No comments about Dream Homes Pacific Northwest: An Exclusive Showcase of the Finest Architects, Designers & Builders in Oregon & Washington (Dream Homes).

5 comments about Homing Instinct: Using Your Lifestyle to Design & Build Your Home.

1. The book presents a good high-level approach of the design/building process. Mr. Connell does a great job of presenting various alternatives of all aspects of designing and building your home, all the while taking great care in never restricting creativity. For those who are in need of an overall discussion the book aquits itself splendidly. If your purpose, however, is to dig deep in technical matters, then look elsewhere. Even Mr.Connell acknowledges the lack of micro-content, when in the final chapter (and I am paraphrasing) he writes that we cannot be done (the book that is), that there are many questions unanswered, like how to build stairs, and floors, and windows, and doors ... (you get the idea). Well, these questions remain unanswered, meaning you have to buy another book. In all fairness to Mr.Connell, I fully understand that a technical discussion of every house building aspect is beyond the scope of his book, but I just wish I could get more information on let us say, windows, other than design issues. Great starting book.



2. i'm in the process of building a second home for our family. at first, i was very afraid that going to an architect, an "expert" was going to be expensive and potentially frustrating - how could they know what i wanted, how could i know to trust that they were "that" good and wouldn't charge me an arm and a leg for some design-y house? this book provided the education - the vocabulary, the concepts, the rationale - that any non-architect needs. after reading its chapters, i feel more confident both in my own ability to find the right architect and building professionals, and that i really do want to work with an architect.

   even if you aren't building a house, this book will help you understand the one you currently have. it gives you enough context so that, the next time you see a funny stain on the floor, you'll be able to better guess if its water or a present from the dog.




3. Y2K might be topical, but "Homing Instinct"(McGraw Hill) is evergreen. Connell, founder of the Yestermorrow Design/Build School in Warren, Vermont recently updated the original book published by Time Warner in 1993 (see author's review). Yestermorrow students learn skills and philosophies necessary for designing or building a home. "Homing Instinct" is the next best thing to a month at building camp. Anyone planning to bypass architectural services can benefit from this conversational text with clear illustrations and imaginative chapter titles like: "A Window for Your Spririt, A Door for the Dance" or "Walls and Wallness". And don't skip the glossary. Someday a "Jeopardy!" title might hinge on mortise, kerf or zonohedra!



4. As a residential designer and builder I read a lot of how-to books and this is the first and only one of its kind - informative as well as entertaining. I picked it up after dinner one evening and when I next looked up it was four in the morning! Homing Instinct seems to have it all - stick building, timber framing, log homes, straw bales....even geodesic domes. It covers the foundation work, the energy systems, plumbing, electrical and , best of all, gives loads of alternatives in every area. Connell writes in a very humorous way which is refreshingly different from so many techno-texts. And the illustrations by themselves are worth the price. I know it's just one guy's opinion, but I think this book is worth half a dozen of those others.



5. Designing and building your own home is an exciting, albeit stressful undertaking. Designing and building a home in sync with a natural lifestyle makes the undertaking overwhelming. HOMING INSTINCT provides a detailed overview of the home planning, design, and construction process, but has several distinct advantages over the typical building book. It begins by detailing homebuilders' needs according to their values and lifestyles. Then, throughout the book, homebuilders are offered design and construction choices based on those needs. HOMING INSTINCT presents sustainable building and construction methods as well as conventional choices so homebuilders can make chocies each step of the way. The book is not only educational and comprehensive, more importantly, it makes the decisions associated with building a home effortless and deeply personal

5 comments about Mary Emmerling's American Country Cottages.

1. I bought this book about a month ago for about half the price listed here. The price was right and my viewing the intial fanning of the pages made it a must have.
   I was not disappointed and I honestly do look at this book at least once a day. Just when I think I've studied the pages, I take another look to find something new, something else inspirational. The offbeat decorating just doesn't apply to cottages either. Space is space!
   I think it's funny that people would criticize a book on tiny spaces for being tiny itself! And it only stands to reason the photos would be smaller (but not invisible!) to accomodate the book.
   This charming book is jammed packed and next to my "American Junk", has to be the most looked at/used book I own.
   I highly recommend it.



2. It's a cute book with some nice photographs. A nicer addition to my collection of Mary's books. It would make a nice gift!



3. This book wasn't as large and the homes featured in it weren't as fresh and interesting as I had hoped. But I love all aspects of cottage design, from home interiors to exteriors. Thanks to another review, I picked up two other cottage books that do a great job. One is Second Home from the Better Homes and Gardens editors----------I love Second Home because it takes me on tours of cottages around the country while also giving me tips I can use for decorating or even building. It's a great book for just paging through also. Big photos, lots of information but yet it quick to read. I also like The Cabin-----------It's a beautiful book to look at but it doesn't offer the wealth of information that Second Home does.



4. This book was smaller than I expected. A small book with lots of small pictures. Kind of disappointing. Other books on cottages and second homes do the job getter. I have found these are my favorites:
   * Second Home: Finding Your Place in the Fun. This is comprehensive, large, with great shots of homes in all styles and shots of their settings too. Great to look at but filled with tips on everyting from finding a location to decorating.
   * The Cabin. Gorgeous, big pictures, lots of variety in the cabins shown. Not a lot in the way of information. But pretty.



5. We bought a small beach cottage and continually look through this book for great ideas.

2 comments about Provence: Style of Living.

1. This book describes typical Provencal style elements and shows stunning photo examples. If you are a Cote Sud magazine reader you can be assured of the same high quality images and graphic design. However, here you will find the helpful instruction you are seeking if you are building or decorating in the French Style. I have many style books and this remains my favorite!



2. I had been buying the magazine Cote De Sud off and on for some time when I came across this book on Amazon. I still get the magazine but I refer to the book many times during the year. I have enjoyed this book very much. Of all my French Decor books It is probably my favorite. Color is intense and photos are large and well defined. Good read and good design ideas.

2 comments about DesignDesign: Furniture & Lights.

1. im not an industrial designer, but i bought this book because of the price, and it has a lot of examples, ill use it as a interior background, you should buy it



2. Interior design libraries and public lending collections catering to home designers will welcome DesignDesign: Furniture & Lights, a collection of innovative works by a range of designers intended to provide a sourcebook of inspiration and redecorating options. Color photos of chairs, breeze units, light-up acrylic wall lamps in squares or rectangles, and more offer the trendiest of design options suitable for both home and business spaces and accompany design options with notes on construction and effect. A wonderful resource any design library will be happy to display.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch

5 comments about Feng Shui Principles for Building and Remodeling : Creating a Space That Meets Your Needs and Promotes Well-Being.

1. I am going to build muy custom house and I want to do it according to the Feng Shui. I was expecting to find many Feng Shui floor plans samples...well let me tell you that not, it has not many Feng Shui floor plans, such a few, and most of them do not match what the book says. I mean that most of the foor plans are not according to Feng Shui bagua grid (occidental), i.e.: bathroom is Wealth area, when it is known in all schools that bathroom can't be placed there.
   I found just 1 floor plan, so it is not worthly to get this book if you are looking for Feng Shui floor plans.



2. The School of Pyramid Feng Shui is adapted to the ocidental people. No focus on directions belonging to an element or not. Is centered in the harmony of the nature cycles where all the elements of nature (colors, sounds, shapes, etc.)and people with their houses must achieved balance. Very good reading. With lots of questions and cases, thinking in all situations (a home for a familiy, for a couple, or just one person). If you liked, probably you'll buy (like me) the other book of Nancilee Wydra "Feng Shui goes to the office".



3. This is a great book! It is not based on the traditional feng shui, but ascribes to pyramid feng shui. So if you are looking for why everyone in the house experiences the same illness that cropped up when you moved in, this may not fit the bill. But it addresses the flow of chi and the balance of yin/yang in detail. It is a great read and opens you up to the different sounds, textures, smells and visual apects of your home that makes a home interesting and appealing to everyone that experiences it. It literally brings your awareness to the fact that your home is a live energy.



4. As a registered interior designer and certified Feng Shui professional, I found this book to be an interesting read. It will help designers and architects, as well as homeowners, analyze space and make informed decisions as to build or remodel. The charts are easy to follow and right on point. This book is filled with illustrations that are wonderful in demonstrating the ideas being presented. The "forward thinking" floorplans at the end of the book show that these two authors understand the diversity of how people live today and how their homes could be better designed to meet their needs.



5. I found this book to be a "must read" if you are planning to build or remodel and it is easy to understand. My husband and I are building a home and we found this book to be a vital resource for our decision making. It helped us select the outside colors, wall colors, flooring, lighting, window coverings, as well as furniture placement. In our meeting to finalize the floor plan with the builder, his wife was so impressed with our feedback and rationale that she asked me to get her the book!

4 comments about Kitsch Deluxe.

1. Though there are no "how to's" in this book, it is a great source of ideas and inspiration! If you are longing to break free from the same old decorating things, this book will help you on your way. Not all the ideas will be practical for everyone. If you are a fan of minimalism, clean, tidy lines and so forth, look elsewhere. But if you are yearning for something different, this is a good place to start.



2. Just because my funds are a bit low, I checked this book out of the library, but I WILL be purchasing this book after seeing first hand how great it is. I'm not sure if some other people were looking for some kind of great literature here or not, but it is what it is; a book showcasing kitsch homes. I was afraid the book, PAD (my Bible) was the only book to show off such inspirational rooms; but Kitsch Deluxe gave me a whole new range of rooms to drool over and become inspired by. There was only one room in the Kitsch Deluxe book that was in my PAD book. I don't seek to copy any of the rooms I've seen, but instead see bits and pieces I might be able to incorporate into my own ideas. Kitsch Deluxe isn't really giving you a history lesson and I think for one, trying to give kitsch a history is just a waste of time. You like it, you like it. It's tacky, it's glam, it's Vegas, it's fun, it's so many different things. The book isn't a how to, it's just presenting some great homes and a little bit of why the owners decorated the way they did. I'll be purchasing this one soon and flipping through it's well worn pages for ideas.



3. KITSCH DELUXE by Lesley Gillilan, with photography by Dave Young, is an eclectic crazy colorful cavalcade of a coffee table book as well as a stunningly fun and informative reference work on collecting kitsch and tasteless popular culture. It also gives new-comers a great introduction into various themes of kitsch , as well as showing the more advanced collector some extraordinary interiors in the real homes of the truly tasteless. From Elvis to Big Eyed Art to Jayne Mansfield to Barbie and Barbarella, this book wil help you discover those areas of bad taste and camp, that you wish to explore. The lavish pictures are in your face, from the truly hideous to the divine, lush cool cocktail lounge style to trailer park treasure. The book also includes a directory of shops, cool online sites, museums and architecture of interest.
   Today, sadly, most of the best books on the subject of Bad Taste are now hard to find. The classics 'KITSCH: An Anthology of Bad Taste' by Gillo Dorfles (1968), 'KITSCH' by Jacques Sternberg (1971), 'KITSCH-IN-SYNCH' by Peter ward (1991) and the fabulous 'The ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BAD TASTE' by Jane & Michael Stern (1991) an invaluable source, are all out of print. But help is at hand with '20th CENTURY POP CULTURE' by Dan Epstein (1999), 'THE BOOK OF TIKI' by Sven A. Kirsten (from Taschen 2000), 'Just Above the Mantlepiece' by Wayne Hemingway (2000) see my review, 'BEATSVILLE' by Martin McIntosh (2003), 'BIG EYED MASTERS' by Megan Besmirched (2003), and of course this style guide you're reading about....... 'KITSCH DELUXE'.
   This book also includes bizarre chapters on the homes of true eccentrics like artists Pierre et Gilles, fashion designer Zandra Rhodes and Tom Bliss (from the 'less is a bore' school of home decorating). Its a book for those wanting to relive their childhood with no rules, for those willing to create their own Valley of the Dolls or Elvis's Tiki Room at home. Enjoy. (Nov. 2003)



4. Disappointment. Just another coffee table book. Writing is shallow, nothing is new from other Kitsch books. Best part of writing is on the dust cover. Color pictures are colorful, but all Kitsch books have been already used these pictures. Nothing is fresh looking. If you are looking for a coffee table book to cheer up your room, it is OK. Just not for me. Or don't be fooled by the dust cover writing, which sounds like little more than other Kitsch books.

2 comments about Farm Houses: The New Style.

1. I chose this book for it's cover. I found the house on the cover riveting. Unfortunately the book itself does not engage at the same level. I found the other houses in the book to be less inspired and was unimpressed by the text.



2. I love farmhouse style, and there have been some noteworthy books recently that have amazing images and really help to articulate what is so compelling about the form. This is not one of them.
   
   "The Farmhouse" is a beautiful, useful book. Buy it.
   
   But Farm Houses: The New Style is not a peer. It is not tragic, but it really pales in comparison.

No comments about Timeless Architecture and Interiors: Yearbook 09: Yearbook 2009.

2 comments about Office Design (Design Books).

1. Another cold, stark, and often not human-friendly portfolio of office architecture and space design.
   
   Where are the revamps of 50, 100, or 200 year old buildings? Where's the warmth and character?



2. This beautifully illustrated large book shows what's happening in club/discotheque design. Like a lot of the daab books, it basically has no text. Instead it is a collection of high quality photographs showing the latest trends in club design from around the world. And around the world really means all over the world vrom Brazil to Peru, Japan to New York, all over Europe, behind the old Iron Curtain, Israel and more.
   
   Clubs seem to go through styles. From the original dingy cellers to high style, then back to the celler with the warehouse look of exposed beams and utilities, and more recently to a wide variety of styles that combine nearly any look from living room, to theater, to cave.
   
   Consider this as an idea book for club design. It's what the top designers around the world are doing these days.