1 comments about Vertical Gardens.

1. The cover is great. Other than that there is almost nothing worthwhile in this book. It does not help me to create vertical gardens, and even the photos are very uneven, and not always about vertical gardens (unless you consider planting twining plants on trellis to be a vertical garden)

4 comments about Creole Houses: Traditional Homes of Old Louisiana.

1. A very nice book on a beautiful architectual style. These houses fit perfectly into the Southern Louisiana landscape, they were built for balmy humid climate of the region. I found the history of the people that built these homes very interesting, the text was imformative and the images nicely produced. If you are interested in this style i highly recomend the book on Hays Town, he was a modern master of the venacular.



2. This book is not what you expected; it is a book on southern houses and their interiors, but not about the stuffy designer places that you usually see. The interiors are even more sophisticated and tastefull than any you have seen in such books. It is the first time you have seen the beautiful Louisiana-made chairs and armoires in their native environment.
   
   It seems like the photographers really searched hard to find just the right houses to elucidate the Creole style. It is a house style that seems like one you would want to recreate and live in today



3. This book brings important attention to the existence of these historic Creole homes in a part of the country that has been shattered by natural events in recent years. Fortunately, these homes are survivors: of their glorious past, of the ravages of weather, economy and time. The photographic vision of Gross and Daley is a brilliant dedication to documenting places as they are and not how we might want them to be. OLD HOUSES, one of their first books, set a precedent for their evocative style of artistry in what they choose to photograph from our architectural and domestic past. They continue to seek the forlorn, the forgotten, the poignant and the unusual. Their latest book, CREOLE HOUSES, is further revelation of their aesthetic message--of how old places and ways can be both beautiful and resonant in our modern, complicated world. CREOLE HOUSES is both record, homage, and a visual and written poem to historic Louisiana architecture.



4. I have over the years acquired a couple dozen books on old New Orleans and Low Country architecture, none has captured the true feeling of that fading glory like Creole Houses. Photos are superb, text is authorative, end sheets are a delight, and the binding first rate. This book is a peek inside antebellum Creole country from plantation houses to servant's quarters.
   
   Lets hope these folks do more such volumes. My suggestion would be the 18th century Georgians of the Mid-Atlantic states.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
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No comments about Natural Architecture.

5 comments about The Japanese House: Architecture and Interiors.

1. 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.



2. 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.



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



5. 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.

4 comments about Japanese Detail: Architecture.

1. My greatest source for researching detail to incorporate into my Japanese design based furniture. A wealth of images!



2. Japanese architecrure was firstly influenced American master architect----Frank Lloyd Wright,which you could occasionally find such trails of a natural simplicity acted super perfect in his mid-life works.Wright had using many of Japanese architectural tecniques within his residential projects:for example,the garden sitting,that he agreed traditional Japanese architectural philosophy-----the private garden may bestly mirrored owner's taste of life.Consquently,Wright was a picky architect that especially paying more attention on the rendering of a small enviroment.I am appreciated the choises of materials for Japanese architecture,no more greed,just got sufficient things they need,even for the palaces,still builded without any wasting,it must be hard to looking for another country to comparing with.The structures of Japanese architecture were mainly copied from China.In the same way,it added some new thing different with Chinese architecture.Like wells,beams,doors.lanterns...etc.,Japanese improved those details,and involved in their cultures.The architecture surely centered Eastern intelligence ,moreover,the love of the life.....



3. The book is Excellent. It is filled full of high color textures. This is one wonderful reference book for anyone interested in Japanese Architecture. The book is the closest thing to actually being in Japan and looking at the architecture on these buildings.



4. If you are an architectural students or professionals, you must get this book for your visual reference. Beautiful photographs of details and traditions of Japanese architecture... you will know why it's so influential to world and modern architecture.

3 comments about Cowboy Style.

1. "In the typical cowboy-chic living room, overstuffed couches and deep Molesworth-inspired club chairs invite lounging while oversized upholstered ottomans offer a variation on the traditional coffee table, providing softer edges, a more casual feeling, and extra seating." ~ pg. 54
   
   Cowboy Style is filled with warm comforting styles to reflect a casual sophistication. Intricately designed armoires and Tiffany lamps are as welcome as the more organic designs made from ponderosa pine.
   
   Wood furniture shimmers in the glow of fireplaces and creative chandeliers in rooms layered in comfort. Intricately designed carpets and designer bookcases make the spaces inviting.
   
   A magical artist's studio built in Wyoming showcases a cut-metal lamp by a California craftsman, Tony Alvis. His fireplace screens are of especially high interest in this book because they are scenes of cowboys overlooking deserts and the interplay of the light behind the silhouettes makes for a fascinating magical experience.
   
   Other interesting features include the details about sheep wagons used by sheepherders in remote mountains, cozy cabins and stories about the artists featured throughout this book.
   
   ~The Rebecca Review



2. I needed pictures to help me figure out how to design a Country Western style art gallery. This book had beautiful pictures, gives an overview of the history of the western culture, and provides names of companies and/or creators of furniture pieces. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes the Rustic/Country Western style home; this book was absolutely wonderful!



3. I enjoyed the book, but I was a bit disappointed, since there wasn't enough technical decorating information on color schemes, regional variations in styles, etc.

   Great pictures, though.

5 comments about How to Plan, Contract and Build Your Own Home.

1. This book gives excellent strategic advice. It is not a tactical manual on how to build a house with your own hands, but rather informs a buyer on how to get the job done and which decisions are critical (e.g. site selection, architecture design selection, and builder selection). If you want to learn how to install drywall, then this is not the book for you. If you want to get a general idea of how it is done, but want to learn more about specifications from an owner's perspective, then this is the book for you. Some of the best advice in the book is really in the chapters on builders (how to select them, and how to work with them). This 'soft sceince' is the critical knowledge that I needed to build my own home that I would not have obtained otherwise. The sample specifications list using a HUD form proved to be invaluable to me. I didn't need an architect after that.



2. I have a slight problem with the title of this book. Will it enable you to build your own home? Yes, if by build your own home you mean hiring carpenters, plumbers, electricians and the like. But no if you mean grabbing a hammer, pipe wrench and a roll of wire.
   
   This book is a general introduction to the concept of building a house. Here's what to think of when you are planning a house. Here are some of the basic concepts of plumbing. Think about wiring like this. It's a general introduction to nearly every aspect of building a house from footers to roofing.
   
   Could you use this book to act as your own contractor. Probably if you study it really carefully, have some experience yourself or someone you trust to spend a lot of time talking to you.
   
   The orientation of the book is for you to really get a contractor. But by reading the book, you know a lot more than most people, you'll save a lot of time, and you'll understand the jargon that they use to describe parts of the house.



3. We bought a house to be built, but had no experience or background in construction. This book was a tremendous help in getting us up to speed and it allowed us to be conversant, and more importantly watchful, of the developer and contractor. I was able to intelligently review plans and specs after reading through this book. It did not make me an expert, but I am light years ahead of where I was before I picked it up. Essential for anyone planning to build or buying new construction that is yet to be built/completed. Highly recommended.



4. This book is very helpful for you to work with and speak the language of your contractor. It is not designed for you to be your own contractor, but to work with one that you select. In Part II "How to Build It", the book shows how a house is put together. If you never lift a hammer throughout the entire construction process, it still pays to know how a house can and should be put together. The difference between mediocre and excellent construction involves a ridiculously small materials cost. Knowing construction methods and materials will also assist you in your dealings with whichever contractor you choose.



5. I bought the book with the intention of using it as a guide as I built my new home. I found it more of a research guide to use in the process of preparing to build or purchase a new home. The "how to" portion is absolutely not there. It is a good book and well worth the money, but not what I was looking for. I was looking for something to "knock the cobwebs off my brain", since it has been over 20 years since I was involved in home construction in my late teens. I just bought another book on line, "How to design, build, remodel and maintain your home", hopefully this will meet my needs.

5 comments about America's Painted Ladies: The Ultimate Celebration of Our Victorians.

1. WOW!! This book is truly a feast for the eyes, and that's no exaggeration! There are so many first rate photos and plenty of text. Every page has multiple color photos. It is a very heavy book! The paper is high quality and the photos are extremely high resolution and stunningly beautiful. What a great job they did just in printing this book! If you love Victorian homes, then this book is a must have! I like it so much I think I will eventually buy a brand new hardcover copy of it (I bought a used paperback copy). I plan on getting all the other books in this series too. Some of the very best Victorian homes are in this book. They kind of remind me of Disneyland with all the colorful paint schemes and fanciful shapes and decorations.



2. Believe it or not but the main reason I purchased this beautiful book was for reference material for scale model building (i.e. LEGO, etc.). I was hunting forever for a book on Victorian homes--with pictures of the OUTSIDE (as most of the books on Victorian architecture deal with the classic interior designs, furniture, etc.). LEGO and Victorian homes go hand in hand, as this book's wonderful color pictures perfectly illustrate--who could imagine such combinations would actually look so stunning!? In addition to excellent photography the text is well written, with interesting facts about each home, why it's unique, yet how it fits into the overall "Painted Lady" lineage... excellent. :-)



3. A fantastic book, a must for anyone who is thinking about painting a Victorian house. It was very helpful to me and my husband who had to come up with a color scheme for our three-story Queen Anne built in 1895.
   
   If you're in the same boat, then you know that deciding on a color scheme for a detailed Victorian house isn't easy and takes careful thought and consideration. This book will help you. It will give you countless ideas, and just looking at the photos is inspiring.
   
   And then, the book will appeal to any fan of Victorian architecture as well. I love looking at the numerous photos of the houses and find myself thumbing through it again and again. Every time I look at this book, I see something intriguing that I hadn't noticed before. Such a book serves to keep me inspired during the remainder of our home's renovation, which is trying at times.



4. i was speechless each picture was so beautiful , i love each and every house. a great book



5. Taller than any of the other books and nearly twice as thick as the thickest, this gorgeous 1992 volume (Ms. Pomada, isn't it time we got a fifth??), once again produced with the help of partner Larsen and photographer Keister, is, like "Daughters of Painted Ladies," a survey of Victorian homes from all over the country. From Searsport, ME, where the subtly detailed, white-bodied Mansard Carriage House Inn welcomes its guests, to a pink 1887 Steamboat Gothic in National City, near San Diego, here are dozens of Victorians, large and small, somber and vivid, plus an assortment of interiors, some fully period, others furnished in more contemporary style against the richly detailed background of the time. If you buy it to "get ideas" for your own Painted Lady, you'll find more than you can choose between. If you buy it just to look at, be prepared to spend hours drooling! A treasure trove for lovers of period detail, which is so admirably brought out by the creative combinations of color used in decorating these buildings.

4 comments about Your Green Home: A Guide to Planning a Healthy, Environmentally Friendly New Home (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series).

1. I thought this was a good primer on the subject and got several helpful tips. While I already knew a lot of the material, nevertheless It inspired me to make some changes in my own home.
   
   I was also inspired by The House That Faux Built which showed how to give your home a facelift without ripping things out (and filling the landfills) It showed me how to paint and plaster over cabinets, tiles and floors for a complete update. the 2 books together made a big difference.



2. I am an interior designer and work for an architectural firm. Because of the information I have learned thru my education and professional experience, I found very little new information in this book. If you have no knowledge of green building practices, this book would be beneficial.



3. This book was a overview/introduction to building a green home. Should be a must read for builders and anyone planning on building a new home. Not all strategies will work for every situation, but there's lots here that would apply for any situation or budget.



4. The text is well-written and can appeal to a wide audience. It's simple enough to understand for those without a great deal of knowledge in sustainable design, yet interesting and usefull enough for the professional who's more trained in sustainability. The text covers sustainable homes in a logical order, first stressing the foundation concepts like siting, orientation, passive solar, and building envelope efficiency, BEFORE moving on to less critical (but more popular) topics such as green materials.
   
   I am a professor of Environmental Design and am currently building a passive solar, zero-energy home, and if I were to write a text that comprises the whole of the process and goals in sustainable home building, the format and breadth of topics would be similar to this book.
   
   One negative of the book is the absence of color images to illustrate some points. The simple line drawings get the point across, but photos might have a better impact - especailly in sections discussing more advanced systems such as renewable energy systems or rainwater catchment systems.

No comments about In Detail: Cost-Effective Building: Economic concepts and constructions (In Detail (englisch)).