No comments about Arizona Ranch Houses: Southern Territorial Styles, 1867-1900.

No comments about Dream Apartments (Evergreen).

No comments about The Best of Today's Kitchen Design.

No comments about Walks Walls and Patio Floors (Sunset Gardening & Outdoor Building Books).

5 comments about Studio Apartments: Big Ideas for Small Spaces (Big ideas for small spaces).

1. Excellent combinations of photos and drawings to show off the features of these fantastic units. Before and after plans illustrate how design potentials can be optimized and achieved...



2. This is one of my favorite design books. I notice some other reviewers have complained that the apartments shown in this book are beyond their budget (alas, mine too). However, the concepts can be applied with less spendy solutions, and let's face it: a book filled with photos of ordinary spaces would lack the magic that this book possesses and would inspire fewer people (if any) to dream about their own space.



3. Okay, maybe I'm biased or old-fashioned or both, but I don't find the apartments shown in BIG IDEAS FOR SMALL SPACES-STUDIO APARTMENTS attractive. The authors are both men with a great deal of knowledge about design, and I am sure their ideas will appeal mostly to men.

   The examples shown are minimalist, modern, angular, and seem to belong to hard-working types who drop in only to sleep. For the most part these apartments are lacking in color which is the single most important element in decorating as far as I am concerned. Although the authors show some colorful ideas in their section on "cozy" apartments, for the most part their idea of making a place more homey seems to be adding books on shelves, chunky ashtrays, and sports trophies. In addition to cold, angular furniture and clunky "knickknacks", the minimalist rooms are often without curtains and/or have walls that are downright stark. One idea of "lightening" shows a curtain with a "porthole" in it that allows one to "look out" at the view.

   If you're a guy looking for a book on how to decorate an appartment with a modernist "masculine" look this may be the book for you. One other note: the book was printed in China and the photographs looks like those in 1950s era books even though the publication date is 2000.




4. I thought the styles and ideas are wonderful, if you have modern taste with creative resources to pay for the remodeling of your studio apartment. Granted, most the apartments displayed were from individual that could afford to spend a good sum of money to remodel, however, I was able to get good ideas to re-decorate my studio apartment in South Beach (Miami Beach, Florida). The benefit to buying this book was that I did not have to buy 10-20 Architecture magazines in order to acquire ideas. I was able to duplicate a bath room in this book,without "breaking the bank"-if you have the time to research and compare costs.
   
   For example, I shopped on E-bay(vessels sinks/best prices for modern fixtures and sinks: www.aquaimports.com), Home Depot(only the bath tub)and "leg work" for the bathroom tiles (Modern little colorful tiles) (Spanish Tiles Corp, located in Miami, Fl)-called many contractors. Please remember before starting any project, check with your buildings and local zoning requirements, to under-go the projects seen in this book. If you are wondering, no I am not rich, but I did "cash in" my 401K in order to buy the apartment and remodel it, it was better than leaving it in the "stock market."



5. All of the spaces shown except one(Which also happens to be the only one under 800 sq ft) are very modern. Over all the pictures and layouts were nice, but to me kind of cold. I think it mentions casual modern, didn't see too much of that! If you like looking at ultra modern and expensive, larger than 1000 sq ft lofts, then buy this book!

No comments about Victorian Details: 2.

No comments about Efficient Building Design Series Vol. I: Electrical and Lighting (Efficient Building Design Series).

1 comments about Drafting House Plans Book One: A Simplified System for Architectural Planning (Simplified Design Systems Series).

1. Great teaching tool for beginning architecture students at the high school level. A little out of date but most information is relevant and the students like the way that it's written. Very good guide for CAD class-drawings don't have to be on the board, but sketching is included for obviuos reasons.

1 comments about Timber-Frame Houses (Great Houses).

1. Not a book on the basics of timberframing practice, but moreso a survey of beautiful or somewhat unique timberframe implementations. Homes with various cultural and historical influences are fully explained. The book is choppy since each chapter is meant to stand alone. There are some rare (IMO) techniques highlighted. I especially love the section on Bowstring Trusses and the bent wood Curved Roof Bungalow on page 130. The book also has a decent section on foam core panels, showing their various joinery techniques and wiring procedures.

3 comments about Cowboy Chic.

1. I enjoyed the book, but I was a bit disappointed, since there wasn't enough technical decorating information on color schemes, regional variations in styles, etc.

   Great pictures, though.




2. I needed pictures to help me figure out how to design a Country Western style art gallery. This book had beautiful pictures, gives an overview of the history of the western culture, and provides names of companies and/or creators of furniture pieces. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes the Rustic/Country Western style home; this book was absolutely wonderful!



3. "In the typical cowboy-chic living room, overstuffed couches and deep Molesworth-inspired club chairs invite lounging while oversized upholstered ottomans offer a variation on the traditional coffee table, providing softer edges, a more casual feeling, and extra seating." ~ pg. 54
   
   Cowboy Style is filled with warm comforting styles to reflect a casual sophistication. Intricately designed armoires and Tiffany lamps are as welcome as the more organic designs made from ponderosa pine.
   
   Wood furniture shimmers in the glow of fireplaces and creative chandeliers in rooms layered in comfort. Intricately designed carpets and designer bookcases make the spaces inviting.
   
   A magical artist's studio built in Wyoming showcases a cut-metal lamp by a California craftsman, Tony Alvis. His fireplace screens are of especially high interest in this book because they are scenes of cowboys overlooking deserts and the interplay of the light behind the silhouettes makes for a fascinating magical experience.
   
   Other interesting features include the details about sheep wagons used by sheepherders in remote mountains, cozy cabins and stories about the artists featured throughout this book.
   
   ~The Rebecca Review