5 comments about The Book of Home Design Using IKEA Home Furnishings.

1. I have a ton of design books, but this is one of my favorites. The style is comfortable and affordable, but looks fabulous with very little effort. Great book for any apartment dweller, or anyone who doesn't want to live in traditional-style hell.



2. This book is ideal for anyone looking for fresh and creative ideas in a modern/contemporary style. Ideas for every room in the house accompanied with beautiful photographs and helpful text. Design focuses on form, function, light, and environmental soundness. This is just what the doctor ordered if the typical traditional/classic and country/cozy aren't your style. Works great for people moving into their first apt./house too- good, practical, easy to imitate ideas (and Ikea furnishings that are easy on your budget!).



3. This is a very nice design book with beautiful photographs but the author leaves out some very important information. He/She does not indicate WHICH pieces come from IKEA. Looking through the photos, I'd say the majority of the furniture does NOT come from IKEA. It was nice to look at but IKEA's in-house publication called Space magazine does a lot better job.



4. I like IKEA stores very much, but this book is useless. Nice settings, fun furniture, but it's basically a catalog. And not everything you see is still available from IKEA, so it isn't even a very reliable catalog at that.



5. This is an old favorite book of mine. I am an ikea enthusiast and so I love it and recognise alot of the furnishings and accesories(many from over the years). There are also furnishings etc that are not ikea but no house should be soley furnished from one store! Unlike other reviewers I feel that many of the looks can be adapted and emulated using the current in store stock that Ikea carry. The info contained isn't bad either. This book is a little beauty.

3 comments about Lighting by Design (Decor Best-Sellers).

1. This book should be titled Lighting for Luxury Homes. It would be diffficult to translate the ideas presented here into lighting technques the average reader would find useful. Although the cover looks modern, the interior decoration style represented in most of the pictures is a combination of Traditional and Classic. The photos are nice, but not particularly inspiring. Storey's other book titled Lighting is more informative than this one. I don't think this would even make a good coffee table book.



2. Informatively written by architecture-trained interior designer Sally Storey, Lighting By Design is a beautifully illustrated presentation filled with full-color photography by Luke White showcasing the impressive and inspiring variety of lighting effects that can be used to add a special touch to an interior design. From using light to create mood, to the skillful use of colored lights, to making patterns with lights, as well as selecting and positioning outdoor lights suitable for gardens and roof terraces, Lighting By Design is admirable in its imagery and practical in its techniques.



3. I am a trained architect and have read through most of the books on lighting design available. This is the book to buy. In fact it is the ONLY book worth buying. There is a great need for this type of information. Sally Storey knows her topic and delivers words and images to give structure to thought. Be forewarned there are no formulas here. Just good sound advice on how to map your own course into the enigmatic topic of lighting design.

1 comments about Inside Asia, Volume 1 (Taschen Spring).

1. In the large map highlighting the contents of this volume, the Kingdom of Bhutan has been omitted, and its sovereign territory annexed to that of the People's Republic of China. (BTW, the same error is repeated in the analogous map in Volume 2.)
   
   The disappearance from these volumes of a member state of the United Nations -- the sovereignty of which is *not* in dispute -- is disappointing, not to say shocking, particularly when neighboring Tibet -- the sovereignty of which *is* a matter of controversy -- is a focus of Volume 1. This lapse suggests rather careless editing.

No comments about White Rooms.

No comments about Country Living Country Decorating (Country Living).

3 comments about Painted Chairs: 25 Fresh and Fun Projects.

1. I fell in love with the chair on the front cover, and knew that the designs would be right up my alley. I enjoyed the pictures inside, and found them charming and inspirational. The colors are beautiful, and the whimsical designs quite appealing. Every time I look at the pics, I get excited about painting. That, alone, is a thumbs up in my opinion!

   However, on a closer inspection, many of the same stenciled motifs were used throughout the various projects pictured, which was disappointing. Granted, they weren't used the same way, but I would have liked to seen more originality or, at least with all the stencils on the market today, more variety.

   I am a beginning painter, so I want to know the whys of the methods I'm using. I found the description of how to prepare a chair confusing. The basic prep steps include using primer for previously finished pieces, sealer for unfinished pieces, gesso for all pieces (multiple coats for previously finished pieces), and then the base coat (multiple coats for unfinished pieces) before you start the decorative painting. I'm not sure the necessity of the gesso...why not just go from the primer, to several base coats? Is there really an advantage to that extra step, or is this just the authors' preference? It seems applying several base coats on top of the primer and sanding between would give you opaque, smooth coverage. I would appreciate a bit more insight to the necessity of the gesso.

   I also am unsure of what "priming" entails. On page 7 it defines wood sealer and primer. It says the wood sealer is applied to prevent warping and bleed-through of knotty areas, and then directly below it says primer is brushed on to help seal and prevent bleed-through. There isn't enough explanation about the difference between wood sealer and primer, so I'm not sure which I'm to use before applying the gesso. Or do I apply wood sealer, then primer, then gesso, all before the base coats?

   It also says to use an oil-based primer on previously finished chairs if unsure of whether the previous finish was oil-based. But, it doesn't explain why. I've since read in other books that this is because the latex and acrylic paints won't stick and will start to peel off, which apparently you may not find out until you've gone all the way to the finishing step. That would be devastating, so I think an explanation of WHY oil primer is a necessity should be better emphasized here.

   I bought some gesso, and am using it between the primer and base coats to see if there is a difference in the outcome. I can't tell whether my previous stuff is oil-based or not, so I'm using oil-based primer on all previously finished pieces as a precaution. If there is a way to determine this, that would be great info to include, too.

   I also think that there wasn't enough explanation about how to finish the chairs in order to protect the painted design. There are many types of "finishes" on the market. Is a varnish the same as a polyurethane? And what about the description of those...when I go to the store there are amber, yellow, and clear products. Also, are sealers and finishes one and the same?

   Since the book appears to target beginners, a better definition of these terms, and what to apply and why would be helpful. Maybe throw in some specific brand names for wood sealers, primers, finishes and varnishes, so I can piece together what I'm looking for when I go to the store.

   I give the book a thumbs up for inspiration and for instructions of the individual projects portrayed. If you like decorative painting on furniture, you'll enjoy looking at the pics in this book. However, I have found myself looking at other books to get more concise explanations of what products to use and why.




2. This book is full of really wonderful, creative designs which the reader can replicate or modify according to personal preference. However, I found the instructions somewhat confusing and inconsistent in places. I found myself going back and rechecking something that I thought I understood. In addition, many of the designs use a stencilling technique. While this technique is explained in general terms, the book does not provide instructions for specific stencilled designs which use multiple paint colors. For example, a chair with a stencilled beehive is accompanied by a listing of 7 paint colors for the hive. Which color do I use first? How do I create the color gradations?

   The designs and inspiration value are worth the price of admission, but beginners will need to seek out additional advice.




3. Excellent book with wonderful ideas. Easy to understand and great illustrations.

5 comments about Working Windows: A Guide to the Repair and Restoration of Wood Windows.

1. The revised and updated edition of Working Windows probably has twice the information of the original book, which was already the best book on the subject. And yet the price is still the same! I've repaired lots of windows, so I'm hardly a novice, but I still picked up a lot of tips and tricks and things I didn't know. And it's lovely that someone still wants to write about how to repair one of the eminently repairable things in a world in which most things are no longer repairable but merely disposable. In a way it's a sad commentary on our society that everything is thrown away rather than repaired, though many modern products aren't even repairable (like the replacement windows so many people have been talked into- when their rather short lifespan is over, they'll just go to the landfill).
   
   The author's writing style is humorous, which I enjoyed, because I see no reason why providing information precludes it from being entertaining (if you prefer that, the National Park Service has a nice, dry, boring article on the repair of historic windows which is widely available). And he explains things clearly enough that even someone who isn't very "handy" could still manage to repair a window.
   
   Anyone with wooden windows could benefit from having (and using) a copy of this book.



2. My husband and I decided to restore the double hung windows in our 70-year old house, and this book has been a great guide. The book addresses every issue we have come across in our restoration, and the explainations are easy to understand. I would recommend this book to anyone.



3. Everyone who's owned an old house has gone through it - after being barraged by literature from window manufacturers, energy companies and design mags, you start thinking about putting in new replacement windows. It makes sense, right? Spend the money now, and reaps the dividends in energy savings with those smart, vinyl clad future-proof windows.
   
   Some of us continue to read past this, and we learn more beyond the hype. Those old double-hung sashes that have been keeping out the rain and wind for a century would be replaced with sashes that will last a few decades at most - replacements that often cannot be painted or even repaired when their exotic caulks inevitably fail. Replacments that nullify the architectural integrity of your older home. Replacements manufactured with materials that have a profound negative environmental impact.
   
   So, what to do? You're tired of the breezes through your home, the condensation and frost in the winter, the windows you can't even open, the money you can see wafting out of doors every time the heat or AC kicks in. Can you repair these ancient windows, make them work like new - maybe even work *better* than new?
   
   Working Windows is the answer to that last question, and answers with an emphatic "YES!". Aside from windows rotting clear off of their frames, this book will help you recover, restore and improve your existing windows. From fixing problems with rot and warping to sealing out the weather to pointing and glazing, this book covers everything. Want to make your own storm windows? It's got it. How about screens? Sure thing.
   
   The market for restoring older windows is a bit on the fringe, so finding the parts can be tricky, and in this revised version even that's taken care of: there are addresses and URLs for just about every tool and material mentioned. If you just want to open those painted-shut sashes for free, that's covered, but if you're looking for high end architecturally-sound storm windows, that's covered, too.
   
   My only complaint with the book is that some of the illustrations are cryptic. Perhaps in the third edition some full color, detailed images can help walk us through window restoration.



4. Several months ago we bought a 1910 two story with THIRTY double hung windows in it. None were working, all were painted shut inside and out AND to add insult to injury were also NAILED shut. WOW. I started working on them without any reference material and somewhat into the project discovered this book. It was a lifesaver. If you have an old house and want to keep the windows it came with, then this book is for you. If you want to know WHY you should keep your wooden windows instead of replacing them (which I think is a crime) with newer windows, read this book. If you want to know how all the several different types of these windows work and all the little tricks that will save you hours of work and days of indigestion as you start to work on them, read this book. It is also full of sources for antique replacement hardware which alone justifys the price since invariably these old windows are missing locks or other hardware or have a bad pulley or two. This book has helped me in a hundred ways in my project to rebuild these windows. I refer to it constantly. EVERYTHING is covered, even how to make screens for them. There were no questions I had about wooden windows that weren't answered in it. So get one and read it BEFORE you make any decision on rebulding or refurbishing your windows or replacing them, it is well written and humorous. You won't be sorry you did. Now for a couple of tips not in the book. First, very old window pane glazing assumes the consistency of concrete. Since I needed a way to remove the glass from the windows ( a must in rebuliding and refinishing the frames) without breaking it since it is the crinkly imperfect glass that is period to and a part of the windows and no longer available, I discovered that if you paint the glazing heavily with STRIP EZE and let it sit for 30 minutes it will softten the glazing and make it easy to remove. The mothods for removing glazing mentioned in the book do work but the risk of breaking a pane or two is higher. Second, infinite PATIENCE is required and will be rewarded when you work on these windows. Do not try to rush through the process. Do one window at a time, the book will tell you how to OPEN all the windows, but just take one at a time apart. Rushing will cause more problems than you are correcting. And lastly, when using DAP 33 glazing, follow the directions on the back of the can EXACTLY. You are creating big problems for later if you don't. I allow my reglazed windows to "cure" in the sun for two weeks before I begin painting and sealing them. Anyway, buy this book before you make any decisions on replacing or repairing your old windows. You won't be sorry you did and if you have the time, save the old windows, they are really are works of art and in the case of double hung windows, highly functional.



5. This is one of my favorite books in my DIY collection, which is considerable. But it's not for everyone, as you might guess by reading the few negative reviews that people have posted. This is the book for an intelligent person who likes to fix things, but just hasn't had a previous opportunity to acquaint himself (or herself) with the facts of wood windows. It is densely packed with useful advice about every phase of window repair and restoration, including a lot of information about specific name-brand products (strippers, hardeners, fillers, glazing compound, thinners, paints), which is a big help on your visit to the shelves of the average DIY superstore. There are pages devoted to painting skills - the relative advantages of latex vs. oil-based paints, proper painting techniques and brush care. If you grew up around the trades you probably sucked in this stuff with your daddy's second-hand cigarette smoke, but if you are a self-taught DIYer, you are bound to discover a lot of things you've been doing wrong. As one detractor wrote in his review, this book is one man's opinion about window repair. That's absolutely true, but Terry Meany (who is this person "Jamie Shaw" that Amazon lists as the author?) is really up-front about these being his opinions and explains why he holds them. So it's easy to work from Meany's suggestions and your own experience to your own set of informed opinions. The book is also written in an engaging, articulate fashion. From this book I learned the word "solipsism," how it applies to restoring woodwork, and the connections between divorce and paint removal. It's an unusual DIY book that can provide that sort of information. Armed with this book I was able to dismantle and restore a set of rotted leaded glass casement windows I would never have dreamed of tackling had Terry Meany not given me the courage. Next project is all the broke sash cords...

1 comments about Josef Hoffman: Interiors, 1902-1913.

1. Josef Hoffmann was one of the greatest architects and designers of the twentieth century, perhaps the finest furniture designer, and certainly one of the most significant figures in decorative arts.
   Anyone seriously interested in Hoffmann should add this book to their library. It contains numerous vintage photographs and a highly informed text.
   However, be forewarned. It is described as having color photographs of Hoffmann's interiors. This, like the majority of significant art books, is the catalogue for an extraordinary exhibition at the Neue Galerie in New York. In Ronald Lauder's preface he states, "Here is the unique opportunity to view magnificent interiors with all the color and sense of fantasy that Josef Hoffmann gave them." The absolute and glorious centerpiece of the exhibition is the reconstruction of four Hoffmann interiors. Furniture, wallpaper, carpets, curtains, etc; and they are magnificent. In one of the most brainless publishing endeavors imaginable, these interiors--in spite of the description and Lauder's remarks--are not in the book. Nor is the entire gallery of Hoffmann's watercolor designs for fabrics, carpets, and wallpapers.
   One must wonder how the museum and Taschen allowed this great opportunity to slip through their fingers. Taschen, Lauder, and the Neue Galerie owes everyone that purchases this book/catalogue an apology.
   If you would like to see the interiors they failed to include check the review in SLATE. You will immediately see what a bungled job this is.
   John Arthur

1 comments about La Vie en Rose: Living in France.

1. Looking through this book really made me feel as though I was touring the French countryside. Many of the homes are rural farmhouses or chateaus, and the pictures showcase the warmth and charm of that part of the world. Just beautiful.

4 comments about Creative Finishes: Step-by-Step Techniques for Leafing, Sponging, Antiquing & More.

1. I love this book for inspiration and how to techniques. All in my van pppol lked this book too. Well worth the money and I own many many craft and paint books and this is one of my favorites. I am an artist and crafter and make furniture.



2. I have always wanted to learn how to create beautiful furniture using different finishing techniques and this book provides exactly that! There are step by step instructions, before and after photos, and numerous ideas throughout. If you want to give your furniture new life or an elegant look and be able to say that you did it on your own, then this book will provide you with all the tools you'll need.



3. I love this book and look through it over and over again for inspiration. My husband and I refinished our cherry dining room set using the techniques described in this book. We have gotten tons of compliments on the finished set and best of all, we spent about $300.00 on supplies, a fraction of the cost of buying a set like the one we created. Step-by-step instructions using many photographs as well as what color paints to buy to achieve the results pictured in the book. The reason I am looking again on Amazon was to find any other books published by this author as we have some projects in the works. No other books, but reviewing this book for anyone intersted was worth my time.



4. This book is excellent. The pictures have before, after and some close-ups. The instructions are simple and percise. These finishes are truly inspirational. We just purchased our first house and I can't wait to give my rooms that special pop with the techniques shown in this book. If you can't afford to purchase new cabinets this book shows you have to achieve that brand new look for a fraction of the cost. Additionaly, she has instructions to give your stairs and ballast that special touch. I have to say this is one of the best books I've ever purchased. Truly a keeper!!!