1 comments about Seattle Architecture: A Walking Guide to Downtown.

1. Finally, a book that offers a comprehensive guide to Seattle architecture....ON FOOT! I'm an architecture fanatic and I was tickled to death to discover this book! It allows you to enjoy the various architecture (broken down to different parts of the city) while enjoying a walking tour! Elenga's writing is so rich with history and context that as you stand in front of a structure, reading about it at the same time, it's like you feel one with the space! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book! I was pleasantly surprised!!!!

5 comments about The Abrams Guide to Period Styles for Interiors.

1. This is a great book to use as a reference for INTERIOR STYLE. It's small enough to carry, and there is no sifting through needless information (text is straight to the point). It has wonderful pictures of interiors and furniture. I highly recommend this book as use for reference, great for interior design students too.



2. First, understand that this is primarily a furniture book, not an architecture book. No real examples of window or door trim, crown molding, etc. As such, it's not really a companion to The Abrams Guide to American House Styles. I thought it would show the interior architecture that accompanied the exterior architecture characteristic of different periods, but no such luck.
   
   Second, while the book may be fun (for some) to browse, it shows itself to be surprisingly incomplete once you start to look for specific periods. What I was looking for was Greek Revival. A fairly prominent American style, and yet not even mentioned in the book.
   
   Overall a disappointment for someone who wanted to see what architects did on the inside to complement the outside of major American architectural styles.



3. I ordered this book having never seen it - based soley upon the reviews and description (which was risky). I must say, however, that when I received the book I was pleasantly surprised! It is a nice size (to carry to project sites - it is not too large), yet it has a ton of information packed into it's 424 pages. Beautifully assembled and high quality of printing. Many color photos. Separates each period, gives examples of colors for the period, home furnishing examples and architectural details.



4. The perfect reference book. Judith knows her stuff and doesn't mince words when trying to relate distinctive styles. Expert comparisons and differences between periods and countries. Superb photography.



5. Beautifully conceived and designed, with great images and concise cogent texts. An engaging introduction to elite furniture and interior styles.

5 comments about What Not To Build: Do's and Don'ts of Exterior Home Design.

1. I've done a fair amount of reading in architecture over the years, mostly on historical topics, and building and designing your typical family home wasn't something I knew as much about. As I was in the process of building my own house for the first time, I decided to look at this book to see what I could learn.
   
   I was a little bit nervous, actually, since I was afraid I'd found that I'd made so many mistakes. But I was pleased to find out that overall we'd done all right, and hadn't made any horrible blunders. There were a couple of minor errors, but nothing terrible. So overall I was pretty pleased, or at least, relieved. :-)
   
   If you've never studied architecture before, this book is an easy way to get your feet wet, especially if you're planning a home yourself. The authors cover the most important topics, such as entry ways, porches, columns and open spaces; the proportions and ratios of structural elements such as that of columns to supported beams; correct design, proportion, and placement of dormer windows (the window should take up 75% of the space, otherwise it looks too small); the use and misuse of building materials; problems with walls, windows, and rooflines; and other topics.
   
   The book is liberally illustrated with many examples of correct houses, and incorrect ones on the same page so you can easily compare. Some of these well-intentioned but faulty houses were almost comical. Several houses had high, arched, entry ways that were way-oversized and would have looked fine on a Gothic cathedral, but on a family home, they looked wildly out of place. The massive entry way dominated the whole facade and just detracted from the rest of the elevation (or front of the house).
   
   Some of the other errors were more subtle, and weren't quite as obvious, but as you learn the canons of true architecture, as oppposed to merely winging it, which is what the authors say happens more and more with builders, you begin to appreciate the correct way of doing it. For example, one problem you run into is a too-complex roof line that's broken up and takes away from the facade and other structural and design aspects of the house, or a too complex facade that's just too busy. When first looking at these houses, they looked fine to me, but when I saw the corrected house illustration, I could see what the authors were saying. In other words, sometimes less is truly more. Or a better way to phrase it might be to say that good design is more about the harmonious combination and integration of all elements, which complement and flow smoothly into each other, rather than ostentation and needless complexity, which causes disruption and interrupts that flow and harmony.
   
   The book is well written, profusely illustrated, and contains a huge amount of practical advice on what to do, and what not to do, in building a house. If your average builder just read this book they'd learn a lot, as I did, about good design and how to go about achieving it. The rules really aren't that hard to learn, and you can read the whole book in just a few hours, since it's mostly illustrations with some explanatory text. This is money well spent considering how much you'll probably save if you ever decide to build your own house.



2. As a novice looking to renovate my house, it has been a good crash course for me which made me aware of things that I found wrong in houses I saw but couldn't quite put a finger on. In the big scheme of $$ spent on a house renovation, cranking out $25 for this book is small fish and a good start .. but yes, it is limited in what it teaches, mainly what not to build. Four *s regardless, because of the value of the book as a crash course. I saw immediately afterwards what my neighbors should have done to get their renovation right. One may say that the examples in the book of what not to build are obvious, .. but that it the achievement of the book, to highlight them so clearly that they seem obvious.



3. This book brilliantly details what is wrong with american architecture. Too often builders build what clients come up with-no matter it is a monstrosity simply because the bills are paid. Hopefully home owners will read this book and put thought into their homes, rather than going on a wing and a prayer. The before and then the photo shopped afters are masterful. bravo!!!



4. Starting the late 1930's, Architecture schools have been teaching a steady stream of "modernism" to young architects. The rules of architecture that were developed over the course of 2,500 years were tossed out in favor of a new design agenda. However, most new home buyers have never bought into the modernist agenda. They prefer more traditional styles of homes. The result of this mismatch is that many architects were never taught to design traditional styles of homes. One only needs to drive the streets of America's suburbs to see the monstrous results of this failure to educate the nation's architects.
   
   "What Not To Build" is a visual survey of all that has gone wrong in the past half century. Using photographs of actual buildings, the authors show what not to do when building a new house. Then using computer technology, they create new images of the same building that are done correctly. There are over 50 before and after examples and over 300 photos that show how homes can be improved through good design.
   
   The target market for this book are people who are thinking about building a new home. Ideally, this book will help a person working with an architect to see if the proposed design even makes visual sense. Beware, hiring a licensed architect is no guarantee that the architect has any idea how to design a traditional home. This is the largest investment that most home buyers will ever make. It is essential for new home buyers to educate themselves on the basics of good home design. "What Not To Build" is an inexpensive book and the little time spent reading it, can spare a home buyer a real architectural disaster. This book is highly recommended.



5. Ok, it is a fun book to look through, but honestly I can't see how it could help us select house plans which is why we bought it. The house picture on the book cover is obviously made up from many different houses and not what one would see a sane person build. We know what looks good and what we like and wouldn't make the blunders this book warns about.

5 comments about Ultimate Horse Barns.

1. This pictorial gem makes a great gift for the horse-lover in your life. The photographs are absolutely breathtaking.



2. This book has some pretty great pictures! Definitely a great gift for any horse lover that dreams of having their own barn.



3. I live, breathe horses. Ever since the age of 2, when I rode my first horse I have been as they say "horse crazy". I ride horses alot for 4-H and for my school's Equestrian Team and when I saw this book in my Horse Illistrated Magazine and instintly wanted to get it. I looked online for it and found it on its original website, but I didn't want to pay the full price. I searched around an found the best deal here on Amazon.com I read the book cover to cover and still constintally (sp?) look at it. Its a dream of mine to open my own horse barn someday and this book has been a real instiration and a enjoyable book for me!



4. As a lover of horses and pictoral books on design, I have been looking for this type of book on horse barns for quite some time. This book contains a well thought out range of historic and new equine related buildings that have been beautifully photographed. The descriptive passages relating to each property give a very personal and charming look at the development, building process and use of the buildings. My interest in the book was primarily in the photographs which are not over powered by the text. I have purchased a number of other books on the subject but they do not compare to the quality of this publication. For horse lovers, would be barn builders and lovers of unique architecture, I highly recommend "Ultimate Horse Barns".



5. And I thought that people spent a lot of money on houses. Then again, with horses of the caliber being housed here, I suppose the cost of the Ultimate Horse Barns being shown here isn't significant after all. You could build nearly any of them for say $4 to $5 million. Needless to say these are not little sheds just to keep the horse out of the rain.
   
   The buildings included here range from new construction to buildings that are well over a hundred years old. Many of these buildings are part of institutions such as the University of Vermont, the Kiwanis Club of West Toronto. Some belonged to the rich and famous, such as Vanderbilt. Some are working horse farms, but with a specialty in breeding or training high end horses.
   
   Note though that these are working barns. There are horses here, horses being groomes, trained, or like 'Bailey' on page 125 looking out of his stall as if to say, 'OK, it's morning, where's my breakfast.'

3 comments about French Island Elegance.

1. Having read Dr. Connors' previous books, Caribbean Elegance and Cuban Elegance, I looked forward to French Island Elegance. I was not dissapointed.
   
   Once again Dr.Connors has provided us with a well-researched and easily readable narrative accompanied by Bruce Buck's sumptuous photographs. The two of them have developed into a winning team.
   
   French Island Elegance will not only look great on anyone's coffee table, but is a wonderful resource on a subject that heretofore has had none.



2. Sure this could be seen as another stylish table topper where we imagine ourselves sipping bellinis while overlooking fishermen--but what's rare in French Island Elegance when compared to the other three inch thick coasters, is that the author and photographer really did their homework. This is not an embellishment. It's not an ambiance bound between covers either. Connors discusses the rare qualities of Martinique, Guadaloupe, Marie-Galante, and Saint Martin in their own histories of sugar plantations and tobacco dynasties. He examines, quite aesthetically, how the cross section of economic and social histories compose a unique archicture and style not yet lost to the modern world--no, it's not just a pretty book for the coffee table after all.



3. This is a lovely book - suitable on any coffee table.
   I had been looking for a book on Caribbean architecture - historic and contemporary, but had come up short and this book too, did not fit the bill. I found it is mostly about the FURNITURE of the French Caribbean islands. As such, it does an excellent job and in that way, it is fairly similar to the author's other book `Caribbean Elegance'. It certainly has the same look and I think some of the examples may be the same. The pictures are lovely, the furniture is quite unusual and the text proved interesting, though I could have had more.
   The closest I have come to finding a book on Caribbean architecture is `Caribbean Style'.

No comments about Construction Materials, Methods, and Techniques.

2 comments about High-rise Manual.

1. This is a great book for anyone interested in high rises because it includes information on every topic required. The book tackles various subjects such as development, management, site, soils, structural design, facade, building systems and fire protection. in general, it is a great resource book and i highly recommend it!



2. This book features great technical information and is very thorough. I was hoping for a few more floor plans showing the design of cores and their relation to floor plates. Nevertheless, very useful to have.

No comments about Architectural Drafting for Interior Designers.

5 comments about Cabin Fever.

1. Cabin Fever has beautiful photographs reflecting the rustic cabin style. I found inspiration in its pages to guide us as we decorate our new cabin.



2. We spotted this gorgeous book in the lobby of one of our favorite restaurants and I just had to buy it for my husband. Since then, we moved to our dream log cabin in the woods, so now we're reading all about the beautiful log homes across the country, being inspired to settle in and make ours our own.



3. I have been searching for books for months now that would give me real life examples of cabin type homes to use in designing my country home. While there are a lot of books out there on small cabins, I was looking for a book that showed examples that I could incorporate into a larger home. This book is exactly what I was looking for! The photographs are beautiful and truly capture some of the key elements that make these homes special. The author has managed to find some of the best examples out there of truly beautiful, well designed log/natural material homes.

   In addition to the photographs, the narative is also quite entertaining. It helps the reader understand some of the thinking that went into the creation of these great spaces.

   If you are looking for a very enjoyable book with wonderful pictures of a vast collection of cabins (both small and large), then this is the book you have been looking for! I know it was for me; I already have dozens of ideas that I plan on incorporating into my, not so small, cabin. Enjoy!




4. Excellent book with great pirctures of rustic rooms and homes. Great decorating ideas!



5. A great coffee table book for your house or mountain cabin! Most of these "vacation homes" are nicer than our regular houses. Great to curl up with this book in front of the fire.

5 comments about Eichler: Modernism Rebuilds the American Dream.

1. Whether you have an interest in mid-century modern design, Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian architecture or just Eichler...this book is a terrifc buy. While content rich it is still visually appealing and can easily function as a "coffee table" book. This book also serves as a terrific "idea guide" for those in search of small spacce solutions and/or modern landscaping layouts that bring the "outdoors in."



2. This book gives you alot of information. If you are interested in Eichler this is the book to get.



3. Note: This book has 250 duotone photographs. The website run by the author is fantastic.



4. My word! I remember touring Eichler homes in Orange California with my parents. The homes, to me, were spectacular. My parents thought they seemed cheap. They were from the midwest and were used to brick homes built for powerful winters. We moved into another home several blocks from the Eichler Subdivision. I walked past the homes on they way to elementary school and just admired them so much. I guess I will never know what it is like to live in one, but I do know what it was like to tour an Eichler as a model home. What a memory! These are very special homes.

   Scott K Dolik




5. As a Eichler home owner I couldn't wait for this book to arrive and thankfully it was a joy to read and pour over all the original photos in the book. I always knew I owned a special home and now I own a wonderful book that validates that too. Even if you are not a Eichler homeowner, but rather just a fan of mid-century homes this is also a must have for your library as it goes into more then just Joe Eichler and his homes. Enjoy the read!