1 comments about Residential Windows: A Guide to New Techonologies and Energy Performance, Third Edition.

1. I used the first two editions of this book to educate myself about modern windows. This knowledge was used to design and build a passive solar house at 7300' in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, where the winters are often severe. The design was successful since the heat has been left off for more than three years, yet the house stayed comfortable year round.
   
   Residential Windows is written at a semi-technical level that is ideal for builders, architects, and home owners. I have given several copies away (including this third edition) and recommended it without reservation to many others. All the issues pertaining to windowing are explained lucidly and are well illustrated. Other than a Consumers Union style review of named makes and models (which it scrupulously avoids doing), you could hardly ask for more.

5 comments about The White House: Its Historic Furnishings and First Families.

1. What a great addition to my collection of WHITE HOUSE books and memorabilia. This well-written, well-researched and beautifully photographed book gives the detail that is sometimes missing in the more general WHITE HOUSE history or antecdotal writings. It is a good "stand alone" and would be a great "living room" collection book in any case, but for those who enjoy the rich history of D.C. this is a jewel. I recommend it.



2. The White House is just an amazing facility, it's a museum, the President's Residence, and the embodiment of the Executive Branch. This book is exhaustively researched, and the photographs are well done. Though it is really not a history of the first families, the book really consentrates on furnishings, and the changes made to the structure over the centuries. The White House serves so many duties and thanks to Jackie O, the historic furnishing have returned and subsequent first ladies and curators have continued her pursuit of historic period furnishings. This book does a wonderful job of highlighting the best of the White House Collection. If you like books of this sort then you will enjoy this book dedicated to one of the iconic symbols of democracy.



3. This is a beautiful book with exquisite layout and photographs. However, the title gives the impression that we will find information on the First Families, which certainly is not so. It is a very good coffee table book on interior design, design, furnishings, architecture, etc. but since I expected photos and information on people, I was somewhat dissappointed with its contents. But it is a work of art.



4. Betty Monkman, the White House Curator and photographer Bruce White (from the Metropolitan Museum of Art) have collaborated to create an invaluable text on the history of the furnishings of The White House. Wonderful stories lie within...most famously, the story behind the Resolute Desk, the desk used by Presidents Kennedy, Carter, George H. Bush, Bill Clinton, and now President George W. Bush in their respective Oval Offices.

   On June 1st at 6PM, Ms. Monkman will deliver a lecture on The White House as part of exhibition presented by the John F. Kennedy Library and The Metropolitan Museum "Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years-Selections from the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum". The exhibit will begin May 1, 2001 until July 29, 2001. This will be a great opportunity for one to hear Ms. Monkman's expertise in person. Go to the lecture and buy the book!




5. Once again Betty Monkman has given us WHITE HOUSE FANS a magnificant chronicle! What a glorious, beautiful absolutely stunning work of art! Betty has included everything in this piece! Bruce White's photography cannot be topped! Looking at the old photos of days gone by and then seeing the "latest versions" of those historic rooms is truly a treat! The details on the historic furntiure, art pieces, glassware, china and more within those walls is fascinating! During this - the 200th Anniversary year of the White House getting it's first occupants, this book is really a treasure and a great addition to anyone's library to help mark this historic anniversary! I thought I knew a lot about the White House - once again Betty Monkman has taught me more! Thanks Betty! :-)

4 comments about 117 House Designs of the Twenties (Dover Books on Architecture).

1. I live in one of the delightful Gordon-Van Tine No. 613 homes, so finding this book was a thrill. I have seen another of these houses in Cortland, NY, in the stucco finish (one of two siding options), and one somewhat-"remuddled" one in Black River, NY, with vinyl siding (!) and alterations to the sunroom windows. Both of these houses are on main roads, so I imagine there are many others on quiet side streets, like ours. Ours is in the cedar finish--original 1924 siding in pristine condition. It is in Watkins Glen, NY. The house is framed in cedar! The floors in the front of the house and in the central hallway are oak, and those in the bedrooms are fir, which, I understand, was a common practice in homes of the era.
   
   The interior has been changed very little, except for kitchen and bath remodeling and the addition of a small master bath in the space formerly occupied by the master bedroom closet and the linen closet. A new master bedroom closet was bumped into a screened porch added to the back of the house (designed by our contractor to conform to the original home design and trim), and a new hall closet to replace the one lost to the master bath was added in the dead space at the end of the basement stairwell. The tile hearth had to be replaced due to cracked and loose tiles, and when fuel prices shot up, we re-lined the chimney and installed a Vermont Castings woodstove in the fireplace. After over 80 years, this is still a lovely, very-liveable house.
   
   I love to show the facsimile catalog to guests. I purchased one for the daughter of some friends, who admires our house, and says she wants one just like it. If you own a kit house of this era, I strongly recommend that you borrow all the available books through inter-library loan and keep looking until you find your house. Then buy "your" catalog. Having documentation of its provenance adds to the home's value in many markets, and it is fascinating to be abe to look at the price lists (this book includes complete price lists, down to the plumbing options and electrical fixtures), to see what the original owners paid for the house.



2. As I am!
   
   "117 House Designs of The Twenties" is a reprint of the 1923 Gordon Van Tine catalog. There are a few errors in the introduction (such as the statement that Sears started selling kit homes in 1909; it was 1908) and some other frustrating mis-information, but that's a minor point.
   
   For those sick puppies (such as myself) who like to sit and read old catalogs for hours and hours, this book is a gem. There's lots of reading material in the front and back, giving good detail about the company and how they did business.
   
   Gordon Van Tine was a worthy contender in the kit home business, selling roughly 50,000+ kit homes in their four decades in the housing business. (Thanks to Dale Wolicki for the stats.)
   
   Plus (and this is a biggie) GVT was the front man for Montgomery Ward homes. Unlike Sears, Montgomery Ward did not have their own mills, architects and catalogs but turned to Gordon Van Tine to supply their kit homes.
   
   So, if you suspect you have a Montgomery Ward home, you'll want to peruse this GVT catalog.
   
   Rose
   author, "The Houses That Sears Built"
   co-author, "California's Kit Homes"



3. "117 House Designs of the Twenties" is a reprint of the 1923 mail-order house catalogue of the Gordon-Van Tine Company. This crisp reproduction is thus an accurate window into this era in United States home architecture. The wealth of detailed artistic renderings also make this a book of great charm and beauty.

   Based in Davenport, Iowa, Gordon-Van Tine was a trailblazer in the field of prefabricated houses. This catalogue covers the company's products in amazing detail. We see cutaway views of homes that reveal the construction technique. We also see plumbing fixtures, lights, and cutaway views of furnaces.

   But the heart of this catalogue lies in the detailed floor plans, as well as in the detailed artists' renditions of both exteriors and interiors. This catalogue contains structures ranging in size from a humble one-room vacation cottage to roomy nine-room farmhouses. Both one- and two-story houses appear. The main styles represented are bungalow and colonial revival (the latter including "Dutch colonial" designs), in many different configurations.

   The exterior drawings capture many features: columned porches, sun porches, various roof types (gabled, hipped, gambrel), dormers, exposed rafter tails, and more. Equally detailed and charming are the depictions of furnished interiors. This is truly a marvelous book.




4. I was looking for some reference material for houses built in the 1920s, particularly pictures of various rooms, so that I can restore some rooms in a 20s house to original condition. This book not only has exterior pictures of many different houses, but also lists things like color schemes and construction methods. It also shows pictures of garages, doors, and even manufacturing methods for the houses. The pictures may be in black and white, but they're valuable references. ... this book is an absolute steal.

No comments about USA: Modern Architectures in History (Reaktion Books - Modern Architectures in History).

2 comments about Wardway Homes, Bungalows, and Cottages, 1925.

1. Yes, I'm partial to Stickley's designs, but these are the four-squares and bungalows I see more of on both coasts.
   If you own a bungalow, four-square, Colonial, or cottage of this period and would like to restore some of its original character, this is a good reference book.
   The exterior views include details such as landscaping.
   Interior photos, meant to highlight the choices in millwork and such, give a taste of the fashions in decorating.
   Toward the end of the book are plans for beach cottages and garages that might inspire a humble retreat or workshop, or perhaps a playhouse or doghouse.
   The final pages are ads for the kinds of light fixtures and plumbing fixtures your grandparents likely got rid of in past updates of their houses, and furnaces such as the hulking monster that remained in the basement of a house I rented in Bristol.
   Whether you get practical use from this book or not, you will probably enjoy it.



2. I'm a bit surprised to see that Dover chose the 1925 Montgomery Ward catalog to reprint, as they also did the 1923 Gordon Van Tine catalog and these companies were closely linked.
   
   In fact, unlike Sears, Montgomery Ward did not have their own mills, lumber yards, architectural staff, designers, etc., so they turned to Gordon Van Tine (based in Davenport, Iowa) to supply their homes. In other words, when you placed an order for a cute little kit home from Montgomery Ward, they placed the order with Gordon Van Tine.
   
   When your house arrived (in about 30,000 pieces, via boxcar), the shipping labels would read "Montgomery Ward" and the kit would have (probably) shipped from the GVT mill in Davenport.
   
   If you have both catalogs (GVT and MW) compare them side by side and you'll see that they're virtually identical, with names and identifying marks changed in all the right places.
   
   That being said, this is a dandy little catalog and if you suspect you have a kit home from Montgomery Ward, you may also want to invest in the GVT (1923) catalog that Dover offers.
   
   Rose
   author, The Houses That Sears Built
   co-author, California's Kit Homes

4 comments about Architectural Graphic Standards for Residential Construction: The Architect's and Builder's Guide to Design, Planning, and Construction Details (Ramsey/Sleeper Architectural Graphic Standards Series).

1. This book is an excellent reference book for use in designing, planning, and building a new house or remodeling an existing one. Whenever I plan on doing something on the house, I double check with this reference before finishing my designs and plans. It's a must own book for serious do-it-yourselfers.



2. Although these editions change little, this review is based upon AGS 10th Ed. & AGSRC 2003.
   
   
   Negative:
   This is bascially a regurgitation of the more complete Architectural Graphics Standards, distilled to a "residential" focus but appears as volumous because some details have been photo-enlarged (in poor-average quality). Few, if any new residential details/information has been provided.
   
   Positive:
   Those ONLY interested in residential construction and NOT requiring a full brace of ALL details will find this quite a good value - compare its price to Architectural Graphics Standards.
   
   Recommendation:
   Anyone in construction should have one, but not both of these books as a prime resource. The content does improve every year, although some years it's like watching grass grow.
   
   Challenge:
   IF there are numerous portions of the Residential version that are unique and new to it, exclusive of passages in the larger AGS version - I would really appreciate a review that contains how to locate these passages, as I've spent enough time trying to find them. If enough of these exist, it would give thought of updating this resource once in awhile.



3. Experienced readers will benefit from its brief summaries and drawings covering the broadest range of topics imaginable. Some economizing is evident in the paper and printing quality, some of the drawings look 50 years old, but there is lots of reference information, like span tables, solar position data, etc. Probably not the last word on every topic, but still worth consulting.



4. Following in the terrific legacy of the benchmark Architectural Graphic Standards book, this edition clearly makes building for residences an easier task. I've found innumerable details that I've used in my residential practice on a daily basis, details not found in other reference books. Of particular help are the pages that give an overview of how parts of a house interconnect with each other, such as foundation-to-framing. Also, there is a wealth of info on HVAC, new window technology and other things I've found very, very helpful.

5 comments about Trompe L'Oeil Sky and Sea.

1. For the lover of sky and sea, this is an excellent book! It inspires the creative mind to create beautiful murals. Her explanation/instructions of cloud shapes will improve the quality of your mural work instantly. She explains the use of color with step by step photos. Also I like the perspective on beach scenes...such as, 'this is a view of a palm tree from below', thus helping you to paint murals on walls or ceilings creating a realistic effect. If you are interested in painting ceiling murals with clouds, this is definitely the book to buy. I would say it leans towards the intermediate plus student but a beginner would enjoy it also...urging him to become better!



2. This book is an excellent how to for the mural artist in training. The authors explain composition as well as technique. Illustrations are to the point. It is an excellent teaching book.



3. This is an excellent book for learning techniques for painting both sky and sea. Insightful for the beginner with tips about what qualities and subject matter make a Trompe L'Oeil painting both believable and timeless.



4. If you are a mural painter, you will gain a lot of knowledge from this book. It has many step by step instructions along with photos of completed work. I particularly liked the instructions on painting water.



5. I'm glad I bought this book. It has beautiful artwork and gives me ideas for my house. It also explains how to bring the room into the painting so that it looks like you could walk into the painting.
   
   The only thing that I didn't like about the book is how they refer to murals that are not illusionistic as 'naive art'. That bothered me because everyone has their own style of painting and not every mural is meant to look like you can walk into it. It was kind of a pompous remark in my opinion.
   
   Overall, the book has beautiful paintings, a lot of information on how they did the paintings, and is very inspiring.

5 comments about Stone: Designing Kitchens, Baths and Interiors with Natural Stone.

1. This is a great book. it will give you detailed information about the stone types that you can use in your house and great photos. i'm in the stone flooring business and this book helps my customers to visualize the final look of the stone they choose from my showroom floor. it also has a section with patterns so you dont have to figure out how to lay stones in different sizes to make a pattern.



2. We are considering having our kitchen remodeled and definitely want to replace the current Corian with some type of stone. This book covers stone used in kitchens and baths. Besides the gorgeous photographs, the book includes lots of helpful tips in helping you chose the right stone for your project. Each photo is described with caption of what the stone is, including the pattern or color. The chapters include the stone kitchen, bath, floor and architectural stone. What is really nice is that it addresses various possible focal points, such as the stone vent hood in the kitchen or a beautiful stone fireplace.
   
   The book encompasses multiple styles, designs and patterns for counters, floors, backsplashes and walls. For the photography and ideas alone, this book is worth the price but it has so much more. It includes tips and pointers for using stone in various places. For example, on page 66, there is a side bar that has Ideas for the Shower. It includes tips like "When chosing a polished granite for the shower walls, keep in mind that water spots are magnified on a polished surface."
   
   This books covers all kinds of natural stone: limestone, granite, travertine, marble, slate. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.



3. This book describes the nature of various types of stones and the recommended usage inside and outside the home. I've used this book as a guide to show my local stone dealer what type of stones I'm looking for. And also used it to illustrate the concept of my dream home to my Interior Designer, she understood immediately without us having to go through many rounds of interview to get it right. As a result, my dream home is now almost complete with stones from all over the world, marbles from Spain, Italy, Iran.... granite from Norway and Indonesia... coral stones, tumblestones, slates, and many more.... Wonderful pictures and illustrations, I'd recommend this book to anyone! Suitable for modern Asian homes too!



4. I work for a natural stone retailer in Texas, and this book gives me ideas for customers. Many of my store's clients want to take this book home or buy it. I don't let them take it home of course; I suggest that they buy one on Amazon.com.
   In my opinion, I think it makes a good coffee table book as well, since when people are waiting in my showroom, I see them browsing through this book. I wish there were more books like this one.



5. This book is not only a great resource guide for those new to designing with stones, but also fun to look at and inspirational. I found ideas for the bathroom, kitchen, and even for a staircase.

No comments about Visionary Architecture: Blueprints of the Modern Imagination.

3 comments about The Lost Vanguard: Russian Modernist Architecture 1922-1932.

1. In the West, we often forget the Modernist agenda was rapidly adopted throughout the World. Young architects in the Soviet Union were especially eager to embrace this radical break with tradition. From 1922-32, Soviet architects were on the leading edge of the Modern Movement. This experiment with Modernism came to end with the rise of Josef Stalin. The Iron Curtain soon cut off the Soviet Union from the rise and eventual decline of architectural Modernism in the West.
   
   The collapse of the Soviet Union opened new opportunities for Westerners to explore countries that had been cut off for nearly seven decades. In 1993, architectural photographer and curator Richard Pare first entered the former Soviet Union. Pare's goal was to find these "lost" early Modernist buildings and photograph them. "The Lost Vanguard" is a compilation of photographs of seventry three structures. Richard Pare is a first rate photographer and his images are impressive.
   
   A wonderful companion work to "The Lost Vanguard" is "Havana Deco." While the Soviets were adopting the latest Modernist designs, Cuban architects were embracing Modernism's more sensual sibling, Art Deco. In both Cuba and the Soviet Union, these cutting edge buildings were allowed to fall into the worst kind of disrepair. Yet in Cuba, no matter how greatly neglected the bulding is, there are always sensual bones beneath the decaying exterior. In contrast, there is something nightmarish about the Soviet buildings. In looking at Pare's depressing photographs, I am reminded of the slum photos of the great Chilean American photographer, Camilo Jose Vergara. These early Modernist buildings are not long for this world and we are fortunate the Richard Pare got there in time to document them. Highly recommended.



2. 
   Beautiful modern architecture, beautiful postmodernist photography -- a labor of love, worth the labor that went into it!



3. Richard Pare is one of the best architectural photographers in the world today. In more than ten years he has documented Soviet architecture from after the 1917 revolution (1922-32) and this book is a catalog of that work, some of which is on display at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York (July-October 2007). It is a large (12" x 10.75") and heavy (most plates are in color) volume. An excellent source for those interested in this facet of modernism!