5 comments about Building the Japanese House Today.

1. For anyone who has dreamed of building a Japanese style house, this book is a must! The book takes you through the construction of a building from start to finish. All the things the customers and builders had to consider in construction. (From design, to permits, to materials,to assembly and finally finishing) This is a good way to get an idea of what building a traditional or westernized version of a Japanese house would entail, in terms of time and resources. It would also provide a neat book for house design to see the way traditional Japanese design styles have been incorporated to fit into American style homes.
   
   One of the authors, Len Brackett, is the owner of East Wind which does Traditional Japanese Architecture and Woodworking. The beautiful woodwork this company does is extraordinary!! Len spent more than 5 years in Japan as a temple carpentry apprentice. The book also included an interesting chapter describing him time there. For more information on East Wind, (and to get a better idea of what the book describes) try visiting their website eastwindinc.com



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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.



5. 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.

5 comments about The Natural Plaster Book: Earth, Lime, and Gypsum Plasters for Natural Homes (Natural Building Series).

1. This book was late in coming, but the wait was well worth it! There's nothing like this book on the market today...not even close!

   I especially like how thorough this book is. I really appreciated the clear and detailed explanations of all aspects of plastering -- from the design of homes (so they will be suitable for natural plasters) to wall preparation to testing, mixing, and applying plasters.

   The authors skillfully walk the reader through all of the steps required to plaster a natural home, anticipating mistakes you might make -- and telling you how to avoid them. Although the book focuses on plastering strawbale buildings, there's lots of good advice for plastering numerous other natural homes.

   This book attempts to develop a deep understanding of plasters. To do so, the authors begin by describing the components of plasters -- and what each one does. Knowing that subsoils are different at each building site, the authors give general guidelines for making plasters. They tell you how to test your soils and potential plaster mixes. No, you won't find recipes for plasters...that would be fruitless due to the variability of subsoils. But you will find some examples you can start with and good, solid explanations of the steps you have to take to make plasters using the dirt you have at your site!

   I was also very impressed by the extensive coverage of finish plasters and alises as well as the detailed resource guide and the excellent photos and drawings, although some were a bit small. Sometimes the text seemed a bit repetitive, but in retrospect that helped me memorize the details.




2. Is 'natural plaster home' a euphemism for 'mud hut'?
   
   The following gives a sense of the mood conveyed by the authors:
   
   "Mud Plasters are fun to work with!
   
   Earthen plasters are easy to work with and fun to mix and apply. 'Once you've put your hands in that mud mix you don't feel like doing any other type of plaster'... For adults, working with earthen plaster seems like kid's play, for children it is play!"
   
   At one point, we are advised that 'natural plasters' are low energy building material. The energy required can be measured in terms of granola bars.
   
   I'm sorry: work is work. But, this curious enthusiasm for returning to nature is just a frill. The book has a lot of useful details on foundations, walls, and finish materials. It never gets past the introductory level, but all the key points are covered. Additionally, there is good coverage of design issues, with particular emphasis on avoiding water damage. Finishing walls is given 3 chapters: natural finishes, lime finishes, and gypsum finishes.
   
   I was a bit disappointed in the lack of interest in power-tools, but getting one's hands muddy seems like too much fun to the authors. Additionally, more details on chemistry would have been helpful. At a certain level, I suspect this book is a good introductory lesson for volunteers assembling at a worksite with at least one master builder on hand. Working with mud may be fun, but it takes a large crew to get the whole house, barn or commune done in a single building season.



3. Not worth the money as a technical reference or how-to book. Otherwise a pleasant read with some inpired pics and a very general overview of the process. Speaks, for the most part, to strawbale contruction as if strawbales are some naturally occurring thing harvested from the wild when are in fact a product of energy intensive industrial agriculture. Fails to provide important technical details such as estimating for coverage, application on masonry, frame and other 'natural' structures, guidelines for plaster preparation. If you already have building experience and skills there are far better reference books available to actually base work upon.



4. In reading this book you'll find descriptions of the various types of building materials, not just straw bales, these plasters are used on (it is not really a build yourself a house book) and a pretty good overview of the types of plasters themselves.
   I'm not done reading it but don't find enough information to consider it a complete how to guide, more of a starter book. You get some recipes for pigments/ plasters but not much detail about applying the stuff. I've found nothing about measuring the walls to determine just how much material you'll need and I don't think it really tells thickness, just how many coats to apply (not really detailed about that).
   There's an extensive resource guide at the end of the book, you'll need it if you're actually going to build a house of some sort. If you are collecting a set of books on building and finishing a home this one is all right as a starter book. You'll learn just enough to know whether or not this is something you want to be getting yourself into.



5. I just finished building my strawbale home -- and am very grateful for this book. I have nothing but great things to say about it. This book picks up where others leave off. An absolute must if you plan on using natural materials on your home. One must understand that working with natural materials is hardly a science-- and a fair amount of experementing must be done to get satisfactory results. But the effort will be worth it! Get this book-- you won't be sorry. FYI-- I used an earthen plaster (clay,manure,sand) on the interior and exterior, and finished the interior with an alis and the exterior with a lime plaster and lime wash-- beautiful results!

2 comments about Complete Patio (Complete...).

1. I like this book because it has it all. If you want to make a quick patio by laying some flagstones directly into soil and letting plants grow in between them, here is everything you need to know to design it, get the materials, and put it in next weekend. If you are thinking of something elaborate, like pouring a concrete slab, cutting flagstones and embedding them in mortar on it, again, this is a great guide. In between, there is a whole range of possibilities from a round brick accent patio to tuck in the corner of your yard and set a table and chairs on, to detailed instructions for doing the traditional dry-laid stone method on base aggregate with various edgings.
   
   Besides building patios, they have ways to spruce up old concrete slabs like staining them to make them spanking new and pretty, and treatments to make your flagstones last longer and easier to clean. All of this is shown with great, clear color photographs that make it fun to think about all the different possibilities for making your back or front yard more useable. This is a keeper.



2. Excellent book for refurbishing an existing patio or installing a new one. It features good, clear instructions with plenty of illustrations. I was able to get more landscaping ideas from this book than some of my so-called "idea" books. The suggested materials are readily available, in California at least, and there is good analysis of the pros and cons of each type.

5 comments about Ranches: Design Ideas for Renovating, Remodeling, and Building New (Updating Classic America).

1. I sent this book to my brother who is restoring a 40-year-old Ranch house. He's really found it inspirational and I've enjoyed looking through it too. Here in the Atlanta area, the old Ranch houses are in danger. McMansions and their greedy, tasteless developers would have them eliminated. Yes, most of the Ranch survivors are unremarkable upon first glance but the ideas behind them--well explained in this book--are wonderful and they are certainly built of better materials and with more care than the slapped-together structures of today. Of course a weakness of the Ranch house is that like the McMansion of today it was mostly built by developers out for a dime. The pages here show the potential of the Ranch. There are some lovely rennovations, beautifully photographed. There's a good history lesson on the Ranch and its architectural and cultural sources too. I heartilly recommend this book for Ranch owners and architectural historians.



2. Before buying, I was offended by the spate of terse, one-star reviews of this book (which may or may not have been written by the same person) and took the advice of others who seemed to love it. I was so wrong. This book is for people who find themselves stuck with a ranch house ("Very few people love the exteriors of ranch houses") when they might have preferred a bungalow or a cottage. The photos are well-shot, the design ideas apparently fill a need, but this book is by no means Atomic Ranch.



3. The title implied that this book would be ideal for me; I like ranches, I feel that they are undervalued, and I see many that are ripe for renovation after years of benign neglect. They're often small by today's standards, too, and I'd like to know how other people have expanded or changed their ranches while maintaining the buildings' architectural identity. For all these reasons, I didn't like this book much. The author disparages the architectural style that some of us appreciate--she is downright insulting about the exteriors--and seems to feel that the reader/owner's main goal will be to ignore the exterior of their house or transform it into something very different such as a developer-style colonial. Little advice is given about maintaining or updating the wonderful horizontal form of the ranch, choosing trim, siding, roofing, hardware, doors, windows, etc., or maintaining and enhancing the architecture-nature connection that makes ranches interesting through appropriate landscaping, decks, gardens, and other outdoor features. If you find it at your library or a charity book sale, it's worth a look, but it didn't contain what I thought it would.



4. Writing a book is a huge undertaking so hats off to the authors. I can't give this book a favorable review however. This is not a book about mid-century architecture. The ranch-style homes in it have been substantially remodeled and very few mid-century details remain as you can readily see from the photos. As a fan of that period of architecture, this was a disappointment. But for someone who finds their rancher to be too low, too spare or too retro, this book shows how to get rid of all that and turn a rancher into something more like a bungalow or a shingle-style Cape Cod with a new kitchen. The furnishings in the homes are often brightly colored Scandinavian, early American, Native American, or craftsman. Many of the shots look very much like they are from a 1992 Metropolitan Home magazine although there are quite a few kitchens with stone countertops. If you want to convert a rancher, this might be for you. If you want to restore one, you'll need a different book.



5. If you are fan of midcentury American ranches, this book teaches you how to ruin these examples of classic American architecture. It gives suggestions on how to turn them into boring mini McMansions complete with granite counters and stainless steel appliances.

5 comments about The Log Home Plan Book.

1. I bought this early on in the planning stage of our log cabin as a resouce. After looking through dozens of books and magazines I actually used one of the plans in the book after modifying it slightly. This has many plans that give you some great ideas and has enough difference between them to be a nice starting point in the design process.



2. My husband and I are in the preliminary stages of planning our dream log home. There are many pricey books out there to peruse, but none were as helpful as this one. It helped us to understand construction and budgetary compliance. By planning with this book, we curbed our budget, without compromising quality and beauty. The information was easy to digest and the photos were excellent and instrumental in the implementation of design and decorating. This book is definitely a MUST HAVE for anyone who is planning to build a log home.



3. This was the first log home book my wife and I purchased after making the decision to not settle for any old house on the market and to build our dream home. It was a great way to get the ideas flowing. I appreciate the layout of the book: lots of exterior and interior photos, floor plans to put the photos into perspective, text descriptions of the houses, and great side bars on everything from windows to roofs to heating. The photos and descriptions are inspiring while the floor plans and side bars are practical. Buy this book early in the process and continue to refer to it as your design comes together.



4. I expected the book to have more plans under 2000 sq ft. If you want a mansion than it has lots of good plans for you!
   
   Rose



5. Stay away if you are looking for floor plans...I would have rather spent my money on three good magazines.

5 comments about Modernism Reborn: Mid-Century American Houses.

1. I bought this interesting book because I wanted something that would cover, visually, the best of mid-century American architecture. As another reviewer has said, don't expect a full technical account of the background to these beautiful houses but if you want excellent exterior and interior photos in a well designed and printed book, 'Modernism reborn' is the one to get.
   
   The fact that these thirty-five houses have all been restored in some way gives the book extra interest. Many of them were featured in the architectural press years ago when they were first built and these are the photos you usually see in books. Some of them were neglected but fortunately the current owners thought restoration worthwhile and this is how Roger Straus photographed them.
   
   An interesting companion book to 'Modernism reborn' is Classic Modern: Midcentury Modern At Home by Deborah K Dietsch, not directly concerned with the architecture but more to do with the furniture, fabrics, lighting and style that made these houses such wonderful homes. If only I could afford to live in one!
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.



2. 
   We are in danger of losing our mid-century domestic architectural heritage.
   
   Yesterday's flat-roof, ultra-modern "home of tomorrow" is often perceived as the cramped and impractical "teardown" of today. Most real estate agents will confide that "Modern doesn't sell," and those modernist homes that are sold are usually fodder for the bulldozer; razed and discarded to make way for another McMansion.
   
   Sometimes it seems that the only folks who have any fondness for "Home, Sleek Home" are advertising directors (who love to feature hip mid-century homes in TV commercials and print ads), and subscribers to Dwell Magazine (and subscribers to the Dwell Magazine lifestyle).
   
   In his book MODERNISM REBORN: Mid-Century American Houses, architectural critic Michael Webb demonstrates that there is a growing appreciation for cutting-edge American residential architecture of the 1930s through the 1960s, and in it he highlights the intrepid homeowners who've assumed stewardship of 35 of these "Contemporary" domiciles of long, long ago. Tersely written, illustrated with floor plans, and enlivened by nearly 200 color photos by noted architectural photographer Roger Strauss III, MODERNISM REBORN explores the unique histories of these homes, and chronicles the research, labor, and expense that the adventurous owners have lavished on their preservation, restoration and sometimes, expansion.
   
   Nearly all of the 20th Century architectural greats are represented here--Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, Philip Johnson and R.M. Schindler--as well as iconic modernist structures such as Pierre Koenig's Case Study House #21, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House, and Charles and Ray Eames' own home-studio. Webb presents homes that embody various modernist impulses in thematic chapters that prove that there was no one right way (or Wright way) to be "modern."
   
   Webb's survey argues a case for Modernism as a mode (or ideal) of living, rather than a mere style (or styles). Indeed, these light-filled, open plan, spartanly furnished "homes of the brave" imply an enlightened lifestyle of Zen-like purity somewhat at odds with the ever more acquisitive and materialistic American way of life.
   
   Don't read too much into the Modernist rejection of consumerism, however, because these designer homes were status symbols in their day, and to furnish a home with "Modern classics" like Le Corbusier's Petit Confort sofa, the Eames lounge chair and ottoman, and a pair of Mies Barcelona chairs will set you back several grand. Modern don't come cheap.
   
   Ultimately, the stories that Webb weaves about the people that commissioned, designed, built, restored and live in these homes are every bit as enlightening and memorable as the homes themselves. In fact, the author makes their histories seem inseparable, as if house and owner are joined in partnership against philistine taste, obnoxious neighbors, natural (and unnatural) disasters, and metal fatigue.
   
   This is not a scholarly study, but Webb assumes a certain level of cultural awareness and familiarity with architectural terms in his reader. It is a fine book with a fresh look at a perhaps overly familiar subject, and is well worth owning for the photos alone.
   
   Reading MODERNISM REBORN makes one wonder how the home of 1950 will inform and inspire the home of 2050, the mid-century home of tomorrow.



3. The author provides a good overview of the history and restoration of 35 architecturally significant houses
   of the 1930's through mid-century. The only thing keeping it from getting a 5 star rating is it's small format,
   resulting in smallish pictures and smaller floor plans. These wonderful houses deserved a larger page size,
   say 12" x 12", to show them to the best advantage. Still, given it's relatively modest price, this book provides
   a lot of information between the covers.



4. If you want a strong, national (not just LA or Palm Springs) overview of mid-century modern, this is a good bet. Very well produced, beautiful imagery.



5. I was looking for mid-century houses that were more in the middle classes, and you do not get that here.
   
   These are all high-end, very expansive homes, similar to the type one might come across in Dwell magazine. The book is nicely set up, with thick, distinctive paper used, and the book coming encased in cellophane, implying 'you're getting something very sophisticated and special here...', something I neglected to pick up in reality [but again I was looking for something else]. I also did not like the contrived use of marketing (paper and cellophane wrap). Always a bad sign.

5 comments about Setting Up Shop: The Practical Guide to Designing and Building Your Dream Shop.

1. Don't know if anyone else has addresed this. I have been building my barn shop for 7 years now. The book covers many of my thoughts and concerns. Would have wanted this sooner than later. Points raised for consideration. Noise and sound. I put in some wood walls, painted white and sealed against moisture, but I fussed with that or drywall. I considered my own sound issues and went with wood. But after reading some of the author's comments I will be spending extra time for fire protection and sound absorption when I do other parts of the shop. Not for me alone, but for my nieghbors as well. Good book to read before, during or contemplating a shop. Hey, we get to find out about how the masters of wood roughed it as well.



2. I was very disappointed in this book. I have found shop set up for effecient layout and dust collection to be the most important aspects of my woodworking. I am always looking for new and innovative ways to be as effecient and effective in these areas. I could find no difference in this book and the earlier version it replaces. Even the photos are same outdated photos that appear to be taken in the late 70's used in the 2001 release. Please, Taunton, don't insult your readers by continuing to regurgitate the same information with a shiny new label in an attempt to sell more books. Please strive to produce new and relevant photos and information. Your books and magazines are already some of the most expensive, it would be nice if the quality matched.



3. Good book for anyone who is contemplating establishing a woodworking shop. After years of dabbling in woodworking, I recently took the plunge and started buying more equipment, and am using the book to guide the sequence of purchases and setup of my basement shop. The book also covers stand-alone shops in garages or polebarns, and discusses the very basics as electrical power needs, lighting, security, heating, dust collection, layout, workstations, and a few other topics. All-in-all, pretty comprehensive treatment of the subject.



4. This book has many practical ideas, is very well illustrated and detailed.
   Effeciency, safety, and comfort are addressed well. Dust collection, electrical supply and shop layout are covered completely. I would recommend it highly.



5. This is a very clear, thorough, well-written book. It details many aspects of setting up a small wood shop, from layout to electrical work to insulation and soundproofing. The author also talks about what tools to select and suggests a priority order for people who cannot get all they want at once. It is an excellent source of information for anyone from hobbyists to beginning professionals.

4 comments about Designing Your Dream Home: Every Question to Ask, Every Detail to Consider, and Everything to Know Before You Build or Remodel.

1. Designing Your Dream Home is a must have for anyone thinking about or in the process of designing or remodeling a home. As I remodeled my kitchen this book kept me from making some very costly mistakes. The biggest mistake I avoided was having custom cabinets made that were not deep enough to hold my oversized dinner plates. Fortunately, I read the kitchen section of this book just in time to call the cabinet makers and have my cabinet dimensions changed to accomodate my plates. By reading this book you will avoid many inconveniences or daily annoyances that could have been avoided. You will not be disappointed!



2. Susan Lang has written a masterpiece for anyone involved in building a new home. There exists in this book all the hidden jewels to create the perfect home with ease. Builders, architects, interior designers, contractors, subcontractors and the lay people who are building their home should have this book at their side at all times. It is complete, detailed yet easy to read with many charts, flow sheets, captured inserts of important points and much much more. Having completed a new home recently I would have loved to have a copy of this book to avoid some of the pitfalls inherent in the building process. I highly recommend that you buy this one and tell your friends about it.
   
   Mark Houston MD
   Nashville, Tennessee



3. Designing your Dream Home is a must read for anyone about to embark on the journey of building or remodeling. The book's easy-to-read format, coupled with the incredibly thought-provoking information contained within, makes it one of the best sources of information for anyone looking to build or remodel. Thanks for the invaluable information!



4. Very thorough and informative. Excellent advice on organizing an important, challenging process. How to get organized outlined in an easy to follow format which saves time, money and headaches! I'm recommending it to everyone I know.

5 comments about Trellises, Arbors & Pergolas: Ideas and Plans for Garden Structures (Better Homes & Gardens).

1. My husband and I had a landscape plan drawn up that included a pergola. Since my husband rebuilt part of our fence, he wanted to tackle the pergola himself. So, I bought him this book and he really loved it.
   
   The beginning of the book shows a variety of ideas for trellises, arbors and pergolas. Even if you're not going to build it yourself, the photos, drawings, and descriptions of styles may help you select or design one that you like and fits your house/yard. My favorite idea from the book was a trellis that goes over the garage door - what a neat idea!
   
   The next section of the book has all the necessary instructions and shows you how to build a number of these structures. This could come in handy if you decide to build it yourself.
   
   Section three offers some suggestions for plants that will climb up structure.
   
   The final portion of the book goes over the different types of tools you may need for your project. There are also drawings and descriptions to help the novice learn the basic building and wood-working skills needed for these projects.
   
   Although we haven't started our pergola yet, I'm sure this book will come in handy. We've definitely been enjoying looking through it to see what kind we might want!



2. Good information on the different aspects of building the various landscape structures.



3. Trellises, Arbors & Pergolas: Ideas and Plans for Garden Structures (Better Homes & Gardens)
   
   I had been searching for a long time to find a suitable design for an arbor at the end of three converging pathways on a rustic portion of our property. I finally found the design I wanted at the bottom of page 9. I showed the design to our carpenter and he built an identical copy out of ipe. The result was so perfect, that I asked him to build a small pavilion in the same style on another part of our property. It also was elegant and sturdy. He commenced these projects in the middle of January in snowy, icy, windy, sub-freezing weather and finished both within about two or three weeks. I am now designing a 200-foot-long fence along two sides of our property in--you guessed it--the same style. If I ever figure out how to work my husband's new handycam I may be able to submit a video review. Useful book.



4. This is an excellent how-to book; great designs, clear instructions and easy to read text. This is a good book for the beginner thru the professional. I highly recommend it.



5. I was a bit disappointed with this book - I was hoping for a lot more ideas - most that were shown were pretty weak designs. Books like this are mainly idea books and the more ideas, the better. This looked like a half hearted attempt. Unfortunately, I haven't found anything better. There's a definite need for a decent book on this subject...

5 comments about Tile Idea Book.

1. The Tile Idea Book by Andrew Wormer is my favorite book to show to my customers when they're struggling with what they want to do design-wise for their next tile job. We flip through the pages and get great ideas for kitchens, bathrooms -- just about any space where tile is the answer. This book was a very good investment. Grout Girl



2. This was the BEST book for Tile ideas; there are tons of photos for inspirations. There are ideas for every area of the home and yard. Highky recommend for someone looking for inspiration.



3. Hs a lot og great ideas for retiling bathroom nd other areas of the house.



4. I enjoy that there are several pictures that give ideas of the different directions you can go into with a tiling project. I've purchased several of the Idea Books and I haven't been disappointed yet. Each one is referenced often while I'm working on my condo redo. This is a great series for anyone who is a DIY guru or anyone working with a contractor (I've been doing both).



5. The book has a lots of great ideas. There are many examples of traditional and innovative uses for tile.