5 comments about Louisiana Houses of A. Hays Town.

1. This book is beautifully photographed and well written. It is a perfect example of how new homes can be constructed to have the timeless appeal of historical properties by using old and new materials and thoughtful intrepetation of historical designs. Mr. Town's homes are the kind that can be handed down from generation to generation due to their quailty and beauty. Mr. Town's residential projects should be an inspiration to those considering building a new home in any price range. It is the design that counts.



2. Being born and raised in SE Louisiana just outside of New Orleans I really enjoyed the homes presented. I am currently planning to build our home here in the Houston suburbs and the ideas presented are awesome!!!



3. We are building a new home with the Hays Town Louisiana houses as inspiration. His style should translate well to rural Atlanta. But we have to pass on the German Shepherd.



4. My wife loves the A. Hays Town homes, and this book is a nice representation of his work. A good coffee table item for guests to view.



5. I found this book to be exactly the view of Hays Town's work that I wanted to see.

5 comments about Timber Framing for the Rest of Us: A Guide to Contemporary Post and Beam Construction.

1. This is a great reference for how to put the joints together. Not as good of a reference for structural design but if you are not an engineer you should probably consult one anyway so that isn't really a minus. Easy to follow.



2. This book provides information needed by DYI buillders who need the why's as well as the how's. It focuses on durability and practicality rather than elegance and tradition.



3. While this book does cover the general building process, I feel it does not go into enough detail. While talking about timbers and larger pieces of wood, the charts in the end are all for regular 2x wood. There are so many references to other works where info can be found, that the whole read felt like one large advertisement (many for the author's other publications). Needs more detailed sketches, diagrams, and important detail pictures, and less useless pictures taken from too far away to be useful.



4. The book is very informative and helpful. Rob Roy's writing style makes it easy to follow. Not having any experience in building,(being female, that happens) I could still understand all of it, but a little background (even building a doghouse!) might have helped in truly getting the most out of the material.



5. This book is written in a very easy to follow style. The concepts all come across as clearly and the illustations do. There is loads of informative content for the alternative builder who is concerned with incorporating natural building methods such as straw bale construction, cordwood masonry, and cob building into thier home. What makes this book stand apart from other texts on the subject is its emphasis on the use metal fasteners to achieve a strong well built frame. While most other timber framing books use joinery that requires a high degree of craftmanship this book uses simpler techniques that the non-professional can learn quickly. It is great for the "do-it-yourselfers" out there that want a book that makes sense! Highly recomended.

4 comments about Art Invention House.

1. The book is giant in size (12.3" x 12.4" x 1.4") with extra large poster size photographs, some of them covering 2 sf areas.
   The human eye cannot overview the poster size photographs from the reading distance. In order to overview, the reader should step aside from the book, look to the photographs from the distance, than take the book and read again. So, the book is missing "gold proportions and the human scale".
   Most of the projects in this book are professionally shots, however some of the enlarged photographs have poor quality and not belong to a book of this caliber.
   The design of sheet compositions with the floor plans, sketches and the photographs is very tasteful. The content is informative and describing, although missed important information from the project data such as start and completion of the construction.
   Overall, this is outstanding book with the nice collection of the projects with the detailed visual and text information.



2. Recently published by Rizzoli, this handsome book is a collection of the most recent or newly built houses that go beyond convention. Author Michael Webb selected forty houses from five continents that exemplify the various types of houses throughout the world today that truly one of a kind. The houses featured are by some of the most gifted architects whose practice are of all different scales. Houses by large firms such as Richard Meier & Partners are included as well as small or single practices such as Glenn Murcutt. Each project is beautifully portrayed in large border less photos along with a detailed explanation of the project contained in about eight pages. Handsomely crafted in a one square foot volume, this compilation should be on the must have list of professionals as well as house enthusiasts who want to know today's artistic and inventive solution to the age old concept of a house.
   
   www.hjlbookreview.com



3. I've seen a lot of books on new houses, but this one stands out from the crowd. The selection of 40 new residences covers the world, from a forest in northern Japan to an idyllic bay in New Zealand, by way of Lake Bled in Slovenia and a hillside in Mexico City. There are masterpieces by celebrated architects and exciting work by people who deserve to be better knownThe brief text explores each house and the needs and personalities of its owners. The pictures are exceptional and are printed large enough that you can imagine yourself walking through these rooms. Now I've bought it the biggest challenge is to discourage friends from "borrowing" it.



4. Michael Webb and Rizzoli have done it again. Since their last highly successful BRAVE NEW HOUSES: Adventures in Southern California Living book in 2003 Webb has pushed the edge of architecture and design and the result is a truly original look at houses as art. Recognized as one of the country's leading architectural critics, London-born Webb now lives in a Neutra 'house' in Southern California and writes articles for Architectural Review, Architectural Record as well as his own widening collection of books.
   
   In this elegantly designed and beautifully illustrated book, Webb addresses homes that are truly unique - from concept, to site, to architect/client philosophy, to construction. Though some of these homes have been featured in other places, many of the forty odd homes are 'unveiled' in this book. Each home is viewed in its entirety with the focus on the aspects that make each home 'on the edge'. The sizes, shapes, settings - all aspects of these artworks are discussed with Webb's conversational yet always erudite manner. Included are homes designed by architects form the USA, Mexico, Brazil, UK, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Finland, Portugal, Japan, and Australia. And a more creative klatch of contemporary architects could probably not be assembled.
   
   The real pleasure of this large book is the presentation of these unique houses as works of Art. While there is a large audience for certain architects of the 'home' styles (Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, Greene and Greene to name but a few), these artists are now historically based and the architects represented here are boldly modern and sophisticated. Some of the names here included are recognizable by the cognoscenti: the others soon will be! This is a magnificent 'Art Book', simply of another medium, and deserves a place in the library of great art (as well as great architecture) lovers. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, November 05

5 comments about Bungalow Bathrooms (Bungalow Basics).

1. Bungalow Bathrooms (Bungalow Basics)
   For anyone building a NEW bungalow style home or refurbishing an OLD one, this is a great source of accurate info on the materials and styles typically used and resources for obtaining materials. Powell's detailed explanations of original bungalow styles from the late 20's thru the early 50's include suggestions for "obsessive" and for "compromise" solutions and the list of resources is super. Her witty writing style and Svendson's wonderful photographs make this book as enjoyable as it is useful.



2. Unfortunatley (or fortunately depending on the perspective), most of the images and information in the rather expensive book can now all be found on the internet.



3. I've read other Jane Powell books and have always found them both entertaining and informative. In this book, she provides a history of bathrooms and bathroom fixtures and provides information about restoring older baths. She even includes advice about repairing old fixtures, broken tile etc. As in her other books she gives the readers advice about "Obsessive Restoration" and modern "Compromise Solutions" - all in keeping with the historic theme. The photographs in this book are wonderful; I was suprised by the wild colors of some of the bathrooms that were created in the 1920's and 1930's. This is a great book if you have an older house and are looking to create a period-appropriate bath.



4. In the midst of planning for the remodeling of my bathroom in the Arts & Crafts style, I found this book filled with plenty of pictures and examples of bathrooms from that time period. Arts & Crafts magazines rarely show pictures of bathrooms. So it was great to have a book that was filled with such a variety of pictures as well as giving the history of this time period and tips for those who actually want to restore their bathrooms. Better money spent than trying to buy a huge amount of magazines hoping to get one picture here and there.



5. If I were restoring an old bungalow, this book probably would have been useful. The author gives explanations of "Obsessive Restoration" and a "Compromise Solution" for each part of a period Bungalow bathroom. For my new Craftsman bungalow, I merely want to bring in a few period touches, so the examples in this book were too extreme for me. Also, the author wastes too many pages discussing the history of bathrooms, which is irrelevant to me. Her companion book, "Bungalow Kitchens" is much the same.

4 comments about Complete Masonry: Building Techniques, Decorative Concrete, Tools and Materials (Sunset).

1. This is a very well done book, and I enjoyed it very much. It has nice projetcs that you really can do by yourself. The pictures are wonderfull, and full of great ideas and details. The instructions are so clear, so anybody can understand easly.



2. I was looking for a book on how to build a brick mailbox. This did'nt help much. Thanks anyway.



3. 
   I bought Sunset's "Complete Masonry" because I am thinking about using concrete for my next kitchen counter top. I had heard on a radio home improvement program that concrete kitchen counters are popular in some other countries. Complete Masonry has one chapter on concrete counter tops, but the example they give is an outdoor barbecue, not a kitchen. The techniques can be adapted to a kitchen, but it's not the same as having illustrations of specifically what I want to do.
   
   Other than that, Complete Masonry has lots of information for the home gardener or handy person. You get pictures and details for laying out and construction of walks, stairs, patios, walls, ponds, rock gardens and all kinds of decorative and imaginative masonry work around the home. It's aimed at the home improvement market, not for the professional mason, although a professional might get some creative ideas from it's illustrations. Complete Masonry starts with very basic teaching such as "what is a shovel" and works up to include all the details you would need to construct the projects in the book. Like a lot of Sunset books it's full of ideas and examples of very elaborate projects, though the projects appear to have been done by skilled professionals. Even so, with a little practice you could probably finish any of the projects if you have a little construction skill and are willing to do the work. It's a good idea book, and a practical how-to home improvement book.



4. Sunset has published several books on this subject, 3 of them called "Complete Masonry" with different subtitles and a basic one, possibly others. This is the only one that I've actually gone through cover to cover and it is superb. I have the Black and Decker flavor of Complete Masonry too and this one is far better at 1/2 the price.

   The projects described are quite a bit more appealing than the B&D's plain cookie cutter boring wall and walkway offerings. More importantly this book offers better techniques of design that can be applied to your own unique design.

   Another of my favorites on the subject of concrete that is also applicable to walls, walkways, flooring or whatever else you wish to conjure is a book called "Concrete Countertops: Design, Form, and Finishes for the New Kitchen and Bath" It actually offers much more than what the title leads you to believe and suggests concrete as a very versitle replacement for standard brick and tile uses of the past.

5 comments about Interior Graphic Standards.

1. I got this book well before I thought I was going to and it was in amazing condition :)



2. If I had to keep but one reference book on my shelf as a Professional Interior Designer, this would be the book. It contains in-depth and well-formatted information on virtually every subject in the field, and the graphics are outstanding. One of the authors, Maryrose McGowan, is a powerhouse and has done a remarkable job with this guide and I hope she comes out with many other useful books to advance the profession. This book has quickly replaced several books I previously owned that attempted to do what this book has done with great simplicity, completeness, and accuracy.
   
   The chapters are well-organized, the graphics are abundant, clear, and easy-to-understand, and they contain information from all ends of the spectrum. The price tag of the book is steep, but well worth the investment. Save your pennies and make a point of buying this book, or look for used versions as they come available on Amazon.com. You will be glad to have this book in your collection!



3. This book is very helpful for upcoming designers. It gives you standard codes for everything you could imagine. Very helpful when doing my design projects.



4. If your an Interior Designer or practicing to be one this book should be amongst the many in your personal library. The details are well written and displayed.



5. I've purchased this book for 2 companies that I've worked for and for myself as well. I am an Interior Designer and find Interior Graphic Standards to be extremly resourceful and helpful when it comes to design & planning. It covers a wide range of topics such as basic electrical, mechanical, accessibility standards, plumbing fixture considerations; material finish's, door frames/types, acoustics, etc. and provides enough information on each subject so that you understand what is required to plan. My only complaint is that in many cases, measurements and dimensions are not shown where you would think they should exist. That being said, I highly recommend the book for people of all levels in this industry.

No comments about HVAC Equations, Data, and Rules of Thumb, 2nd Ed..

3 comments about Harbor Hill: Portrait of a House.

1. BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS AND WELL WRITTEN STORY OF AN ESTATE THAT NO LONGER EXISTS....THE AUTHOR MADE IT EXIST AGAIN, IF ONLY IN THE MIND OF THE READER.



2. Gave as gift and person who received it absolutely loves it. She could not put the book down and we have ordered another copy to give as gift to somene else! Very well written and immensely interesting.



3. Harbor Hill was one of the most spectacular mansions ever built in America. Designed by the iconic Stanford White and built to embody the MacKays desire to accend to the pinacle of NYC society. This book charts the rise of the MacKays and their ultimate demise, along with the similar fate of this great house. The mistress of the house was a real peice of work, but this beautiful showplace was really her creation, she knew what she wanted and Stanford White gave it to her, with Mr. MacKay's money of course. The book is well researched and it's an interesting read and the images are first rate. Honestly, it's tragic that this house no longer survives, you just wonder what kind of philstine could tear something like this down, unfortunitely this being America and not Europe, none of us should be surprised it was so uncerimoniously destroyed. Harbor Hills fate closely resembles the great Philadelphia mansion, Whitehall, and the MacKays are more than a bit similiar to the Stotesbury's, both thought they built their great estates to last for centuries and instead they barely outlived them..when you see the kind of grand mansions built today in places like Bel Air and Palm Beach, you can't help but notice how inferior they are in comparison to the great Gilded Age mansions like Harbor Hill, it's a shame we dont have more respect for beautiful architecture of the past, we inherited so much from the Europeans, but that unfortunitely was not one of them...too bad for Harbor Hill, now just a ghost, haunting old sepia stained images.

5 comments about Storybook Style: America's Whimsical Homes of the Twenties.

1. This book offered plenty of ideas in my restoration and planning process of my tudor home. Great buy for the $$$



2. Having grown up in Southern California in the 50 and 60's I fell in love with the storybook house and my grand aspiration was to at least live in one if not own one.
   My dream almost came true because in the 60's many Orange County houses were built with storybook features; diamond pane windows, shake roofs, cat slides - they weren't as wonderful as the masonary models, but, still fun. Unfortunately, these house were updated with asbestos shingle roofs, the windows were removed for double pane. The character was diminished, but not completely lost. You can still see these houses in Anaheim in the neighborhoods surrounding Disneyland. What a perfect setting for a fairytale style.
   And I recommend this book as a nostalgic look back and a real joy to read.



3. I received this as a Christmas gift and promptly took it to Christmas dinner that night... the entire family enjoyed flipping through the book (and were eager to buy their own copies). Beautiful pictures of unique and gorgeous homes, with some neat historical/factual information to boot. My favorite homestyle. The pictures gave me great ideas for my own cottage home.



4. A BEAUTIFUL LOOK AT WHIMSICAL HOMES FOR THE YOUNG AT HEART - THE BEST I'VE SEEN ON THE SUBJECT -



5. I happened upon this book on Amazon last year - shortly after purchasing my very first home - a little storybook cottage. I've always adored this style of home but never knew what to call them. I was so happy to find this book and see someone had come up with a name for these enchanting homes. This book has brought me hours of enjoyment. I read it cover to cover immediately but I look through it over and over again. It has been such a help in giving me inspiration and information for the restoration of my little storybook home. I cannot sing enough praises for this book - my only complaint - I want another volume. If a Storybook Style 2 were to be published - I would buy it the very day it came out!!!!
   
   This book is both informative and beautiful. It's a must for any storybook owner and anyone that is interested in architectural styles or anyone wishing to create their own storybook home.

2 comments about 50 Great Kitchens by Architects (By Architects).

1. I enjoyed the concept of the book however the level of detail was not what I would have wanted. I wish the pictures were a little bite larger so that you could see the connection details of the tile, wood, and metal.



2. This book presents fabulous photos of awe-inspiring kitchens based on modern architecture. The newest materials and looks are emphasized. What is also great is the functionality of many of them. The ones by CCS-architecture are particularly noteworthy because this firm specializes in modern restaurant design in San Francisco. This volume gave us some great ideas.