3 comments about 6 Steps to Design on a Dime.

1. I love the show - its my favorite decorating show. I also own the first "Design on A Dime" book. This one showcases some of the episodes. It provides creative, practical decorating advice and ideas. The book breaks down design into six steps and shows how to address these steps with examples from the show. If you enjoy the show, you'll enjoy the book!



2. The book was very interesting and fun to read. Great information for the new business I am starting up.



3. This was a used copy, but look new. Worth the money.

5 comments about Sheds and Garages.

1. We have found this book to be extremely helpful so far. Has easy to read instructions with pictures to show exactly how to do things. My husband stated that this was the best book he has seen so far.



2. If you do not know what a plumb bob is, or how to mark a chalk line, this book will be of great value. If you are looking for plans to build a shed, buying this book is similar to paying for an order form.

   This will show you from the ground up how to build a shed, yes. However, one must pay another 15-30 dollars for the actual plans, despite the covers boast of "special section: 33 Great New Plans!". Reason #298 why to look at the book at a real bookstore before buying, too.

   If you know how to build anything, you may see this as a waste of time/money.




3. This book has an abundance of helpful information for the novice carpenter. Lots of good building designs also. Very good reference and learning book.



4. I loved this book!!! Not only did you see ideas on how to decorate but if you wanted to, "bulid it yourself", then it gave you step by step and tools as well as land lay out you needed.
   
   Also gave you garage/loft plans to choose from. Again loved it!!



5. This book gives good step-by-step instructions that are useful for building a shed, as well as for any framing or repair work. Amazon's price is well below Home Depot's.

3 comments about Kid's Places to Play.

1. Book is very informative and give several plans. Also explains how to make your own cargo net (if you can find the materials) and a really cool spider-web climbing net



2. This is a very comprehensive book on children's play structures that begins with lists of what children like to play with by age, what they can do to help build by age (nails, screws, shoveling gravel) and how to involve them in the design.
   
   There are water features, sand areas, play houses (from forts to teepees to castles), tree houses, cable rides, bike "roller coaster," climbing walls, skateboard ramp, and other fun things. There are amazing details like a periscope on a tree house, window boxes, steering wheels and a telephone of rubber tubing and funnels.
   
   Don't think you need a huge lot either, as these projects scale well and there is even a tiny yard shown with a water feature, a stage for plays, a circular bike path, and a sand box beside a grassy garden area.
   
   If you build these, they will come.



3. Places to play is what a grandparent wants.
   Ideas are great and easy to understand.

5 comments about Tiki Modern.

1. This book is absolutely AMAZING! The pictures are wonderful...colorful, big and vivid. There's pictures on EVERY PAGE...serious material here! Descriptions and the wonderful little tid-bits are executed nicely. Nothing was done as an 'afterthought'. There are even a few vintage items I was going to bid on at one time mentioned in this book...now I seriously regret it because of their rarity!!
   
   If you're a tiki fan, new to tiki or just love art and Polynesian influenced pieces, this is a book you must buy. Pick it up..because once you do, you won't want to put it back down.



2. We have several tiki books and this one is fantastic. Very good quality. Lots of information and wonderful pictures. We have some of the author's other books and they are equally good.



3. A MUST HAVE for anyone interested in the atomic/tiki/moderism era. Lots of information and historical photos all in one book. I also recommend another book by this same author (Sven Kirsten)entitled, The Book of Tiki. You will not be disappointed!



4. While its predecessor volume, The Book of Tiki, is a straight-forward exploration of the Polynesian popular culture that came to fruition in early 1960's America, Sven Kirsten's Tiki Modern... and the Wild World of Witco is a more ambitious attempt to place this peculiar phenomena in the larger social, artistic and intellectual context of the time period, primarily as exemplified in the three-dimensional art and furnishings of William Westenhaver.
   
   Both volumes offer an incredible wealth of playful imagery depicting all of the various idioms in which the concept of "tiki" found (and continues to find) expression. This makes Tiki Modern an entirely essential Volume 2 in Kirsten's ongoing attempt to catalog the genre for the growing number of tiki devotees worldwide.
   
   For the intellectually curious, however, Tiki Modern is more than an extrapolation on the first book's suburban tiki archeology. It is an entirely sober effort to explain how a passing suburban infatuation can be understood as a metaphor for America's conflicted psychological condition at what could now be called the apex of her global cultural influence and power.
   
   The World of Witco- a Westenhaver-sculpted map of the world - as depicted on the inside covers of Tiki Modern is the perfect expression of what Kirsten has tried to achieve with this book. On one level Tiki Modern and Westenhaver's map convey the limitless scope and raw energy of space-age primitivism, but on a deeper level they illuminate America's emergence from an inward-looking, pre-war isolationism to a self-conscious and over-sized sense of itself as a global superpower.
   
   A careful reader will linger over the text in Tiki Modern as well as the well-cataloged art and be inspired not only to appreciate and perhaps collect Witco furniture, scupture and paintings, but to seek out and understand how North American society interpreted itself during a period in which the wealth and idealism of the New World pushed the boundaries of technology, art, fashion, architecture and music into realms both sublime and grotesque.
   
   If one looks carefully, the seeds of America's eventual failure to fulfill its imagined destiny as a unifier of peoples and cultures can be glimpsed in the pages of Tiki Modern and within the wild world of Witco. The photograph on page 15 depicting TV host Steve Allen astride a New-Guinea-style crocodile is perhaps the best expression of this quixotic optimism. For those more tactile, I'm certain Kirsten would suggest taking a seat at one of Westenhaver's exotic bars, or perhaps lounging on a dragon sofa.



5. Hi tiki-lovers!
   I've just purchased this book and I think it's a real bible about the style. The edition, as usually Taschen does, is stunning, and the typography, page composition and presentation is simply tiki-retro (even connected with the Atomic Age aesthetic).
   As some of the reviewers has mentioned, ther's a lot of Witco stuff. This aspect, although can be questioned, is essential for the european people, because we haven't had this way of decoring in our continent. It's like if you write a book about Formula 1: if you dedicate a main part to Ferrari you're talking about one of the must-to-know!
   
   Five stars from Barcelona!!
   
   Jose Maria

5 comments about What Not To Build: Do's and Don'ts of Exterior Home Design.

1. Ok, it is a fun book to look through, but honestly I can't see how it could help us select house plans which is why we bought it. The house picture on the book cover is obviously made up from many different houses and not what one would see a sane person build. We know what looks good and what we like and wouldn't make the blunders this book warns about.



2. Starting the late 1930's, Architecture schools have been teaching a steady stream of "modernism" to young architects. The rules of architecture that were developed over the course of 2,500 years were tossed out in favor of a new design agenda. However, most new home buyers have never bought into the modernist agenda. They prefer more traditional styles of homes. The result of this mismatch is that many architects were never taught to design traditional styles of homes. One only needs to drive the streets of America's suburbs to see the monstrous results of this failure to educate the nation's architects.
   
   "What Not To Build" is a visual survey of all that has gone wrong in the past half century. Using photographs of actual buildings, the authors show what not to do when building a new house. Then using computer technology, they create new images of the same building that are done correctly. There are over 50 before and after examples and over 300 photos that show how homes can be improved through good design.
   
   The target market for this book are people who are thinking about building a new home. Ideally, this book will help a person working with an architect to see if the proposed design even makes visual sense. Beware, hiring a licensed architect is no guarantee that the architect has any idea how to design a traditional home. This is the largest investment that most home buyers will ever make. It is essential for new home buyers to educate themselves on the basics of good home design. "What Not To Build" is an inexpensive book and the little time spent reading it, can spare a home buyer a real architectural disaster. This book is highly recommended.



3. This book brilliantly details what is wrong with american architecture. Too often builders build what clients come up with-no matter it is a monstrosity simply because the bills are paid. Hopefully home owners will read this book and put thought into their homes, rather than going on a wing and a prayer. The before and then the photo shopped afters are masterful. bravo!!!



4. As a novice looking to renovate my house, it has been a good crash course for me which made me aware of things that I found wrong in houses I saw but couldn't quite put a finger on. In the big scheme of $$ spent on a house renovation, cranking out $25 for this book is small fish and a good start .. but yes, it is limited in what it teaches, mainly what not to build. Four *s regardless, because of the value of the book as a crash course. I saw immediately afterwards what my neighbors should have done to get their renovation right. One may say that the examples in the book of what not to build are obvious, .. but that it the achievement of the book, to highlight them so clearly that they seem obvious.



5. I've done a fair amount of reading in architecture over the years, mostly on historical topics, and building and designing your typical family home wasn't something I knew as much about. As I was in the process of building my own house for the first time, I decided to look at this book to see what I could learn.
   
   I was a little bit nervous, actually, since I was afraid I'd found that I'd made so many mistakes. But I was pleased to find out that overall we'd done all right, and hadn't made any horrible blunders. There were a couple of minor errors, but nothing terrible. So overall I was pretty pleased, or at least, relieved. :-)
   
   If you've never studied architecture before, this book is an easy way to get your feet wet, especially if you're planning a home yourself. The authors cover the most important topics, such as entry ways, porches, columns and open spaces; the proportions and ratios of structural elements such as that of columns to supported beams; correct design, proportion, and placement of dormer windows (the window should take up 75% of the space, otherwise it looks too small); the use and misuse of building materials; problems with walls, windows, and rooflines; and other topics.
   
   The book is liberally illustrated with many examples of correct houses, and incorrect ones on the same page so you can easily compare. Some of these well-intentioned but faulty houses were almost comical. Several houses had high, arched, entry ways that were way-oversized and would have looked fine on a Gothic cathedral, but on a family home, they looked wildly out of place. The massive entry way dominated the whole facade and just detracted from the rest of the elevation (or front of the house).
   
   Some of the other errors were more subtle, and weren't quite as obvious, but as you learn the canons of true architecture, as oppposed to merely winging it, which is what the authors say happens more and more with builders, you begin to appreciate the correct way of doing it. For example, one problem you run into is a too-complex roof line that's broken up and takes away from the facade and other structural and design aspects of the house, or a too complex facade that's just too busy. When first looking at these houses, they looked fine to me, but when I saw the corrected house illustration, I could see what the authors were saying. In other words, sometimes less is truly more. Or a better way to phrase it might be to say that good design is more about the harmonious combination and integration of all elements, which complement and flow smoothly into each other, rather than ostentation and needless complexity, which causes disruption and interrupts that flow and harmony.
   
   The book is well written, profusely illustrated, and contains a huge amount of practical advice on what to do, and what not to do, in building a house. If your average builder just read this book they'd learn a lot, as I did, about good design and how to go about achieving it. The rules really aren't that hard to learn, and you can read the whole book in just a few hours, since it's mostly illustrations with some explanatory text. This is money well spent considering how much you'll probably save if you ever decide to build your own house.

2 comments about Raising Confident Girls: 100 Tips for Parents and Teachers.

1. Straight forward, easy to follow tips on how to help girls grow to their full potential. There are not a lot of wasted words. This book's format is simple and to the point. It is written for ordinary people who just want some common sense advise on how to help girls be happy, healthy, and strong.



2. Parents who wish for confident girls will find the "usual" list here, all centering around developing respect and confidence in girls. There are some glaring omissions, however. (Nothing on boundary setting, questions that girls may have about development.) Some of the recommendations may be wrong in certain settings (e.g., "Don't impose your views" makes no sense if the child is not safe). This is child-centered, laissez-faire parenting, suitable for middle-class, well-educated, physically safe families.

   Some of the 100 tips parallel exactly the 100 items for boys in the author's book for boys (e.g., Support the school).

   This book is better than Will Glennon's "200 Ways to Raise a Girl's self-esteem."

No comments about Carpentry and Building Construction, Carpentry Applications.

5 comments about The Complete Book of Home Inspection.

1. If you are looking for a book that will teach you a lot about real estate and home inspections then this is not the book for you. The chapter information and text content of this book was very basic and did not teach me anything I didn't already learn from other books that were much better. Inspecting homes is something I have done for many years and I would not recommend this book to any customers or contractors. If you know absolutely nothing about real estate then you might learn a few things but not too much.



2. this book covers all the topics on home inspection, and its material is ok. except that there is no color pictures, all the photographs are black and white, some of them could be barely seen. that put me off a bit.



3. This home inspection book is an excellent collection of knowledge from a very accomplished licensed professional engineer who is also a home inspector. The book covers a wide variety of topics in a very thorough manner and allows the reader to not feel overwhelmed if they have to inspect a home. A good approach for using this book is to go through the home to see if you like the home. As you go through, note what type of systems are in place (oil furnace, gas hot water heater, etc.). Then read the book to provide some background to better prepare yourself to understand what you see when you inspect the home.
   The guy did an excellent job of communicating his years of knowledge into a useful book. If you're going to do your own home inspection, this book should be read. I'm also an engineer and home inspector. It took me years to learn what is compiled in this book.



4. This book was actually written by the man who founded the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI). Great information.



5. A good place to start, but you probably want to look for a newer edition.

5 comments about The Japanese House: Architecture and Interiors.

1. Compre este libro para conocer mas de la cultura japonesa en el recinto mas sagrado para una persona, su hogar. La cultura japonesa es sumamente rica tanto en belleza como en practicidad y este libro me ha servido para idear refugios dentro de mi casa y asi evitar la rutina diaria y todo lo "fast" que la vida occidental tiene. Recomiendo mucho este libro para aquellas personas que quieran hacer de su casa un lugar equilibrado, que esten planeando alguna reconstruccion o hacer una casa nueva.



2. The photography is beautiful. This book shows the best of ancient and modern Japanese design concepts.



3. I bought the book for inspiration in designing my retirement home. It is that. Lovely pictures and ideas for anyone interested in Japanese design.



4. Take the text with a huge grain of salt. It says nothing original about the Japanese aesthetic (terms like "elegant", "minimal" and "harmony with nature" abound); it contradicts itself on a few key points (is the half-height tea-house door for guests, or the host?); and in one caption it identifies a Go board as a "game of mah-jong". Oops.



5. Don't expect much content in textual form. The book is a photo book, and there are many excellent pictures of japanese houses and interiors in terms of themes and photographical skill.
   
   What is totaly contradictory to this, is the poor low-budget color printing chosen by Tuttle publishers. The pictures are devaluated by a easily seen coarse printing sreen.

1 comments about Fireplace Design & Decorating Ideas.

1. I do custom carpentry in the Metro Detroit area, and updating fireplace surrounds and mantles seems to be the new hot trend here, so I wanted to get a new book for ideas. I thumbed through this book at lowes before buying it for less on amazon. I have been very pleased with this book because it has a lot of quality photos of a wide variety of fireplace styles. Some books of this nature have too many designs that, while striking, just are not practical for most homes. This book did not have that problem. In fact, I will likely need to buy a second copy because my customers spend so much time looking through the first copy over and over again, that it is getting prematurely worn. My only complaint about the book is that several of the designs do not meet current code requirements. In our area, as it is in most of the country, code requires 12" of non combustible material from the opening of the firebox to any combustible material such as a wooden mantle. Many of these photos appear to be lucky if they have 6", requiring me to alter the design, and therefor the appearance in order to meet code. This is a minor issue in comparison to the great ideas in this book, but I wanted to at least mention it. I would definately recommend buying it.