5 comments about Building the Japanese House Today.

1. If you are going to build your Japanese house, you should consider this book. It is easy to understand and has lot of pictures. As we did not start our building project yet, there is not anything missing in this descriptive book so far but maybe there will be later on. For now - it is a clear 4 out of 5.



2. Building the Japanese House Today fills a void that has frustrated me for several years. It is difficult enough to find english language books on traditional Japanese architecture, much less those that have practical application in today's society. This book is a case study of one building project.
   
   If this book has a flaw, it is that it reads too much like an advertisement for East Wind, Inc., the timber framing company whose work is featured in the book. That said, there is enough technical and philosophical discussion to make this an excellent companion volume to, say, Heino Engel's Measure and Construction of the Japanese House.
   
   This book is no DIY manual, but there is more than enough information to make this book a valuable addition to the library of an armchair architect or timber framing student.



3. This book is full of the most beautiful pictures of close up japanese residental architecture. It goes into tradational japanese rooms and how to adapt it to fit modern day needs. It goes through building materials and intricate explanations on elevation levels, roofs, sliding doors, japanese bath and more. It's definitely worth the price if you're interested in japanese architecture or plan to have a japanese style house.



4. I should like to urge anyone contemplating the making of a house today to pause and study this book. Live with it for awhile before you proceed. Building a house is more than a personal satisfaction. It is an opportunity to create a work of serene and lasting beauty.
   
   It is only rarely that a book falls into your life as a genuine revelation. Building the Japanese House Today is such a book. It is as if a gentle breeze from the East scattered all the remains of the broken promises of modernism, and replaced them with the new-worldly grace of this centuries-old traditional architecture.
   
   Len Brackett is a Californian who served a full apprenticeship with one of the finest temple carpenters in Japan twenty-five years ago. Upon his return to the United States he set up shop building classical Japanese houses in the San Francisco Bay area and elsewhere.
   
   Mr. Brackett quickly discovered that his clients had their own ideas, and that modern building departments and locally available materials made other requirements. It was then he began a kind of second builder's apprenticeship--to Making it Work in America Today. This book details the results: structures and spaces of a rare, ethereal beauty, at once classically traditional and yet surprisingly modern, descended directly from the Japanese.
   
   Four hundred years ago, when the first Europeans laid eyes upon traditional Japanese houses, they described them as so fine they seemed to have been built by the hands of angels. Such exactly describes the impression one has of Mr. Brackett's houses. They succeed better than any houses I know at marrying an old world architecture with the opportunities of new world modernity. They are traditional Japanese houses, certainly. But they harmoniously agree with the lives we live today.
   
   The book is straightforward. It tells the simple story of a modest building built by an honest craftsman. But what almost explodes off its pages is the possibility it represents of a new-made house culturally and spiritually worth living in.
   
   Anyone interested in traditional Japanese architecture will be interested in Mr. Brackett's book. But I hope it finds in time a much wider circulation among those whose interests lie closer to home. It is a book about living, about what it means to lead a beautiful life that is true to our time, and how such a life may take shelter and sustenance from the house in which we live.



5. Superbly illustrated with photography from Aya Brackett, Building The Japanese House Today by Peggy Landers and Len Brackett is an outstanding collection of beautiful and decorative architectural designs drawn from the Japanese traditional and contemporary architectural ideas and ideals. Deftly co-authored to provide a wealth of usable and informed perspectives, Building The Japanese House Today offers such particulars as preliminary design decisions for building a Japanese home; design directions based on living with or without furniture a chart showing the relative proportions of components of the traditional house; lumber selection, drying and milling; design and construction of a Japanese bath; technical drawings showing how to make traditional architecture conform to western building codes; sources and contacts for materials and craftsmen; and twenty pages of professional plans and diagrams to guide readers through the simple and elegant procedures of construction. A core addition to any professional or academic library Architectural Studies reference collection, Building The Japanese House Today is very highly recommended for non-specialist general readers searching for a knowledgeable and "user-friendly" study of domestic Japanese architecture.

5 comments about Natural Swimming Pools: Inspiration For Harmony With Nature (Schiffer Design Book).

1. The fantastic photos go on and on. The architectural plan and section views are very helpful. This book has all the information you need to come up with a good plan and list of needs/desires. You'll need to convert to metric and also research specific climate concerns, like temperature and regionally appropriate plants - everything listed in the book is for Europe.



2. Lovely inspirational book, good pictures, diagrams and technical info. An excellent planning guide for natural swimming ponds and pools



3. THIS BOOK IS REALLY GOOD BUT IT DOES NOT GO INTO A LOT OF DETAIL IF YOU ARE ACTUALLY WANTING DIRECTION.



4. Great book for all aspects of creating a variety of green/natural pools. Beautiful pictures and good illustrations and copy to help in decision making.



5. Simply put this book is a MUST READ for anyone intersted in any aspect of Sustainable and Ecological Design. It should be read right along with Permaculture by Mollison, the Passive Solar Handbook by Mazria, Rainwater Harvesting by Lancaster, and ecocities to Living Machines by Todd. Even if you aren't specifically interested in making a swimming pool (which you will be after reading it) the insights into the workings of hydro-ecologies and how to design natural systems are invaluable!
   
   If you aren't interested in the whole range of sustainability but just this particular topic of pool design then this book is STILL A MUST READ. If you're an ecologist who wants to make a pool, or a pool designer who wants to do something ecological this book provides an excellent layman's understanding of ecological design, with good technical and artistic advice for how to do it, and good technical and artistic advice for swimming pool construction.
   
   I would still advise you to also purchase the book Poolscaping as a companion to this one.
   
   This is an all around excellent book buy it now.

5 comments about Cabins: A Guide to Building Your Own Nature Retreat.

1. Ive begun a mission to build a small cabin on some family property here in Oregon. Recently, Ive done a good deal of research and purchased 5 notable books on how to build a cabin/small dwelling.
   Upon reviewing this material it looks like its well thought out, but is lacking in alot of depth. Gives a wonderful representation of what could be done, and what is possible (something which other books lack).
   Out of these 5 books, Ive got two which will carry me to the end with great depth, and 3 that will be "reserves" for ideas. This is definitely the top of my reserve pile, and my first for pictures of ideas.



2. As others have noted, this is a useful book for generating ideas and getting the creative juices flowing. I bought it to obtain those features, and it did not disappoint me.
   
   The Stiles are, apparently, a prolific couple on this and similar topics, and they certainly deserve credit for effective packaging and marketing. David Stiles has filled the book's pages with material--some good, some irrelevant, and some good for entertainment--but he certainly has filled it nonetheless. The layout and tone of this book is vaguely reminiscent of a copy of an early 1970s Mother Earth News. The reader's challenge is to extract the kernals of insight from the volumes of chaff. What the book lacks in detailed engineering and construction discussion and techniques it makes up for in peripheral and, in some cases, funny advice. Consider the detailed description of the electronic vehicle-arrival and gate-unlocking monitors--this in a book purported to find ways to get one in touch with mother nature and perhaps forego electricity entirely. Or the sketch plan for the garden-hose remedy against racoons infiltrating your metal trashcan. The advice is intriguing enough, but one suspects that a bit more discussion on well-installation or obtaining running water might be in order before turning to a technological solution involving the use of pressurized water for a racoon problem. Given the Stiles' ties to Manhattan, maybe the accepted security measures of their current environment don't seem quite as ridiculous or irrelevant as they probably do to anyone who actually lives in a rural area. Or consider their admonition against Coleman lanterns being "Scary and hard to light." Hmmm, I, too, have fears and I'm certainly not the most dexterous fellow, but I've learned that five minutes of hands-on practice can turn even the most hardcore urbanite into a safe and proficient Coleman-lantern lighter. Something tells me Mr. Stiles has not taken the time to do the same, and this casts a disconcerting pall over the value of much of his other advice. How much of it has actually been tried?
   
   But this book is valuable for the focus it gives to architecture and perhaps encouraging one to pick up a tablet of graph paper and start sketching floorplans or facades; extract those ideas and use them as fodder for formulating your own. Read the rest with a grain of salt. For a more focused, pragmatic, and obviously tested perspective on cabin-building, get a copy of G. Wayne Fears' "How to Build Your Dream Cabin."



3. This book has been quite valuable to me as I plan my cottage in Canada. While it is not totally comprehensive, it does a very good job of explaining many of the relevant concepts of cabin planning, design and a fair idea of the building process. Some useful details concerning construction techniques are provided, as well.
   
   Other reviewers have argued that much is left out--correct, given that the book only runs 240 pages. I think that those reviewers misunderstand the intent of the book: to give the reader ideas, not to hand-hold them through every single step of the process. For example, many of the building plans that are provided are lacking in some key details. So what? I intend to have an architect draw up my plans anyway.
   
   At minimum, I know a heck of a lot more after reading the book than I did beforehand.



4. I'm tending to agree with both sides here! And I think it's a great book. I have been reading building and cabin books for a year (we're building this Summer). This one is pretty great - a good way to inform yourself about options, the decisions you need to make, kinds of cabins, etc. Another reviewer writes as if I were going to go out and build my cabin based on the info in this book. Now that would be silly wouldn't it? I need architect drawn plans. So read this wonderful book, and go buy some plans. No, yt's not a how-to, and it shouldn't be used that way. But it's still a great book.



5. We used the ideas in this book to add nice touches to our Mt. Rainier cabin rental. The photos are great and the projects well described. the ideas are very creative.

5 comments about Tips & Traps When Building Your Home.

1. This is not the book to teach you all details of how to actually construct your home, but it's extremely useful to help you understand the process and get things started. Excellent "tips" and "traps"!!!



2. If you are looking for a really thorough book, this isn't it, but many of the tips are very helpful. Read it with a highlighter and just mark the good stuff and then refer back. I bought this along with Woodson's "Build Your Dream Home for Less" and found that the two together were a great pair. Woodson's is very thorough and takes you through step by step, and Irwin's had a lot of additional tips that Woodson's didn't. Irwin tends not to define many of the "trade" terms he uses and for people who aren't handy, it's frustrating. On the other hand, Woodson does define most terms so if you read both, you're in pretty good shape. This book is not the be-all, end-all book but definitely worth buying - it should save you some money if you are general contracting your home.



3. If you're new to building homes, this is a good book to get you started.



4. This is a very good book that is easy to read. Now, there were some things that I disagree with, as well as other "expert" developers, but overall the tips and traps were right on. So, this is a book that you should read if you are building a hime, but also read at least one other good book. Because of some of those things that were too specific (i.e., not mentioning other reasonable options), I nearly gave it four stars. However, it is worth reading and normally would warrant the five stars.



5. This book was the first book I read on building. It has also been very informative and simple to understand.

   If you are beggining in building this is the perfect book for you.

   The Author really knows what he is talking about. Unlike some other books out there written buy someone who has never done it....

5 comments about The Barefoot Home: Dressed-Down Design for Casual Living.

1. If you're familiar with Susan Susanka's Not So Big House series, you'll feel right at home here. Author Mark Vassallo co-wrote Inside the Not So Big House and like Susanka, takes a stand against overly-large houses made to impress, focusing instead, on casual, intimate houses based on the way "we really live." Vassallo's taste is less dowdy than Susanka's whose architectural choices can be mundane or smothered in wood detail. Expect cleaner, harder edges, funkier looks and a few surprises (like a house split into two small structures).



2. Couple quick notes:
   Most homes featured are new, few are retrofitted. Most done by architects in a modern style.
   
   For a barefoot home, it seems unusual that most floors are concrete. Very few rugs, I didn't see any carpet.
   
   I would've liked to have seen the rest of the property or at least how the house sits on the site. Driveways are not addressed. Nearly every house has a large lot and amazing views (which most of us do not have). Does not really address how to achieve a barefoot home with a nominal budget.



3. We live in temperate Australia and hesitated long before buying this book. We have shelves of excellent architecture reference books from around the world and have been owner builders. Was it going to be just glam coffee table eye candy? The architect has worked with Sarah Susanka (Not So Big House etc), so we decided to take the plunge. This is a very good book. There is so much to look at, contemplate, re-visit. Brilliant resolution of details, houses that flow, small exquisite spaces, sound materials. We have had hours of enjoyment from this book and have been happy to share it with others to extend their knowledge of good architecture. Enjoy!



4. On first glance I agreed with many of the other reviewers: 'the book was slick', 'it was disingenuous', 'sure, if you live in a sunny climate, most, if not all, of the time'.
   
   Then I went back and looked at the book again, and read the opening passage: he does not strive to be disingenuous, he tells us he himself doesn't live in a barefoot home, nor a barefoot neighborhood, but he is trying and the manifesto of the book is to entreat all of us to be more informal in our primary living space -- our homes.
   
   Open the house up as soon as you can, get rid of all the stuff you don't need, make your home as casual as you can, and then enjoy it.
   Think informal thoughts, and live in all the spaces available to you: the patio, the deck and never forget how good it feels to have sand between your toes!
   
   He provides blue prints to the homes and he even lists the architects. Enjoy and live well!



5. This book is great for conversation and ideas. I leave mine on the coffee table for periodic inspiration...that of myself..and of others!

5 comments about Prefab.

1. I am using PREFAB to help me define differences in prefabrication techniques and this book didn't really help me. There is even a disclaimer attached to the book that states, "We admit to playing fast and loose with the concept of prefabrication here. Many of the houses presented in this book are not prefabricated in the strictest sense of the word. Not all were factory built and assembled. Some houses were built with prefabricated materials like aluminum siding." This gives some illegitimacy to the book. If a building featured in this book has aluminum siding as the only prefabricated piece, then brick suburban homes should be featured as well - at least for consistency.
   
   Saying that aluminum siding is prefab is like saying bricks or CMUs or door frames or sunscreens are all prefab as well. I personally think this statement is untrue. These items are merely standardized pieces to the puzzle - sunscreens put together do not make a building. Prefab is the process of assembling all these things into volumetric modules or panels (SIPs) offsite in a factory.
   
   I do however think the introduction and history were quite informative. Pretty pictures too.



2. The book is wel written and very beautifully photographed. The history is interesting, but would have liked to see more current info.



3. In PREFAB, author Allison Arieff presents an interesting overview of "prefabricated" buildings, past, present, and future. Yet, I would not recommend this book to average modular home consumers, as many of the projects described in PREFAB are highly customized, somewhat eccentric, and generally impractical for those looking to save time and money by utilizing prefab construction as opposed to regular, stick-built construction. Some of the buildings aren't even single-family dwellings, but apartment buildings. Nonetheless, PREFAB is a helpful resource for those who'd like to learn more about the history of prefabricated buildings, as well as the current state of affairs, and in which unusual directions the industry will be headed in the future.
   
   Arieff begins PREFAB with a lengthy (29-page) discussion of the history of prefabricated homes, starting with panelized wood homes in England and the US in 1624, through the American mobile home boom after WWII, and ending with the current state of the industry. The next three sections of the book are devoted to various modern prefab projects. The first, titled "Production," presents "a diverse group of well-designed houses and multi-family dwellings that are either in production, or poised to be." Of the three groups, "Production" is perhaps most relevant to the average consumer; it illustrates the sheer diversity of prefab homes that are available around the world. It also reflects how beautiful prefab homes can be, both inside and out. Next up is "Custom," an eclectic mix of "unique homes by architects less interested in the mass production of houses than in the aesthetic, environmental, and economic benefits of prefabrication." The buildings in this section are stunning - the Penthouse at Albert Court, which sells for $4 to $5 million, is my favorite. Finally, "Concept" features the strangest buildings of the bunch. According the Arieff, the concept buildings represent "a diverse array of virtual and conceptual prefab projects that employ everything from websites to neoprene in order to create the next generation of prefabricated housing." Experimental to the extreme, these plans seem geared towards architects, artists, and other design/construction professionals.
   
   For the beginner, PREFAB is an interesting and engaging introduction to the history of prefabricated housing. As my knowledge of construction and architecture is limited, I can't say whether students or professionals will find PREFAB especially enlightening. I found the author's writing to be crisp and captivating, and I thought there was a good balance of pictures and text. I would definitely recommend PREFAB to newbies who would like to know more about prefab housing; yet, I would direct those looking for a consumer or how-to guide to go elsewhere. Overall, an interesting read, but probably not for everyone (for example, I can see how pros might want additional pictures, larger graphics, and more detailed floor/elevation plans, especially given the book's high price tag).
   
   - Kelly Garbato



4. ok, if you're looking for more of a coffee table book than a serious research source. arieff does provide a brief history of some selected prefabricated ventures, but the other 3/4 of the book is of more modern attempts, all of which are not described or displayed as thoroughly as i had hoped. most of the designs are also of doubtful marketability, and the pompous attitudes of some of the designers is off-putting. some pretty pictures, however.



5. Let me make a simple observation, people by these type of books for the pictures. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words right? But flipping through this book gave me the impression that the authors wanted to explain in words rather than with pictures. It was "blah, blah, blah, blah, blah" when a few more photos would have been much better. Why describe with words???
   
   I liked "Prefab Modern" by Jill Herbers better because it has more designs. It actually had many of the same designers in Prefab but with more pictures, less words, and a floor plan which really helps you to conceptualize the designs. Not only that but the book by Jill Herbers is cheaper too...

5 comments about Building with Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs): Strength and Energy Efficiency Through Structural Panel Construction (For Pros By Pros).

1. Many people have swung a hammer, but I have participated in remodeling and new home construction. Frankly, it bothers me to laboriously assemble each wall, then add trusses and rafters, and sheath the whole thing. Insulating after this can be a repetitive process (not to mention itchy). I have wondered how to simplify home construction.
   SIPs are the solution. Structural outer sheets of wood bonded to Insulation with another Panel of wood inside. There! The whole thing can be positioned in a bed of adhesive to form a small or large section of wall. Slightly longer and thicker panels form roofs with vaulted ceilings below. Factories can preform SIPs with electical wire recesses and window openings. Just follow the blueprints, use a crane for the heavier pieces, and the book claims homes can be closed up in 4 days. They are going to be more wind resistant, quieter, and energy efficient.
   This book covers introduction, history, and current state of art. The author is an experienced home-contractor and is enthusiastic enough to reveal the brand names of his most useful powertools (and how to use them), the factories he is familiar with, and the back of book lists resources for experienced SIP architects, manufacturers of SIPs, and tools. It is not quite a how-to manual; that must come from the manufacturer of the specific panels. But I feel confident that I could deal with an experienced architect who wanted to use SIPs to create a beautiful home for me (and I would spend all my free time helping the crew!)
   The pictures are highest quality, too.



2. This book is a good primer for anyone who has doesn't know much about SIP's, but I found it quite basic. Also, there are passages in the book that show just how badly it is in need of an update. For instance, in the first chapter, it says something to the effect of "...with energy costs being relatively low, builders have a hard time selling energy efficiency and sacrificing the two story fake stone arch...' If this technology is to get a solid foothold in the building industry, MANY books should be written to provide builders with the resources they need to handle both high-end custom homes and affordable homes as well.
   
   In short, if you are just trying to get up to speed on what SIP's are, this is probably worthwhile. Otherwise, spend some time on the phone and visiting with your SIP dealer, talk to contractors who have used them, and look around online. I think you will find more detailed and specific (and UP TO DATE) information.



3. Excellent overview of SIPs construction basics and techniques. Author explains in ordinary terms so any layman can understand. Anyone considering SIPs construction should buy this book. It would be nice if a newer version (this one is 2002)were available to discuss the latest products.



4. Good book to explain the fundamentals and ideas behind why Structural Insulated Panels area a good building medium. Unfortunately, the solid information on estimating the costs or tricks to design that the interested party are looking for are not there.
   
   I look for someone to write the next book in the series.



5. this book provides a thorough and well detailed look at SIP anatomy and construction techniques. information on this construction type is extremely difficult to find from sources other than (possibly biased or glossed-over) information from SIP manufacturers. the content covers so many details of its construction that it could concievably be used as a primer/manual/textbook for contractors or others interested in using this construction type. any information needed to supplement the information found here will most likely be so specific that it will be material related to a particular manufacturer's product or information gleaned directly from materials testing reports. i have looked extensively, and not been able to find, any materials on SIPs that could compare to the value of this source.

5 comments about Building a Straw Bale House: The Red Feather Construction Handbook.

1. Frankly, I like this book, despite my 2-star rating of it. It has some excellent information in it as well as excellent photos, and it is well laid out. However, it is intended for very specific and limited uses, which are not really disclosed in the product description. So, read on to learn what I had to discover about its limitations through trial and error:
   
   This is NOT a book on the theory and history of straw bale construction. It spends very little, if any, time outlining the different styles of bale construction, nor the variety of techniques and details that have been tried over the years, nor the many factors - environmental, structural, practical - affecting a particular construction project that might make the builder choose one technique or detail over another. If you are a new owner/builder at the conceptual stage, trying to decide if a bale house is right for you, or how exactly to build the bale house that is best for you, this is NOT the book you want.
   
   This book focuses on one philosophy of design only. It is a guide, not on how to build a bale house, but on how to build one specific bale house. What I find troubling is that it does not even explain, in most cases, why the methods being described were chosen. If you already know a good deal about bale construction, you will quickly read between the lines to see why the authors consider their chosen techniques most suitable for their situation - I did, and quickly determined that little in the book was applicable to my own situation. Ok, fair enough. But, if you do not already understand the basics of straw bale architecture, I can easily imagine the reader following this book down what might well be the wrong path for his or her own project and, at best, wasting a lot of time in the design stage considering inappropriate techniques. At worst, the reader could end up making some very poor and costly choices without realizing why they are poor.
   
   So, what is this book good for? It presents a straight-forward, step-by-step guide to project planning for a particular type of builder attempting a particular type of project. It does not present enough technical details or drawings to be a comprehensive construction manual (what book does?), so it will not take the place of preparing blueprints or having them prepared for you. But, it is nonetheless an excellent place to start IF AND ONLY IF you are...
   
   1) ...Poor, or otherwise interested in building a small, simple, budget-oriented house for a single family. Don't get me wrong: the house this book describes is perfectly sound, perfectly livable, and should last longer than most conventional houses, but it is definitely "no-frills." Frankly, all Americans should be focusing on more modest, economical, and sustainable housing, regardless of income level. Be that as it may, if you are wanting something bigger - multiple stories, luxury oriented, more architecturally unique - you will not find it here.
   
   2) ...Part of a large community or very large family interested in helping you build this house quickly through a massive and intensive volunteer effort. If your access to volunteer resources is more modest and your construction schedule, therefore, more relaxed, you could well run into serious problems trying to follow the path laid out in this book. If you plan on hiring only professionals to build your house for you, well, you probably shouldn't build a bale house in the first place, but at the least you will need to find different books.
   
   3) ...West of the Mississippi and building in a very dry environment. All throughout this book you will find details - 3 string bales, metal rebar inserted into the bales, moderately sized roof overhangs, cement-based plaster with ground-to-ceiling stucco mesh - that are either unique to the West or generally appropriate to a desert or prairie climate. For builders in other areas, most of this book likely does not apply to you.
   
   4) ...Interested in a load-bearing straw bale design. See my note on rebar, cement plaster, and stucco mesh above. There is also much in the book on full structural window and door bucks as well as building a roof-bearing-assembly top plate. Of course, there is nothing wrong with load-bearing bale walls, but in many parts of the country they are no longer the most widely-accepted design solution.



2. I found this book to be very helpful with pictures and building concepts easy to understand by the layman. The chapters are well layed out on each step of the building process and gives a lot of good tips both in dealing with the building code requirements and common sense ideas to building a straw bale house. While the houses in this book are architectually simple, a rectangle shape, the ideas can be use in more complex designs.



3. This was really a good book and I would recommend it very much.



4. This book gives an over view of the process to build a home using straw bale construction that is used by the Red Feather Development Group. Modeled after Habitat for Humanity they help tribal members living on Indian reservations achieve home ownership. The book takes you through the building process with many photos and diagrams. There is also pictures and discriptions of straw bale homes that are still lived in after 80 years, showing that sustainable housing is not a passing fad.



5. I first became aware of straw base houses when I visited friends who had built one high in the Colorado rockies. In spite of the bad winters in that location, they reported that they very rarely used any heating beyond opening the drapes on the south facing windows. I don't know what the R-value of a bale of straw might be, but it is high.
   
   They also reported that in the few years they had lived there they had had virtually no maintenance. I had imagined little cracks in the exterior covering and furry little critters living in the walls. But they reported that nothing like this had occurred.
   
   This book is put out by the Red Feather Development Group. They are a non-profit group chartered to provide low cost but efficient housing on indian reservations. They have been developing straw bale contruction for houses over many years, many buildings.
   
   This handbook is not exactly a complete primer on building a straw bale house, to me it is an idea book. There's not much here, for instance on plumbing, heating, wiring and so on. Fair enough, those things are much the same for any house, and well understood by architects and contractors. What this book does is talk about building the house itself, the wall structure, supporting the roof, the things that are unique to building with Straw Bales. There are lots of pictures, illustrating lots of points that you wouldn't think of unless you had been there and done that.
   
   Highly recommended!

3 comments about 100 More of the World's Best Houses (100 World's Best Houses, Vol. 3) (Architecture).

1. I am not an architect and I have no artistic talent. But architecture is my favorite art form. I buy a lot of architectural books. This is one of a series of three (hopefully more will come) that is excellent for its photography, its selection of things to photograph and the floor plans presented for most home, allowing the reader to conjure up a good picture of each of the masterpieces. The only downside is that when I lay the book aside, I suddenly realize that I am back in my own home. Well, it keeps the rain out.
   
   I have bought the first three and hope for more in this series.



2. Very good, but for my, maybe to much big spaces. Good photos and ideas!



3. This book is the third instalment of this book series. This book continues impress me with its unique and impressive designs around the world. This book shows that there's more to resedential design than cookie-cutter homes.

5 comments about Private Tuscany.

1. This was not the book for me because we are building a Tuscan style house and the houses featured in this book are beautiful, but old and refurbished houses in Tuscany. So many of the materials are not available in America, and also there is the comfort issue; while the houses are beautiful and definitely authentic, they might not be so comfortable for today's lifestyle. If you are looking for ideas on a modern Tuscan style house, I definitely recommend Tuscan & Andalusian Reflections. However, if what you want is to see is the real, authentic, Tuscan refurbished houses, then this is the book for you.
   
   I must say the decoration ideas are great, and the pictures are beautiful. Even though it wasn't what I expected, I don't regret buying it because it definitely transports you to another place and time when you flip through it.



2. I am an Interior Designer and I am always searching for new references and inspiration. This is a beautiful book



3. With this book you can get a good idea of the warm ranges of wall colors that create a Tuscan mood. This book focuses more on color and neutral tones as opposed to some that go for the white tones. The decor shown is generally not over the top and focused on the grandiose villas that are out of reach of most everyone. There are many modest but lovely homes shown and you can pull fabric inspiration and accessory inspiration. I would give the book 3.5 stars due to some of the rooms being a bit sparse in design and lacking in real life things such as television/stereos, etc. That however is typical of most design books.



4. I WAS LOOKING FOR A GRANDER INSPERATION AND IT WAS NOT THERE. SOME NICE SHOTS BUT NOT WORTH BUYING.



5. Something that I will enjoy over and over with a cup of coffee on a Sunday morning.