5 comments about HOME RULES: TRANSFORM THE PLACE YOU LIVE INTO A PLACE YOU'LL LOVE.

1. I really enjoy Nate's first book. Filled with wonderful pics, ideas, inspiration. It's clearly written, uncomplicated, and like a mini meeting with Nate. He encourages the reader to discover their own tastes, needs, etc. with some handy advice along the way. I only wish there were more in depth pics of some of the homes featured! Keep up the great work!



2. What A great book! I'd seen Nate many times on Oprah and always enjoyed his work, the book starts at the beginning and takes you through every room in your home. With great ideas and things you'd never consider doing it is a great manual for those without a clue how to decorate. I'm about to be married and my wife to be and I will be re-doing our apartment straight after our wedding so this book couldn't come into our lives at a better time. Make Nate's Home rules your house rules! And your home will never look better!



3. I was hoping for something a little more informative. Nate doesn't have a dagree in design, and obviously not one in writting a book on it either... Sorry nate. He has good concepts, and knows what should be included in good design. Each room should have history to it, it should tell a story. So pretty much i just summed it up for you in one sentance. now you don't have to buy the book. I am a tough critic tho, because i am an interior design student...



4. I wasn't familiar with Berkus from TV, but love decorating books. Here he shows rooms with before and after photos while describing the challenge and his solutions for it. Each chapter has some questions to help you define what you want your room to feel like and how it should function. I liked the little features like tips for arranging art or the Easy Updates (room changes that could be done in an hour or a day).
   Here are the chapter headings:
   Getting started : inspirations
   At home with color
   Something for everyone : family rooms
   Living large : small spaces
   The right recipe : kitchens
   Rest and relaxation : bedrooms
   The ultimate retreat : bathrooms
   Contain yourself : organizing.



5. In retrospect, I'm not sure I would have purchased this book. It's full of good ideas and I enjoyed the pictures, but once I was finished reading it....
   If you can get a good price on this, go for it. Otherwise you might consider the library.
   But all in all, a good book.

5 comments about Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream.

1. Very well written. The book makes it very easy to understand why our towns and cities are set up like they are and why some are more livable than others.
   
   I purchased this book about five years ago and often still think about the concepts that are explained inside.
   
   I highly recommend it.



2. One of the best books I've read this year. Lots of things that I've
   noticed over the years about places I like and don't like were summarized
   and expounded upon. I hadn't quite realized the effect traffic
   engineering has had on city design.
   
   I felt that it really elucidated a lot of why people are really unhappy
   with their homes, lives, and communities.
   
   This book is extensively footnoted with lots of data to back up opinions.
   There is a huge bibliography into which I'm delving.
   
   However, where it ventures into the social and political realm, it is
   less effective and borders on being one-sided and polemic.
   In one example, the authors state that GM and others
   killed streetcars in 50 cities to get people to take cars rather
   than public transport. If you look into this a little deeper, you'll
   discover that it was probably more to promote their buses, and that the
   truth was a lot more complicated than that. Look up "Great American
   Streetcar Scandal" at wikipedia.



3. This book was recommended by a friend, and since Mr. Duany has been to Sarasota (where I now live) as a consultant, I decided to read it out of general interest. I was pleasantly surprised how readable it was, and many of the concepts of community that I was exposed to as a child were presented. And most importantly, it explained my preferences in leisure vacation travel for the convenient, comfortable community destinations--whether they be in large cities or in nearly rural locations. It is good reading for anyone who is or will be affected by growth or redevelopment.



4. I really must thank the authors for putting this together. I just finished Suburban Nation and I now know why I'm so stressed out all the time living in this "ticky-tacky" world (to borrow a line from the Weeds theme song).
   
   I wish I could do more to help combat sprawl at the moment. However, I'm keeping my eyes open all the time for what works, what doesn't work and I will continue to study this subject so that if and when I'm in a position to either make a move or be part of a decision making body, I will be able to intelligently make my opinion known.



5. It's no wonder that the suburbia style brought so much finance and - why not - mental damage to our everyday lives. We gave up living smartly for living in beautifulness.
   
   I believe that the sense of ownership prevails in suburbia much more than the sense of community. If you live in one for a long time, you probably know what I am talking about. Even if you don't, you might imagine how it feels to be in one.
   
   I lived in one for quite a long time and must recognize its benefits: peacefulness, plenty of space to stroll around and not much of noisy neighbors. Surely it has its advantages. I really admire how beautiful some neighborhoods really are and can remain when apart from the hassles of the inner city.
   
   But the need of taking my car to do absolutely everything from my basic needs just started to bother me as time went by and as my bills started to rise from such crazy oil consumption. One of the reasons why we are the biggest spenders in the entire planet is certainly the suburb predominance all over the country. Any doubt about it?
   
   This book is absolutely wonderful. It traces back to the WWII era when everything started out. Government has promoted all of the land development we see today and which is still in high demand, unfortunately. What once was a success formula to promote economic development is today a "cancer" that we have to live and deal with. We were imposed to a lifestyle that we didn't necessarily want to live, and we now pay high taxes just to keep this "monster" alive. As the book brightly states on its pages: suburbs were made for cars, not human beings.
   
   At some point in the book, authors state something that for me it is absolutely true: the archictecture is a science which is very undervalued in America. Obsolete and outdated zoning ordinances, traffic engineers more worried about the flow and the trucks that could pass on the streets and, most of all, community planning based on numbers and not aesthetics are the major rules when a new development takes place, leaving no room for smart development.
   
   Smart growth requires a lot of thinking, and for the long run, but thinking isn't really one of the best characteristics of land developers and home builders who have no expertise on archictecture issues, but only on how to make money fast and effortlessly. However, I have to recognize that it's not all their fault. Smart growth will also require a major cultural shift from a society which became used with such sprawl standards, whether living this way is beneficial or not.
   
   The book not only shows what went wrong with such aged growth policies, but also proposes solutions for building smarter towns and stimulates the creation of a community sense that today is just missing. Carefully written, is a reading that won't put you at sleep.

5 comments about The Simple Home: The Luxury of Enough (American Institute Architects).

1. I adore this book. I am a professional organizer and it really speaks to me and my clients about downsizing and the privilege it is to have a home that is uncluttered and 'just enough'. Thank you for a wonderful book.



2. Great book to help you get focused on the necessities of your house. It makes you think what is necessary and what really is not. Do you really need two ovens...etc. After reading or more realistically paging through several other books I found myself jotting down notes made from this book that really hit home. Our lives are fast paced and complicated enough, so it was wonderful to hear the great thoughts of Sarah Nettleton. I recommend this book along with The Farmhouse by Jean Rehkamp Larson and the New Old House by Russell Versaci. Great Job Sarah Nettleton!



3. Wonderful case studies about 20 homes with good explanations about material choices, site considerations, and the people who own them. It's a Taunton Press book, so the photos are great, of course. I especially like the floor plan illustrations that support the photos and give a sense of flow through the houses.



4. This book is amazing! The pictures are great, and so well coordinated with the text that the reader can truly "see" each house. For anyone dreaming of a second home, or a more efficient first home, this is an ideal volume.



5. Sarah Nettleton's THE SIMPLE HOME: THE LUXURY OF ENOUGH defines the concept of a 'simple home' and offers interior design tips to achieving satisfaction from a basic home design. This involves eliminating non-essentials and practicing restraint: six avenues to achieving a 'greener' lifestyle from this approach blends full-page color photos with comments on designs which refine and simplify the home - perfect for new students of interior design and homeowners contemplating reconstruction.

1 comments about Stonescaping Idea Book (Tauton's Idea Book Series).

1. Lots of pictures, mortar and dry-stone, a little bit of everything. Makes you look at your yard with different eyes.

5 comments about Architectural Graphic Standards.

1. A standard reference work on building components and design considerations - with many excellent diagrams. Although the book has a technical focus, a little perspective on the constructability and suitablity of componets and systems for specific applications would add value.
   
   Also, some additonal treatment of new chemical related technologies that are now mainstream, such as chemical anchors and carbon fiber reinforcing, would be helpful.
   
   Choosing Project Success - A Guide for Building Professionals



2. The new version of Architectural Graphic Standards is an impossible book to use. It reflects a component approach to putting a building together instead of looking at the totality of a building. The Eleventh Edition omits basic information, for example, like the exhaustive catalogue of material and electrical symbols found in previous additions. The book now has an attitude that follows the mantra of the American Institute of Architects with regard to issues like sustainability and visitability. Any architect with a conscience incorporates these values into actual practice, so to have whole sections on these subjects is like preaching to the converted. The book is really an editorial snow job on the profession. The metal plate on the front cover is truly pretentious while the pages inside have been physically downgraded to an almost tissue-like quality.
   
   By changing the format of the book so radically from the previous organization (without any kind of cross referencing) of the construction divisions that guided the profession for decades, looking for information is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
   
   If, as a practicing architect with 30 years experience, I find the book problematic then I would not even want to fathom how a young practitioner could wade through this disorganized, inadequate mess. If Ramsey and Sleeper, the original authors, saw this book today I think they would be rolling in their graves.



3. For over 70 years, architects have been using a valuable reference book, "Architectural Graphic Standards."
   
   "Architectural Graphic Standards" (11th edition) is organized roughly per the UniFormat(r) classification system, i.e., by function instead of by product or material. This new edition has expanded and new content covering contemporary issues, such as LEED standards, green materials, sustainable construction, recyclability, new building systems, structural technologies, universal, and accessible design strategies, computing technologies including Building Information Modeling (BIM) and CAD/CAM, etc. It may take you a while to get used to this new format, but the information is still valuable and current.
   
   "Architectural Graphic Standards" has 1120 pages (9.7 x 11.6 inches large format) and numerous line drawings. It is a must-have for architects, landscape architects and urban planners, interior designers, engineers or any other building-related design professionals.



4. I'm really disappointed to find that my big, beatiful new edition of Architectural Graphic Standards does not contain everything that previous editions did. I was so happy to have my very own copy and now will have to also buy a 10th edition to get everything. Check it out before you buy!



5. I received the new Graphic Standards today. It is filled with lots of additional information. If one were to take the time and look through the whole book, they would find almost everything they are looking for. The layout is different from previous versions. All one has to do is re-familarize their self with the new layout and it won't be confusing. Oh yeah, and it gives great examples.
   
   Thanks!

1 comments about Forgotten Modern California Houses 1940-1970.

1. Modern is not new. It has a history and this book remind us about it.
   The language of Modern Architecture change in time but au fond remains the same. The book is nice, good photos and has many examples of old modern.

5 comments about In A Mexican Garden: Courtyards, Pools, and Open-Air Living Rooms.

1. This book is an explosion of beautiful colours on every page! It is filled with beautiful photographs of Mexican outdoor living and the commentary is concise but clear, enabling the reader to copy the ideas found in the book. I intend to use the book to create my own Mexican/Spanish style courtyard.



2. I was very surprise whith the quality of the presentation and the beautiful pictures. Excellent!!



3. I love this book! The beautiful photographs give the reader great ideas on how to design and decorate.



4. I love the pictures and ideas presented, but after 2 days, the binding had pulled away from the pages!! I think that is flaw that needs fixing.



5. I chose this book to help give me some ideas as to how to " Mexicanise " my garden.
   So what with the yuccas, agaves & cacti i'm well on the way, just need to add more colour & fragrance to it.
   
   I also bought Mexicasa and Mexicolor.

5 comments about The Hand-Sculpted House: A Practical and Philosophical Guide to Building a Cob Cottage: The Real Goods Solar Living Book.

1. It's a guide. No matter if you will be building in cob or not, it' real pleasure to read this book. I recommend it heartfully.



2. This will sound like a strange thing to say about a book on building, but I've been moved to tears reading this. One might think that the authors of such a book would be Luddites proposing a return to savagery or some such, but this is not the case. What they propose, beautifully, is a return to sanity and perspective.
   
   The subtitle of this book, "A Practical and Philosophical Guide..." is dead on accurate. This book is eminently practical and the philosophy of it one of learning to really live and love life rather than struggling to overcome the multitude of unnecessary obstacles we impose on ourselves. It talks not only about building a house from cob, but deals at length with the sort of observation of the world around us that was common in preindustrial times that has, sadly, been largely lost.
   
   Even if you have no plans at all for building your own house (from cob or any other material) read this book. If you are a teacher or parent, read this book with the children in your charge. This is a great way to help them develop an appreciation of the world around them and spark an interest in science. What could be more interesting to a child (and the child within us all) than learning from the beauty of what naturally occurs around us?
   
   A beautiful and informative book.



3. I bought this for myself as a Christmas present, on a whim; little did I know I would spend hours with it after its arrival.
   The authors detail building with cob (a mixture of sand, clay, straw, and water) - from the design stages (including land selection) to adding sculptural details. While writing about cob's uses, they also tell the reader where cob should not be used (wet, low-lying areas). This is a well-written, very accessible book for anyone who is curious about environmentally-friendly building techniques.
   Because of this book, my fiancé no longer thinks I'm crazy for wanting a "greener" house without a mortgage. I'd call that a success.



4. For me this book has covered all the bases. Not only has it inspired me to take on building with cob in the near future it has awakened my entire family to the possibility of building with alternative materials. The more I read it the more I appreciate it.



5. They weren't kidding when they told me that this was the cob builders bible! I agree that Becky Bee's "The Cob Builders Handbook" is also, a must have. I actually would suggest reading that one first. If you are serious about building with cob, then just buy it already. Even if you already know everything, like I do (Ha :) Ha) from being a builder for almost two decades and growing up in a family of them. It's worth it's weight and then some! A must read and reference.

5 comments about Designing California Native Gardens: The Plant Community Approach to Artful, Ecological Gardens.

1. This book is a must have for the California native gardener. I'd say the book's biggest strength is in its' inspiration- contains nice photographs of natural landscapes and gardens modeled after them. It groups plants by communities which is nice, though maybe hard to do. I know I live in an area which doesn't fit exactly into of any of the communities they list, but I can still get the idea they are trying to convey, and look around at what is in my community. California is so diverse you almost want a bunch of more specific and in-depth books for different areas inside California, but I guess maybe those areas of interest are too small to sell enough books to make it worth the while.
   
   It does a good job listing different kinds of plants, my only complaint with this book is that I would have liked more pictures accompanying each plant for which information is given- because you really can't tell from the brief physical description what the plant looks like. As someone else has mentioned, this book is best paired with California Native Plants For The Garden. However, this complaint should be taken with a grain of salt, for designing a California native garden I think this book is the best on the market. Together, these two books provide the backbone to build your California native plant book collection around.



2. Love this book, gets you to think in terms of plant groupings & not just on a singular level.



3. -We need more books like this to make Native Gardening more amenable. What "Landscapers' Challenge" did for Landscaping, this book will hopefully start to do to open up the still rather arcane world of Native Plants. It is practical and full of detailed, appropriate, high quality photographs of sample materials. Visually on par with "Landscape Plants for Western Regions" by Perry.



4. This book is excellent, with many good photographic examples of complete native landscape. It also set for an excellent philosophy for landscape design for the both the use of native and non-native plants. However it really shouldn't be thought of as a complete source for native gardening. I would also suggest that you pick up 'California Native Plants for the Garden' by Carol Bornstein, David Fross, and Bart O'Brien. Even between these two books all of the possibilities for beautiful California native plants and landscapes created using them have not yet been fully explored, but these books are an excellent start.



5. This is the book I have been waiting for! It has all the information to learn about and appreciate the value and beauty of native gardening. Practical and inspirational, with lovely photos and illustrations. The book helps the reader incorporate the beauty found in nature in a home plot. If I were going to buy one book about making/keeping a garden, this would be it.

5 comments about Broken Buildings, Busted Budgets: How to Fix America's Trillion-Dollar Construction Industry.

1. A decent book and well written but it is thin on solutions and alternatives. Changing the construction contract is the theme of this book and the only relevant solution proposed.



2. I was disappointed by this book. It started out very well, with a promise to unlock the mysteries of a horribly inefficient industry. Hoping to find a manifesto for change, I instead found the proposed solution quite underwhelming.
   
   The authors laboriously breakdown the current system in great detail, setting the stage and mentally preparing the reader for the great unveiling. And I kept waiting for that moment to come when the "ah-ha" would happen and everything would click into place. I had to double check that I was done when I reached the Notes section to make sure that there wasn't any more. "Is that it?" I thought.
   
   It does provide a fascinating look at the inner workings of the industry. It is a good read for anybody in the construction industry, whether as an owner, contractor, or design professional. The authors certainly do give you a lot to think about, but little promise that it can be adopted industry-wide.
   
   I recommend reading this book, but do not expect it to be world-changing.



3. Barry LePatner's essay on the state of the failed construction world in the US reminds us that not all things are created equal. The concepts of financial leverage, specialization of trades, diffusion of risk, and vertical/horizontal integration are explained so the lay person can grasp the intent of the book. The essential truths of "time, price, and quality" have been replaced by "time value of money" and this theme is quietly woven throughout the book.
   
   No single volume can elucidate the myriad forces affecting an industry some call the `second oldest profession,' but Mr. LePatner's admirable attempt to uncover the sources of inefficient and cost overrun construction makes us want to understand more. It used to be there was an `art' to construction that matched the glorious designs of prolific architects and what was built was a source of pride for all. Mr. LePatner's book is both nostalgic and forward thinking; it offers us glimpses of the malaise that characterizes the antiquated design-bid-build business model.
   
   Not since Dana Cuff's "Architecture: The Story of Practice"--the exposé about the esoteric underpinnings of the architectural profession--has an essay attempted to exorcise the silent demons lurking in the counterpart profession of construction. If asymmetric information is a source for unequal footing at the outset of every project, perhaps the economic context of construction too is antiquated.
   
   I appreciate the boldness with which Mr. LePatner argues his position. As a developer and financier of high-end real estate, I empathize with each scenario illustrated. The lessons and practical advice to owners to overcome false starts and overbudgets are put forward with a studied determination guided by good intentions. Will Mr. LePatner's book single-handedly be the catalyst to fix the construction industry? No one can predict the future, but we can't say he didn't warn us. -Roy R. Pachecano, Real Estate Columnist, BUILDERnews Magazine



4. LePatner is a lawyer and he sees a lot of nightmare projects in his practice. Unfortunately, LePatner doesn't see the successful projects, the ones which are finished on time, on budget and the clients are happy.
   
   I'm seeing a growing division between what happens in the field and what happens in the office. Technology has made the office more efficient and also more dependent. My fellow arm-chair managers are constantly at our desks, buried in e-mail, and married to our computers. We've invested time to learning mountains of software applications, but we've sacrificed our hands-on knowledge.
   
   The traditional career path for project managers has also changed, the old days of putting your time in the field has changed to putting your time in college, then starting to manage projects. From my personal college experience, I didn't spend much time bolting things together. We are transferring more of the coordination process from the office and moving it into the field.
   
   As things move to the field we're starting to deal with a lethal combination: rising labor costs and dropping productivity. Simply put, things are arriving in the field, but their not ready to be installed: now every minute is burning money.
   
   LePatner offers advice, which is dead on: an owner needs a qualified person to decipher the mountains of information and technical complexities, but I think it's time for the industry to start getting back to the basics: good projects come from great builders.



5. This book will not make contractors happy, but anyone in the business for more that few years will recognize the author's critique. Our industry has not grown from craft to professional management. We resist improvement and defend the status quo. The author points out the flaws in our industry, provides valuable history lessons, and then suggests, in principle, that equal information for owners and builders might help balance the scales.
   
   I don't know that these suggestions will amount to more than so many other attempts to bring construction into the 19-th (let alone 21st century). But looking at the truth straight on seems to help one resolve to do better; for the owner it serves as a caution. A bit repetative, but insightful and most certainly worth reading. My compliments to the author for good research and blunt talk.