are preserved, some restored, and some modernized.
   If this is your thing, (and I doubt you'd be reading these reviews if it wasn't)then this is the book you want. I've gambled on a few other books covering ranch homes, and none of them come close to this book. BUY IT!



3. Very nice book with lots of great photos they are mostly a collection from the magazine but worth having if you are into MCM.



4. I love this book! The author's magazine (of the same name) is awesome and this book covers homes from the early issues which are no longer available (issues, not homes). I love seeing the beautiful interiors and exteriors of modest size homes which most people consider beneath their notice because they aren't historically "old enough" or architecturally significant.
   
   I have learned a lot about mid-century modern homes from reading this book. The photos are great and the book is very informative.
   
   If you live in a plain ranch home, and enjoy a streamlined style of living, then I highly suggest you get this book. It is full of practical tips and resources.



5. I love this book!! I live in an "Atomic Ranch" and this book covers the subject very well. Not only are the pictures great, the text is informative. I also subscribe to Atomic Ranch Magazine published by the same authors. If you are a fan of this genre, both are highly recommended!

1 comments about Interior Design Visual Presentation: A Guide to Graphics, Models & Presentation Techniques.

1. Awesome book. Great for all interior design students. Great for your library. Makes learning how to do models, etc., much easier than trying to learn from your instructor's brief instructions.

5 comments about Inside the Not So Big House: Discovering the Details that Bring a Home to Life (Susanka).

1. I bought this book because I am looking to renovate my house and I found it very useful. There are plenty of photos of the various details in the houses and a great explanation of how to achieve a similar look. It is an excellent source of ideas if you're looking to transform your home.



2. This is one of my favorite books. I love Susanka's style - modern, but also friendly and warm. The layout of the book is excellent too, lots of photos with helpful annotations.



3. Absoultely amazing insight ....worth every penny; the quality of the photos alone will justify the purchase....it will be the single best expenditure that you can make in building a new home or remodeling an existing area. Makes things so clear that everyone will get it. They say "You don't know what you don't know"....after reading this book and her others in a series....you will know what you did not know that you did not know...Just buy the book and you will understand what I am saying



4. I bought and then gutted a 1960s, three-story, 3,700 SF office building. Serving as my own architect and general contractor, I completed the two lower floors as offices for my professional engineering firm. I then turned my attention to converting the third floor into a luxury two-bedroom apartment.
   
   Although my original intent was to make the apartment a rental space, family circumstances of a regrettable but common kind will soon require me to make the apartment my own residence. With the floor plans nearly completed, I realized that the "oh my God" reaction from first-time visitors that I was seeking required great attention to detail.
   
   During the design of the office portions, I had studied about a dozen design books from Amazon and now wanted resources for the architectural details of the apartment. (Architectural details include windows and doors, floor, ceiling, and wall finishes, cabinetry, molding and other millwork.) With architectural details well done, the apartment or home looks inviting and interesting even before furnishings and decorator items are added.
   
   This book was the third to arrive of the ten I ordered so far. The first two were entirely forgettable, but this one yielded a dozen good ideas.
   
   The 210-page book has a chapter for each of twenty-three projects, each by a different architect. Most projects were renovations of a home of 1,200 - 2,100 SF. Architectural interior detail styles range from craftsman and usonian, to contemporary and gentle modern. Each project is notable more for the interior design details than for the building exterior or site.
   
   My favorite, but not my only source of ideas, was a Block Island cottage by the Newport architect, James Estes. My apartment, located at a charming 1900-vintage village center of a NYC suburb is 15 miles from the nearest salt water, but the quiet serenity and color palettes of an ocean-front cottage had been in my mind as an organizing concept for some time. No matter that the large band of windows on the east end overlook a parking lot instead of beach and ocean.
   
   The Amazon listing shows the cover photo, a project not to my liking. You can page through the other pages available on Amazon for other samples. Note the excellent color photography and the expert and well written commentary of Sarah Susanka, the principal author of the many volumes of the Not So Big House series. Co-author Marc Vassallo is an architect, and he now writes fulltime, including fiction.



5. I am hooked on Susanka's books describing how to give our homes more of the character found in 50+ and older homes. I'm hoping to build using some of the detailing she explains, instead of having to buy an old house and renovate, in order to get a cozy, unique and homey dwelling.

5 comments about Interior Design Reference Manual: A Guide to the NCIDQ Exam.

1. Essential study guide for the NCIDQ exam. Do not bother to purchase the one from NCIDQ - that has about 6 pages of test questions and no explanation of the answers. This book not only has tests at the end of each chapter with answers and explanations but also a drawing design practicum. Invaluable - cannot say enough about this book. Just completed all three sections of the NCIDQ exam this weekend and felt well prepared.



2. I'm studying to take the NCIDQ and this book is a great tool. Each chapter gives a thorough review of each section in the NCIDQ and then asks you sample questions so you can quiz yourself. The best part is the answers to the sample questions because it gives the explanation of why the answer is correct and why the other options were not. Very helpful because several questions make it hard to choose the best answer between 2 choices. It will also be a great tool for everyday use afer the exam for quick reference on projects.



3. I wanted this book so I ordered it and got it in a matter of days. It was new and in great condition. Thanks.



4. This reference manual should be a must read for all design students and new designers. I have been in the business about 12 years and I have learned some new items from this book. It does scare you about the industry and the liability a designer has.



5. THIS IS A GREAT RESOURCE! ALMOST REFERENCES ALL THE OTHER BOOKS ON THE NCIDQ STUDY LIST. THIS COULD BE THE ONLY BOOK YOU NEED TO READ TO STUDY.

5 comments about Apartment Therapy: The Eight-Step Home Cure.

1. I have been struggling with my 350 sq. ft. studio and this book has been an incredible help. It gives you a plan to follow which helps you maintain your focus and provide some pacing. Trying to come up with a plan on my own had me frazzled since I was trying to do a million things at once and actually accomplishing very little.
   
   It also provides a lot of valuable tips on how make decisions and behind the scenes tips on how to organize cords, create wall displays and set up lighting.
   
   So, buy it already.



2. This book is a great way to discover where you are and how our homes refelct it. It all works together - find out how and how to change that. Great "therapy" for you and your home!



3. The book is both informative and entertaining...
   It is a good read ... Easy to absorb ...
   Definitely suggest one take the time to plan
   ahead before starting to remodel ... even if
   it is on a small scale ... Vince - Wellington, Ks



4. I am extremely pleased with this book. I didn't expect so many checklists, diagrams, illustrations, different ways to analyze and consider your need and style and preferences-- this little book is just PACKED full of good stuff and it's FUN to read-- go figure! The underlying ideas are very reminiscent of old Feng Shui ideas-- that your living space affects your mood and thus your life-- except more practical and without the superstition. I loved the explanation of flow through the apartment, and the easy, step-by-step weekly plans-- because otherwise it would all be too overwhelming. But it's not overwhelming because the author really holds your hand and walks you through the whole process and it's quite enjoyable! Whew, what a relief!



5. I first started with this book in December of 2007 and have revisited it more times than I can count. I got it from the library and am finally purchasing my own copy because they kept making me bring it back (imagine that!).
   
   While I can understand the other reviewers frustration with its lack of visuals to back up its content, I actually find that refreshing. Instead of showing you other people's spaces, styles and solutions, it walks you through the process of analyzing your own space, defining your own style, and addressing the direct and indirect lifestyle issues that affect how your home actually functions.
   
   Once I was able to recognize and rectify the issues this book helped me identify, it was amazing how things began to come together. It has been a phenomenal springboard for our home in terms of both healthy functioning, and creating a decorative scheme that actually works with who we are.

5 comments about The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live.

1. I ordered this book after reading great reviews since I was in the middle of trying to work out the purchase of a turn of the century home where space was the size of just that, turn of the century. The Amazon review picked all the best photo's in the book and the only pages worth reading in it, so I bought it. I was extremely disappointed to receive a book that had too many 1980 - 1990's dated, uninspiring interiors and not so much in the way of smart architectural choices to think about, as was advertised.



2. First of all, I bought this book used and it was not in very good condition. A page that I really wanted to read was missing, for one thing. Unfortunately, I can't recall the seller's name now but I left a bad review when I received no response to my concern.
   
   But anyway, the book itself was very good. My husband and I are remodeling a house built in 1949 which used every nook and cranny for some function. It doesn't fit the modern concept of lots of empty space, so we are working on creating a little more empty space while using some of Susanka's ideas for making certain areas more compact. We are expanding our kitchen into a porch, but the ceiling in the porch is lower and this book gave us the idea to just keep it as it is because lowered ceilings add character and are something Frank Lloyd Wright used. I also like her recommendations for wood trim and moulding to warm up rooms and use many windows to bring the outside in. As my title implies, some of the details are pretty outdated such as any picture involving a computer and the kitchen chairs, but that can be overlooked since the overall ideas are still very usable.



3. The Not So Big House was given me by a craftsman friend who had used it building his new, wonderful home.
   I kept this book through my new addition / remodel project of 7 months, using it as the reference for my decisions.
   The ideas are sound; easy to understand and implement. I recommend The Not So Big House to anyone embarking on a home building project who loves good design and is on a budget.



4. This book was absolutely awesome. Beautifully illustrated, excellent content, and I totally agree with the idea that McMansions are not the way to go. I'd much rather have a smaller home that has been personalized to me and made beautiful than some big, cold half-empty McMansion.



5. I was expecting her projects to downsize to ~1000 square feet. It felt like she was reducing large McMansions to smaller McMansions. Good photographs though!

5 comments about Design Directory of Window Treatments, The.

1. I've been making window treatments for about 6 yrs and I have to say that this is my favorite book by far of all the window treatments books that I have purchased. Not only does it give all sorts of great information its sketches are sooo creative. I find designs in this book that I have not seen anywhere before. A must have for all workrooms!!!



2. Clear illustrations. I think about every type of window treatment is covered. Can help maximize sales with customers. A must have for all Drapery Professionals and Designers. No more misunderstandings between customer and designers. Can hardly wait for Jackie's NEW bedcovering book to come out next year. I will be one of the first to buy it.



3. I am an interior designer with a start up company. The Design Directory of Window Treatments is an absolute much- this is an invaluable tool to someone who really needs assistance with window treatments. The CD is also a great tool. I could not be happier with my purchase!



4. Fabulous! Most comprhensive in the window covering industry. Which does make it large and heavy. Highly recommend this book



5. Fast and simple, my title says it all. The book is well worth the cost, with wonderful sketches and terrific organization.