2 comments about Frank Lloyd Wright's Stained Glass & Lightscreens.

1. I actually DID read this lovely book accentuated by wonderful pictures....just be aware that it is NOT a book of stained glass patterns although the pictures will surely provide ample ideas for you to adapt. It'll be difficult NOT to get excited about doing some 'lightscreen' projects around your home or office where you DO want want to see outside, unobstructed light and scenery with either full panels or partial panels. Am I glad I bought this book?...You bet!



2. This book has a fairly decent amount of photos of FLLW's glass designs, and the quality of the photos is decent also. I haven't read much of the book since I'm mainly interested in the photographs of his windows. There's not a lot of quality books out there for his stained glass (unless you want to spend $... on the Glass Art book), so this is a worthwhile introductory purchase.

2 comments about Sustainable Residential Interiors.

1. If you're a design professional or homeowner looking for a detailed reference manual on sustainabilty for your home - look no further. This is a thoughtfully compiled book with interesting as well as practical information to help make good choices as you make your home healthier for your family AND for the planet. The well designed projects are beautiful, showing green can be good looking too.



2. This book has the format of a text book and it is a fundamental read for any architect, interior designer or product designer. Very clear explanation of materials and systems used in construction, what is bad about them, what is the better alternative and why we should, as resposible beings, be practising sustainability. Not just recommended, it should be compulsory reading for every building professional and student!

1 comments about Latin Style: Decorating Your Home with Color, Texture, and Passion.

1. This is a charming book full of color, and the quirky style of what the author calls "Latin Style". This is much more than just a decorating book. The author chooses pictures that give you a sense of what it would be like to experience Latin style. There is a stunning photo of a small cabana with large hammock swinging in front, the hammock facing an endless ocean. The picture beckons you to enjoy total peace. Then there are glorious pictures that speak of movement. A native hauling a load of bananas across a sky of palm trees, then a swirl of a brilliant red skirt as a woman dances by, followed by a collage of intriguing dishes.
   
   For those interested in decoration, there are pictures of haciendas. Plaster walls, heavy antique furniture, and the jolt of pure orange paint on a wall. One truly romantic home pictured has a "grand old corridor...with an assemblage of paints and old lithographs and ...dark brown leather brown chairs--again that necessary hint of masculinity." (p 85).
   
   Very enjoyable and interesting book.

5 comments about Dwellings: Living with Great Style.

1. Although throughout my design years I have perused a mountain of interior design books, magazines and websites for reference and resources I have only collected a handful of useful books that I would consider reaching for in the wee hours of yet another design dilemma and Dwellings is now amongst them.
   
   Instead of teaching the reader how to design it leads them down a creative path with useful, thoughtful tips and information along the way.
   
   If your looking for a designers "how to" book pick up; Color, Space, Style by Chris Grimley & Mimi Love. It has "all the details interior designers need to know but can never find."
   
   possible resources -
   a)Color,Space,Style;Chris Grimley & Mimi Love (Absolute best guide)
   b)Interior Design Visual Presentation A guide to Graphics, Models and Presentations Techniques
   c)Wabi-Sabi for Artists,Designers,Poets & Philosophers by Leonard Koren
   d)Mary Gillait's Interior Design Course - BE PREPARED TO LEARN.
   e) DWELL MAGAZINE Resource lists.



2. This book is actually a great read for a design book. It's also a pretty hardback. Lots of good, solid information on everything from the nuances of natural light (as it changes throughout the day, direction windows face and continental locale) to how to arrange personal objects. Lots of examples from their own homes, as well as clients (Rockefeller, Vera Wang, Tina Turner, Jane Pratt... look closely at the views out of the windows and many are of Central Park). If you're into primary colors and really slick minimalism, this book isn't for you, not that these guys aren't adept at modern touches. They're just a bit lux for the pure minimalist and their color choices are more complex. There is a significant amount of real investment type art and artifacts in their work, both modern and traditional, primitive and ornamental. I don't give this 5 stars merely b/c it is a small book (approx. 7"x9," so many photos are quite small) and it does only represent their tastes, fabulous as they are. Looking forward to another book from these partners. I would recommend this for the designer's library, pro or amateur.



3. These designers have a great gimmick going. Basically, they travel around the world, hoarding antiques, ship them back to NYC and have cheap Mexican labour refinish them. They then charge foolish, rich clients (the ONLY people they'll work for) exorbitant prices for shoddily refinished junk. The reason the book seems "shallow & vacant" is because it's a direct reflection of the designer's personalities. Their designs are more stage settings than ones for living in. They manage to pull the wool over most clients eyes, but, they have been sued when their scheme was discovered and had to drastically lower their prices as compensation. So, if empty, weirdly coloured interiors don't make you vomit, then buy this book!



4. This is a divine book.
   Sills and Huniford show in the pages of this book that they are America's premier decorators. Thier talent is so great and the understanding of how interiors can be elegant, refined, well edited and still very livable are beautifully portrayed in this pages. To have this as a reference and a cronicle of thier work is a treasure. I HIGHLY recommend this book.



5. This book is great!! From the text you actually learn something rather than just a bunch of boring pictures. The pictures are annotated with the designers comments- you can actually LEARN things from this book. It's not a pretty coffee table book ( thank god, do we really need another one of those?! ) but one which you can actually learns secrets to great design. One step above the beginers level. I would highly recommend this book!

4 comments about Tropical Living: Contemporary Dream Houses in the Philippines.

1. I just bought a copy of this book. The pictures are great. I have the following problems with the book 1) The title is sly and deceiving. The bolded letters say "Tropical Living", and the rest of the title are in smaller letters. I bought the book thinking the featured homes are architectural entities uniquely tropical. They were not. Instead, the book is a hodgepodge of pretty homes artificially grouped through some whimsy of the author. 2) The pictures are hard to follow when you read the text. My advice, save your money and get yourself a subscription to a home design magazine. You will be better off.



2. If you are into tropical architecture, this sure is the book for you! Not much text which makes it of "worth" + great photography! Before planning a house, this sure is a must-have! Houses featured here has its owne individuality and character! Dont miss it!...



3. This is a beautifully photographed and well-organized showcase of wonderful Philippine homes. The range of houses covered is amazing and you're sure to get inspiration from one of the many fine examples of East meets West design as well as the seamless blend of Spanish, Malay, and Western heritage that the Philippines has. The homes are fabulous and even if you aren't thinking of redecorating, you will be after you finish it. One of the things that I particularly like about this is that unlike many books on Asian homes which focus only on either architectural design OR the interiors, this one gives a good balance of both. I just wish that the book had more pages.



4. This was truly a feast for my senses. The Filipino elite is a highly sophisticated, well travelled, cosmopolitan, tropical, and casually elegant group who have developed a blended taste and style of their own. This book could be renamed "Tropical Dream Homes of the Philippines Rich and Famous". What is truly visible in this book is the rich diversity and fusion of the different cultures - Chinese, Spanish, Indonesian, Malaysian, and American - creating a Philippine cosmo-Asian blend. I highly recommend this book.

1 comments about Sea Captains' House and Rose-Covered Cottages: The Architectural Heritage of Nantucket Island.

1. If you're interested in architectural history and Nantucket or American architecture of New England, then you'll want to read and keep this meticulously researched book that is both a good read and informative. Also, it contains beautiful photographs of Nantucket's most important homes. Kudos to the authors and photographer!

5 comments about Seaside Style.

1. You need to know this is just about the place, Seaside, in Florida-which is fabulous. I really enjoyed the book.



2. although the book is lovely to look at, the houses are quite similar and very typical of that particular part of Florida, which I did not realize in the description. My intent was to view houses that would fit in all seaside areas and the book therefore was a disapppointment.



3. When one thinks of Seaside, Florida, images of white picket fences, quaint beach cottages painted in pastel colors and tin roofs are evoked. From classic Greek Revival to urban contemporary, the mix of interior and exterior styles fascinate and capture the reader. In Seaside Style, Nesmith allows readers not only to experience the broad range of architectural styles but also tour the interiors of these amazing spaces. Highly recommended for coffee tables from Maine to California and Alabama to Illinois.



4. As a Seaside neighbor in Old Seagrove I have a special interest in Seaside, but I found the book to be much more than the chance to get inside houses of people I know and others I see every day. While the writing in the style of architectural magazines might be called "gushing," Eleanor Lynn Nesmith subtly focuses her seasoned critical eye on the people who brought more than their money to the "New Urbanism" community. The result is the story of how Seaside got its soul. The somewhat dark--almost broody--photos of Steven Brooke suited my taste, though maybe not everyone's.



5. The new Seaside Style book through the pictures of Steven Brooke and the words of Eleanor Lynn Nesmith takes us on a tour inside some of the homes of Seaside. A small town along the Gulf Coast of Florida, Seaside gained world fame as the birthplace of New Urbanism.
   With humor and insight, the author walks us through 23 houses and gives us a glimpse of both the homeowners and their personal style.
   The photographer takes us there with his stunning images.
   A must buy for anyone with an interest in New Urbanisn or viewing the individual styles and the pleasures of living at the beach.

3 comments about Key West: A Tropical Lifestyle.

1. This book gives the true eclectic style of Key West. The photos are wonderful and give an accurate insight into the private homes and life style of this laid back, creative, elegant, charming community.....It gives one a look at the gracious stately old homes as well as the most impressive renovations of cottages in "old town". Book is filled with gorgeous full page photographs, beautifully, uniquely, Key West!



2. I think Key West had an appeal that you don't find in other parts of the country. It's the southern most point in America and there is the same feeling that you get in other special towns in the US, such as New Orleans, and SanFrancisco. Each has something unique about it.
   
   This was a great book for capturing that feeling. It's also nice to see beyond the street view. I found the text interesting and very readable.
   
   I hope if you decided to buy this book you will enjoy it as well.



3. It's hard to imagine how the natives, or the locals, live in places like Key West or New Orleans. These tropical outposts seem less mainstream than other parts of the USA; unique people put down roots in both of these sister cities. This lovely book gives a glimpse into homes of the poeple who live and work in Key West. It is just beautiful to see gracious living that is for real and not manufactured, but imagined and realized. Starting with the cover photo of the home of Michael Pelkey (and the ten pages of his home, and the ending photo of his kitchen countertop), you will be transported. The author writes with knowingness and sensitivity and respect for the inhabitants of, the history, and of present time Key West. This is a great inspiration book for your own lifestyle and decor, and a lovely arm chair vacation too. I would love the author Leslie Linsley, and the photographer Terry Pommett to come to New Orleans and do a sister book for us here (and bring Michael Pelkey along to lend his expert eye to the whole project).

5 comments about Great Windows & Walls Collection.

1. I highly recommend this book above dozens of books and magazines I have looked at and/or purchased over the years. Beautiful ideas abound. Wall and window treatments range from the sublimely simple suitable for any DIY to professionals only. A visually stunning compilation of wall and window decor. A feast to assist your imagination and help you see the possibilities. Yes, I have seen some ideas before but this book pulls them together in one guide with styles ranging through traditional to contemporary and craftsman to cottage.



2. I have many books on window treatments and decorating ideas. This book is my FAVORITE ONE! I love BHG Windows & Walls magazine, and this book had a few I'd seen there before and hundreds more. This is actually the second one of these I bought because one of my friends loved it so much she bought my first one from me. She wasn't the last one to buy this book for themselves after seeing mine! Worth every penny and more!



3. this book is a great help to my clients
   the visual is so important in the window treatment field
   the photo are crisp and easy to see



4. Great Windows & Walls Collection has hundreds of pictures; this is a spectacular book that will help you create a gorgeous personal sanctuary with its ideas of furnishing, window treatment and wall finishes. This is an excellent book for inspiration, regardless of your own personal style.



5. Love the number of window treatments in the book. I was looking for some ideas that weren't too crafty or off-the-wall but different. I also didn't want a lot of technical detail on how to make the coverings, but I needed enough to be able to explain it to a seamstress.

5 comments about ManSpace: A Primal Guide to Marking Your Territory.

1. This book is very enjoyable. I purchased it for my husband. He likes it a lot. It has tons of photos and interesting stories about each man's space. The only complaint is that many of the man spaces belong to men with money to spend. Still, it is a very good book.



2. ManSpace is a call to action for men: a call to build a 'personal space' outside of the usual woman-controlled home, where you can keep your stuff without fear of its being converted to a 'more useful' nursery or sewing room. MANSPACE: A PRIMAL GUIDE TO MARKING YOUR TERRITORY can be a recording studio, a workshop, or more. Men are invited to view sample houses and homes which reflect 'manspaces', from music rooms to campy man-oriented gadget-filled abodes. Samples from all types of 'manspaces' appear in full color and offer inspiration, insights and a range of options, making MANSPACE perfect for any general-interest lending collection.



3. An excellent book, long overdue. I highly recommend; you will enjoy.



4. This book makes a great gift for the man who has everything. Great ideas for men to carve out their own space in a home usually decorated by women.



5. A cool book to get ideas from. Fun to read. A lot of cats in the book obviously have much more disposable income than the average joe looking for a place to call their own but it has some cool ideas. Worth checking out!