2 comments about The Vastu Vidya Handbook: The Indian Feng Shui.

1. The book starts off with a background on basic Vedic/Hindu history, Gods and beliefs. The summaries of each Hindu God is good and consise. Illustrations are also colorful and descript. The author has done a good reaserch job on Hinduism, no doubt. Futher chapters start discussing each room of the house, placement of furniture, room color and design for best spiritual effects. The later part of the book starts getting into office setup and the positions of bathrooms and colors to use for meeting rooms and such. Good illustrations throughout the book with clear examples used.

   Overall, if you want to setup your home or office using Eastern(Hindu) philosophies and beliefs, then this is the book for you! The author does a good job of starting with the basics and progressing along to more advanced topics and issues.




2. This is the BEST book available on Vastu Vidya! Great reference for anyone interested in Vastu or Sthpatyaveda design. Great graphic design and content. If you like Fung Shui, you'll love Vastu Vidya. Buy it here and get the best discount, too.

3 comments about House Painting: Inside and Out (Fine Homebuilding).

1. This is one of those picture books for someone who has never painted anything before. NOT FOR a pro. I ended up skimming some of it. But There were a few points mentioned that would be helpful to someone who has never painted before. So if you are looking to fix up that living room or siding in this tight market and have never painted... try this.



2. Not much to add to the review below, but the description states that the book is 'color throughout'. In fact, most of the photos are in black and white. However, this does not detract from the information contained. There is a color section showing some house exteriors when discussing color choices. A good choice for the new homeowner who has never painted and wants to know how to do it right. It doesn't take much more effort to do the job right than to do it wrong for lack of knowledge.



3. This is my most treasured painting bible.
   My house is a mess. Virtually everything needs serious work. Dixon gives me the confidence to tackle one project after another. His writing style is straightforward, reassuring, inspirational. He tells you everything you need to know to complete a job and be happy with it. Every painstaking stage of prep, helpful tips on additives, priming, carrying out each stage of painting process under every possible circumstance. I borrowed Dixon's book from the library so often that I spent more than the cost of it on overdue fines.
   Now it's mine. All mine.

No comments about Spectacular Homes of New England (Spectacular Homes).

5 comments about Decorating on eBay : Fast & Stylish on a Budget.

1. Barbara Guggenheim's book was invaluable when decorating a home my wife and I recently bought in East Hampton, NY. We never had thought about using eBay for furniture and other home items, but following Barbara's guidelines ended up buying pretty much everything from sofas and beds to even rugs and curtains, and all while saving almost 30% of our estimated budget. The book is a MUST for anyone looking to redecorate, furnish, or replace items in a home. Also a great tool for any eBay hobbiests!



2. This is a book to pick up and kick back with, to scheme and dream effortlessly with, to have fun reading, giving, sharing, talking about. Ultimately, it will lead you to having a house embellished by your hobby, thanks to tips, hints and fun how-to's from Dr. Guggenheim, who is one of the few true art history scholars around who not only actually writes in readable English, but shares easy to use practical advice that can enable ordinary mortals to enjoy a good, rich slice of culture pie, anytime they feel like it. Having attended her art history lectures in the past, I always hoped she would start writing this kind of book, which like her teaching, makes us all not only believe, but know, that we can be true art collectors: that it's not about the size of our pocketbooks, it's about each of us giving freedom to our own very individual, very powerful imaginations.



3. You can decorate on a budget and stay in the range without even going to thrift stores and flea markets - not if you have a computer at home and DECORATING ON EBAY FAST AND STYLISH - ON A BUDGET in hand. Author Barbara Guggenheim is an art consultant who needed vintage items to decorate her Malibu beach house: she decided to try decorating an entire house using eBay and DECORATING ON EBAY chronicles her experiences. Tips include how and where to search within the sight, from locating furniture and fabrics to obtaining collectibles, and how to develop a personal decorating style on a budget. Her course in mastering ebay goes all the way from basic site navigation to winning bids and understanding the entire process. A 'must' for any decorating on a budget who wants to take full advantage of ebay listings; especially for those new to the auction/bidding process.



4. A superbly produced book - with visually warm, personal and enticing colors, graphics and text, and beautiful photographs. Indeed, what can be done on Ebay at its finest. And one more thing...I loved the soft sock monkey touch.



5. I have returned again and again to this book for new ideas. I feel I now have a new way of looking at decorating! Using eBay is such a great way to grab some bargains to get the look you're after! You'll be glad you have this book, it's fun to see how she did an entire house! Great detail shows how she did it step by step! You can plan your own house project or just get quick update ideas for a room. Enjoy!

3 comments about The New Apartment: Smart Living in Small Spaces.

1. If the Amazon description of this book had noted that it is limited to (mostly) European, totally modern spaces, I would not have been an unsuspecting purchaser. I returned it-- unless you want totally modern surroundings (black, white, spare, chrome), you won't be inspired here.



2. In 423 (!) pages, full of color photgraphs, this book showcases 60 small apartments in big cities throughout the world (Europe, Australia, USA, Brazil), plus 4 mobile homes. Each apartment is shown in 6 to 8 pages, mostly in photographs, with floorplans, and some accompanying text.
   The style in general is urban modern (although there are two or three apartments that are more traditional), and all the apartments are done by architects or interior designers, but it isn't all white and too minimalistic; many apartments display bold colors and natural materials like wood, and there are usually some works of art, carpets and fabrics involved (and some apartment owners mix IKEA with designer furntiure, as can be seen on the cover).
   Although I'm usually not a big fan of homes that are (too) modern or minimalistic, I found there was still enough to enjoy and think the book has a lot of great ideas that can be translated to the average home; all the photos give a good impression of each apartment and the floorplans give an exact overview of the use of space and furniture, which I love.
   However, if you don't like clean, straight, modern lines at all (these áre all modern, designed apartments), but look for a book about average and more traditional, warm small homes, this book may not be for you.



3. This book is full of minimalist, contemporary, or vacant apartments. Out of 60 apartments only 3 do not fit that description one of which is the cover photo. I was expecting a mix of old and new furniture, color, and places that looked lived in.

2 comments about Paint: The Big Book of Natural Color.

1. Elizabeth Hilliard and Stafford Cliff's Paint: Big Book Of Natural Color covers the new colors and finishes available to modern decorators, showing how these modern interiors can be transformed through a variety of innovative paint choices. Beautiful color photos abound.



2. I am slowly colorizing a newer off-white condo. I have about a million paint charts in a drawer, and I frequently pull them out and ponder colors, and occasionally I pick out a color and paint a room. I recently borrowed this book from the library, and now I'm buying my own copy. It's a timeless resource on color schemes because it's based on colors found in nature.
   
   The book highlights six schemes - arctic, ocean, forest, earth, desert and kaleidoscope (kaleidoscope is not based on nature). Each scheme is introduced with outdoor photographs, then the color schemes are moved indoors and translated into home decor. The results are awesome, and have really helped me focus my color choices.

1 comments about Understanding Textiles (6th Edition).

1. I had to get this book for my textiles class. The book is done in a rather boring format (it is pretty much just a reference book, what did I expect?!) but it was extremely useful for that class and for many more I have taken. Interesting tidbits throughout the book if you are at all interested in fashion and textiles.

2 comments about Guide to Easier Living.

1. Written during the height of the best of Mid 20th Century consumer progress, this reprint is full of still-valid ideas, with the remainder for just looking in wonder at times gone by. In this book, Russel and Mary went to great lengths to explain everything that they believed was important to orchestrating successful home engineering and economics. It's fun to read, and the original illustrations are stylized and tongue-in-cheek. It's fantastic that this book has been reprinted, so its wisdom and guidelines can educate and possibly downscale some of the pseudo-modern pretentiousness of our contemporary lifestyles, via the true modernism of the past that is expressed in the Wright's text. For instance, the mainstream 21st Century over-stuffed attitudes of living in contrived luxury, look bloated and phoney compared to the Wrights' explanations of pared-down but comfortably designed home decorating and economics; i.e., think modern, lightweight, artistic, and easy to maintain -- not necessarily "cheap" or severely spare. Their message was to have fun, make your house look beautiful, and do it intelligently with as little extraneous pomp and flounce to clean as possible. Great advice for the 21st Century!



2. I bought this book when it had just come out and I was newly married. Ive used it so much that it is in tatters, but I still treasure it. The information and illustrations of storage closets, kitchens, general home layouts, etc. are still as useful and inspiring today as they were back in the 1950s. Their sections on choices and care of products for the home: floors, etc are still valid. Their discussions of time and motion techniques in cooking, house cleaning, bed making, etc. are outstanding. I still refer to it frequently. This book is like a dear old friend and has influenced my life for 50 some odd years. It is one of the 9 or 10 most influential and treasured books that I own.

5 comments about Contemporary Western Design.

1. With her book, Contemporary Western Design - High-style Furniture & Interiors, Thea Marx has created a masterwork in words and pictures; capturing the essence of this truly authentic, dynamic school of American design and the skilled, dedicated artisans, achitects and designers who pour their passion and inspiration into the furniture and homes captured in this book. Writing with flair and insight, Ms. Marx displays an insiders understanding of her subject. Throughout the book, her prose and images breathe life into each piece featured. This book is a must have for anyone interested in the American West, the spirit of creativity or superb craftsmanship. Bravo, Thea, a job beautifully done.



2. We spent several serene hours with Thea Marx's book of Contemporary Western Design. Reading her favorable Amazon reviews, it is obvious that both Ms. Marx's book and western design are appreciated well beyond the west.



3. I love this book! The author, Thea Marx, has done an exquisite presentation of bringing the best of the best together. Her book takes American design to a new level. A beautiful keepsake to share with friends and family. Renee Gabet- Ceo Annie Oakley Perfumery



4. If you like the western lifestyle this book is for you.This book shows you that your old idea's about western furnishings is a thing of the past.You can dream about the old west with a new twist.It's all here the stunning furniture you never thought of as rustic western is here for you to drool over in all it's glory.Lose yourself in a world you never thought of as the west.This is for todays cowboys and indians.



5. I am an interior designer. I have been adding to my collection for "lodge" and "mountain" and design which incorporates both contemporary and rustic elements. I was basing my purchase of this book on the front cover, coupled with the phrase, "Contemporary Western Design". Very deceiving. Only one or two pages of this book had photos as contemporary as the cover, and two were exterior photos. Everything else was cowboy chaps and leather and lodgepole. Not happy with this purchase.

1 comments about Bohemian Modern LTD: Living in Silver Lake.

1. I look at this book a lot just to drool over the architecture and the mid-century modern decor. I live in the land of mass produced housing and I long for a home with unusual design and originality and this book takes me to my happy place periodically.