No comments about American Collection Ranch Style: 200 New House Plans (The American Collection) (The American Collection) (The American Collection).

5 comments about Wallace Neff and the Grand Houses of the Golden State.

1. The book is well researched, but there are very few photos. For that reason I find it unsatisfying. In a book about an artist, a lack of visuals is a serious flaw.



2. I thought the information in this book was wonderful! The biographical details on Neff and those he designed for are captivating.
   If the book has a weakness, it would be that the photos are very few considering his body of work. Only one distant aerial shot of the Enchanted Hill estate of Frances Marion and Fred Thomson when so many commissions were generated from those who visited the home???
   I'm dreaming of a Wallace Neff book with hundreds of interior & exterior shots of his works, floorplans, and current status of the house.
   Having said all that, I'm still reading this every evening before bed, so it is fair to say I love it!



3. if you are looking for examples of the archictecture of wallace neff this is not the book to purchase. There are very few pictures of his architecture in this book, in fact the nicest picture in the book is the one on the front cover. The book is mostly about the man and what influenced his designs.



4. I really liked this book. I thought it was excellent. I enjoyed reading about the man Wallace Neff and reading about his architectural career and seeing photos of his works. Yes, there could have been more photos-but what was there was nice. And I must commend the publisher as these days I find so many typographical errors when reading books--and I did not find ONE typo!!! A very well done book.



5. The book is well researched and his life presented well but the monograph is so skimpy on photos that you're left feeling like you just ate your appetizer and now you are being denied your filet mignon. His work is so stunningly detailed in person that only giving the reader a few black and white photos devoid of detail is jsut mean spirited. Very disappointing.

2 comments about The Queen Anne House: America's Victorian Vernacular.

1. Generally, books of this type fall into two categories - either they are dense textbook-like examinations of a particular style of architecture that lack visual appeal, or they are beautifully illustrated with minimal text that amounts to fluff. This book is a triumph in that it combines the best of both. It is at once visually appealing and informative. Both the professional and the layperson will find it useful and enjoyable. What an exciting concept!



2. Really a well done book on one of the great American house styles. The text is highly informative and the images are crisp and well executed. Overall, I was pleased with the houses chosen, some are quite reserved and some are massive and grand. I do wish the author had chosen one of the great Galveston Queen Anne style mansions, instead of the simple quant home chosen to represent Galveston, the city has some spectacular mansions in this style. Though having said that i still highly recommend this wonderful book, if you have a love for Queen Anne, you will not be disappointed, unless you happen to be a Galvestonian.

2 comments about Interior Construction & Detailing for Designers and Architects, Third Edition.

1. Has lots of tables and charts, and is adequately explained. The author also writes study guides for standardized architecture tests, and that pretty much sums up the style: no opinions, just facts. Very thorough though. Personally I don't need a whole chapter on locks, but I suppose there are those who do. Presentation and graphics are a bit low-rent for an architecture book.



2. This book should be on the shelves of every interior designer- it's so thorough that it's a little cumbersome at first. It should be used as a reference book, it gives chapter-by-chapter explanations on the specifics for the construction and application of windows, casegoods, partitions, etc. If there is ever any doubt in a designers mind as to how exactly something is constructed or works when it comes to the specifics of interior design, this book's for you.

5 comments about The Rustic Cabin: Design & Architecture.

1. Great pictures pair with many ideas for turning your house into a rustic dream home.



2. Wonderful photography, well written chapters, and many, many decorating ideas. My wife and I really enjoyed this book. We decorate our home in a rustic style, and hope to have our own cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains one day. However, a better title for this book might have been "Cabins of the Rich and Famous"; these aren't the little cabins your grandparent's owned, or those that most people could afford.
   
   It is a great coffee table book if this is your area of interest, and will inspire you with building, design, and decorating ideas.



3. This is an excellent book on the topic of the adirondacks and adirondack home. Ralph Kylloe always does a fantastic job with pictures and text. It was a very worhtwhile purchase.
   Thanks
   G. Cerank



4. There's nothing "rustic" about these luxury ranch homes, and the word "cabin" is definitely a euphemism. The houses are as big and gorgeous as the settings they reside in, and the author's photographs capture both. If you want the vicarious thrill of seeing how the rich spend their summers in Montana, then book is for you.



5. Look inside this book at a bookstore before you buy it. It is NOT about cabins but about huge lodges-log mansions, if you will.

3 comments about Ancient Greece: The Famous Monuments Past and Present.

1. An awesome book. Let's just say that our tour guide in Greece use this book as a reference. As an educator I found this book to be extrememly useful. How many of us actually knew that all these marble ruins were fully painted in their prime? The overlays and information are wonderful. Highly recommended.



2. I first saw this book while on vacation in Greece...Naturally, I looked up the places my husband and I had visited and the book portrays them beautifully! There's great historical detail in the text as well as outstandingly accurate illustrations of prominent Greek sites and monuments. The 'see-through' pages give an incredible glimpse of what ancient Greece looked like over 2000 years ago. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who has been to Greece, wants to go to Greece or is studying Greece. It is written for all ages! For any educator teaching Greek history this would be a highly useful 'textbook'.Enjoy!



3. This beautiful book has full page color photos of the ruins of ancient Greek temples and theaters, with transparent overlays filling in how these magnificent buildings would have looked when first built. It includes photos of statues and architectural details, with a general overview of ancient Greek history and explanations of the buildings' purposes and histories. Most of the buildings shown are on mainland Greece, but the Palace at Knossos and the sanctuary of Apollo on Delos are also included. These buildings are spectacular!

1 comments about Farm Houses: The New Style.

1. I love farmhouse style, and there have been some noteworthy books recently that have amazing images and really help to articulate what is so compelling about the form. This is not one of them.
   
   "The Farmhouse" is a beautiful, useful book. Buy it.
   
   But Farm Houses: The New Style is not a peer. It is not tragic, but it really pales in comparison.

3 comments about Creating the Inspired House: Discovering Your Place Called Home.

1. very good book, lots of info for thinking about how your house works.



2. 'Inspired House' introduces you to the owners, architect and builder of the featured homes, giving insight into the ideas behind design and building decisions. Good look at how your house could move from vision to concept to reality. The houses here seem more livable, more affordable (for the most part) than some in similar books. If you're hoping for nuts-and-bolts costs and dimensions, this book will leave you mildly disappointed. But the lovely, practical homes are well worth looking to for inspiration, and that, after all, is what was promised. A wonderful book that actually did inspire and fill out many details of our current "if we build" home.



3. This is a good book to flip thru for ideas and to see some fresh ideas for your Inspired House!

1 comments about Key Contemporary Buildings: Plans, Sections and Elevations (with CD-ROM).

1. Well worth adding to your Architectural library, a little more detail would be great
   though.
   Choice of buildings is really good too.

No comments about How to Work With an Architect.