No comments about Architectural Details from Victorian Homes (Schiffer Design Book).

4 comments about Living Homes: Thomas J. Elpel's Field Guide to Integrated Design and Construction.

1. I was really excited to see this book appear. A classic "Build Your Own Stone House" is now out of print, and I thought there was nothing to replace it. Since I am a bookerseller of alternative housebuilding books I was looking for another resource on stone building. Elpel does a very good job of covering all the bases for the prospective owner builder. He allows the reader to envision how home siting, use of passive solar, water needs and energy use will affect the final home for years to come. He covers plumbing, electric, septic, even making a solar hot water heater. But the best part for me was the description of the "terra Tiles" earthen floor method. This is good stuff! Chapters on straw bale and log home building allow the reader to compare various methods. Also coverage of masonry stove building, overall Elpel provides a real understanding of "how to", and an easy to read book.



2. Thomas Elpel's Living Homes is an invaluable reference on the concept of integrated design and construction that will appeal to anyone remodeling their home as well as to new home builders, though the latter group will be more interested in the ground-up building approach offered her. From the planning process to designing an energy-efficient result, Living Homes provides construction and how-to tips the home do-it-yourselfer will appreciate.



3. This book has a lot of big ideas, but is very weak on technical details. The author repeatedly uses phrases like, "We tried this, but it didn't work very well" without offering a follow up of something that DOES work. Maybe some of the suggestions would work better in an arid climate, but around here many of his suggestions are recipes for mold growth, rot and indoor air quality problems. Also, much of what is suggested is in violation of building codes, such as using a single wall heat exchanger in a solar water heating system where the heat exchange takes place between glycol-based antifreeze and potable water. Use the book for ideas, but please get your technical information somewhere else.



4. While the author is a knowledgeable on the subject, if you are looking for a book that covers the slipform (slip form) stone masonry in greater detail then check out Tomm Stanley's book "Stone House: A Guide to Self-Building With Slipforms". The material is covered in greater detail and in a well thought out manner.

No comments about Over 425 Small Home Plans.

2 comments about Doors (Best of Fine Homebuilding).

1. I have to say I have not read the book cover to cover. I had a double French door to install. I thought it would be fun to build my own. I don't consider woodworking and carpentry my hobby, or my job, but there are times I wish they were. I didn't have time to build my own, but found four separate articles describing four different methods of hanging doors. You could tell from these that most carpenters have their own way of doing this job, these were probably the best. I picked the one that seemed easiest and made the most sense to me.

   My door went in with ease and more confidence. I learned even more from the actual "doing" of course.

   The rest of the book apprently contains reprints of articles from the magazine. I frequently find the writing in such magazines substandard, but the editors must do a little work on the writing. You still find some of that "Well, what I do is..." and technical talk which I had to reread a few times to understand. Some items seemed repetitive making you feel this already thin book has some fodder stuffed into it. For this reason I downgraded to four stars, but perhaps my lack of knowledge makes that unfair.

   I only skimmed through the door making sections. These looked very inviting and make me want to build a door!

   A very good book to have that gets right to the point, and I'm looking forward to seeing the others in the series.




2. As with all compilations of magazine articles, if you happen to run across one that addresses the specific subject that you are interested in, you're lucky. I was looking for information on how to design and build interior and exterior residential doors. This is not the book for that.

2 comments about New Country Houses.

1. When I looked at the cover of this book I saw what I expected, a very modern house fairly small house in a heavily forested setting. Then I turned to the first page of the introduction and pictured was the country home of the Eleventh Duke of Marlborough in 1722. His home, called Blenheim Palace, was not moden, definitely not small and incidentally was the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Next to it though was the tiny cabin used by Henry David Thoreau at Walden Pond.
   
   The book is organized into four chapters with houses separated by style. The styles he features are:
   
   Organic -- homes made to fit in with the surroundings. This includes both a sensitivity to the site and landscape but also to building materials: stone, timber, adobe.
   
   Verhacular -- Powerful and beautifyl homes that fuse vernacular references and ideas with contemporary demands for open-plan living and flexible spaces.
   
   New Modern --Where new materials and technology bring in innovation with engineering challenges but still preserve a respect for their rural surroundings.
   
   Experimental -- Where anything goes. Well away from the restrictive covenents, building codes and other pressures of society, these are homes that stretch the limits of thematic, structural and let the country be one of the great laboratories of architectural change.
   
   This book provide great photography and descriptions with a selection of houses from around the world.



2. Impressions on the title alone, the name of the book is initially a little misleading; the term "country house" conjuring up imagery of a vanished way of life of servants and English manors rather than a building type. However, the contemporary image on the cover and the 208 pages throughout the book powerfully re-affirm that all of the houses featured are simply new and in the country.
   
   Bradbury presents 30 case studies which span 4 continents in an attempt to highlight good rural design and celebrates how architects worldwide have sought to reinterpret and reinvent the genre of the country house in a contemporary fashion. He does this by breaking the book into 4 thematic chapters; choosing to categorize the case studies into topics such as organic, vernacular, new modern and experimental.
   
   Most case studies featured have a devoted 6 pages of text each accompanied by large colour pictures. Plans and sections are also included with a majority of the case studies which adds to the further understanding of the buildings.
   
   The chapters follow an introduction in the book that provides a concise synopsis on the history of the country house, charting the development of country houses worldwide from Blenheim's Palace to Throreau's hut. It further enriches this topic by analyzing the notion of the country house and the symbolic weight that has been associated with it throughout literature and historical connotation, from the `sprawling classical country house' to the more modest modern inspired `bucolic retreat'.
   
   I suppose that by publishing this book Bradbury is trying to argue that contemporary design of this building typology can achieve good outcomes and perhaps was conceived in response to Britain's strict and archaic planning laws that make it hard for this design to be possible.
   Bradbury also places a strong emphasis on ESD principles and a presents a romanticized relationship with the landscape. This book has been targeted at a mainstream audience that possess an interest in architecture or design. It is quite similar to the glossy publications with titles like Small Spaces, Poolside Architecture etc. that profile a genre in housing.
   
   Bradbury has written a number of books before regarding architecture and his writings are concise and intelligent, yet easy to follow. With so many examples being provided around the world, it is questionable to say how representative a sample this is of the contemporary country house for the scholar, but considering there are few publications profiling the genre at present it is a very good start. It is easy to be seduced by the chosen collection of inspiring projects from some of the world's best architects.

5 comments about The Kitchen Idea Book (Idea Books).

1. A book with a picture collection of ideas, but very dated if not outdated. Many kitchens appear based from the 1960s era. The book almost comes across as a gathering of many old pictures assembled to glean the final dollar profit in book publishing. Despite what the lead review suggests about "Its sharp photography" - photo reproduction is second rate. For those just starting the thought process and starting with minimal knowledge of kitchen building the book represents a possible starting point, but lacks true substance beyond that point. Those looking to build an upscale kitchen are well advised to look elsewhere; "At Home With America's Top (26) Chefs" is arguably the best of the best, a book with solid ideas and concepts applicable even to the more modest kitchen.



2. This New Kitchen Idea Book provides inspiration for a life full of wonderful times in your kitchen for more enjoyment in both cooking and entertaining.



3. I am an architect and recommend this book to my clients who are thinking about remodeling or building new kitchens. I have a copy of my own that I used for inspiration for my own complete kitchen remodel-addition. This book won't replace the design you'll get from a good architect and kitchen designer, but it is full of worthy ideas and wonderful just to look through.



4. This book contains many photos of many different styles of kitchens. It is a great resource for ideas as well as choices of materials. It also does a good job defining the different jargon you may encounter while planning your kitchen. It's not a how to guide. I highly recommend this book.



5. I purchased this because I thought it was Ideas FOR the Kitchen not Ideas FOR A Kitchen. I thought it would contain examples of ways to improve your Kitchen. Instead this is better suited if you are starting from scratch.

No comments about Understanding Construction Drawings-Residential.

5 comments about Dome Living : A Creative Guide For Planning Your Monolithic Dream Home.

1. This book is a layman's description of a proprietary thin-shelled air-inflated shotcrete dome fabrication process, along with an extensive listing of possible floor plans. Disadvantages- It naturally favors the manufacturer's process; It does not provide technical information or performance data or specifications; It does not address planning/design for MEP utilities.

   Advantages- Demonstrates the utility of the dome concept; Provides abundant floor plans to examine and modify; Good to fair overall description of the concept.




2. Dome Living is a book intended for the audience who is already convinced of the superior structure of the monolithic dome. Complementary to the technical side, it appeals to the right-brained with the "art" of the dome. The photos in the first half illustrate just how beautiful the dome curves can be designed, as opposed to the "box" house orientation. The 91 pages of floorplans provide plenty of ideas for your own dome.



3. Dome Living is mostly for people planning a single family home, though it does touch on the issues of industrial, religious, educational, and recreational construction uses. This book is technical enough to understand exactly what the dome process is about, and if more info is needed, it has plenty of contact information to get your questions answered.
   The photos are excellent, and show the potential beauty and versatility of style of Monolithic domes. Anyone familiar with geodesic domes could easily see the greater advantage and beauty of these concrete shell domes.
   My only wish is that the section on houseplans included more mid-sized homes.



4. The book claims to be a "guide for planning" a home but really it is an advertizement for the Monolithic Dome Institute which sells them and runs workshops on them. However, there dozens of plans of dome structures that have been built or designed using this product so its a cool book to look at if you love house designs like I do. What would have been better is for each plan to have a picture of the house as it looked built.



5. Half this guide is dedicated to floor plans of every type. The rest is an overview of what is involved in building a monolithic dome. This is NOT a how to guide. It you are considering a monolithic dome then this book is an excellent starting point with plenty of pictures and illustrations.

5 comments about Luxury Coastal/Mediterranean Style Homes.

1. This book has some of the most beautiful homes I've ever seen! The photography is stunning and the interiors are extremely well detailed. More importantly the floor plan designs themselves are well thought out and give a unique livability to it's occupants.This is a great source for truly one of a kind luxury home designs!



2. I purchased this book thinking it would offer a variety of styles and details. What I found was a run of the mill Florida cookie cutter style (neither mediterranean, nor Spanish, nor Italian, nor classic), the kind you find at just about every cookie cutter development in the Southwest and Florida. Even more disappointing, however, was the fact that I found the exact same plans, illustrations, and photos found in several home plans magazines, particularly those by Home Planners, inc.

   Overall, the book was short on substance and detail, and the plans were so convoluted, I felt I had opened a puzzle book instead of an architecture/design book.




3. The reviewer who has called this book "cookie cutter" suffers from delusion. The homes in this book are some of the most unique designs I have found anywhere, and the photography does a great job of showing this.

   As far as I can tell, the designer of the homes in this book has probably allowed the Homeplanners magazines to reproduce his designs with the hope of exposing more potential customers to his work.

   I suppose the writer of this review would accuse her local newspaper of plagiarism if a column by one of their writers appeared in USA Today or the New York Times.




4. Sater II has some of the most elegant designs I have ever seen. I love the way he combines the out doors with the indoors with extensive use of the veranda and varied use of all different types of ceilings. His Fiorentino and Prestonwood plans are masterpieces of elegant and stately designs. The only fault I see is that I wish his foyers were larger and more isolated from the living room like Frank Lloyd Wright's and his designs are somewhat cookie cutter.



5. Anyone here who says these designs are "cookie cutter" aren't really looking at the interior layouts. The exteriors ARE similar to one another. But, honestly, they are Mediterranean style. How different are they supposed to look.
   
   It's the interiors that are distinguished. The individual touches in the houses gives them their spark. Admittedly, you'll see many of these elements in other houses, but it's how they're put together that makes a house great.
   
   Use your imagination and walk through the house. They're homey and yet elegant. A difficult combination to pull off.

5 comments about The Houses That Sears Built; Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Sears Catalog Homes.

1. I just finished reading The Houses That Sears Built. I was unable to put it down. I grew up in a Sears house, but I did not know anything about them until I read this book. It is obvious that the author did her homework while researching the subject.



2. This wonderful book gives you everything you always wanted to know about Sears houses. It has photographs of various models as well as some interior views. It shows ways to indicate if the house is truly a Sears house (and not a Montgomery Ward house)! It tells the cities which had a Sears Modern Homes Sales office (where there is likely to be more Sears houses) and the prices that the houses sold for. Includes testimonials and frequestly asked questions about Sears house. Nice book and interesting reading.



3. This was a very helpful book as I was able to find the home I was purchasing in Saranac Lake, NY. It's really exciting to know more about it's history. This is a must-have book if you are interested in learning more about the Sears homes.



4. I had never heard of Sears homes until I found out that a home I had previously lived in, was one! Since that day, I have read and researched these fascinating timepieces and how they fit into our American history. Whether a history buff, architectural/house buff or if you simply love to learn, Rosemary Thornton's love for these homes and their value comes through in her books, teamed with her obvious extensive research, to provide a wonderful read. Any book where you can feel the authors passion, and have it rub off on you, is special. I also own, and recommend, her book "Finding the Houses that Sears Built", which has some of the same information, but more pictures of actual home styles and plans. Both books are worth it! I have officically become a Sears Home advocate!!!! Thanks to Rose!!



5. I am from London in the UK and until not so long ago have never heard of Sears homes. Searching for authentic historic houseplans on the internet I soon learned about Sears homes. I have never knowingly laid eyes on one but immediately felt it was something I needed to find out more about. Before long I arrived at this book. I ordered it not really knowing what I was going to get and I have loved and treasured this piece of literature ever since. I could not put it down first time around and not the second time around and still flick through it every other day unable to shelve it away in my library.
   What I loved most about the book despite the intricately researched contents is the love and passion the author manages to convey already on the very first page. I think this is what grabbed me most, Rosemary's love for these homes immediately 'infected' me. It is written in a light-hearted way (for lack of a better expression)as if she talked to each reader personally. She touches on so many different aspects but at a dose that leaves one with sparks and fireworks inside one's head, buring to turn the page and 'hear' more. The book made me want to book a flight ticket into the heart of Illinois and start searching for these homes myself. Rosemary, one part I particularly loved was your little stories from people or relatives of those who built these houses and lived in them. I wished I could read endless pages of such testimonies as they really injected life into the pictures in your book. It fulled my imagination of the times and circumstances when the houses were built and about the people who built them.
   
   As I mentiond, I have never actually seen a 'live' Sears home and as far as I know we don't have a European counterpart, none of such iconic status anyhow, but my partner and I are researching to have a replica built for us here somewhere in the English country-side (pending planning permission, I suppose). I personally feel that it is most splendid that Americans all over the country recognise their architectural and socio-cultural heritage and start preserving these great homes for all future generations to enjoy in the same way we can or even more. I bet there are hundreds more out there waiting to be discovered and I hope there are plenty of people who will start 'scratching' on the surfaces of their own homes to find out if they are inhabiting one such great treasure. Sears homes, and for that matter all historic homes, have found a great benefactor and ambassador in Rosemary Thornton and as an outsider, if I may say so, I commend the work she has done and I truly hope that she will keep it up for decades to come and inspire many more to join her in her efforts to educate and preserve!
   
   I only wished, Sears would still sell and build these old homes especially now with the internet, we would have ordered one in a jiffy!
   Thanks Rosemary for endless inspiration and for spreading so much love and joy over what is basically four walls and a roof!
   I can't wait for your next book to come out and if you ever fancy coming to lecture in Europe, be sure to let me know!
   
   My recommendation to everyone, buy it, read it, fall in love with it and read it again and again and again and...!!!