5 comments about House Thinking: A Room-by-Room Look at How We Live (P.S.).

1. I found the basic concept of this book to be fascinating. The author takes on the task of walking us through each room in the traditional American house and analyzing not the furniture and decor, but the life and psychology of each. The result should be a series of insights into how we can design our living spaces to support and even create behaviors that are beneficial to us. And in some cases, this is what we get. But all too often - indeed, for the majority of the book - Gallagher seems to veer off course and talk about the history and sociology associated with each room. While this is an interesting topic in and of itself, the lack of a consistent method from room to room can be both confusing and distracting. As an example, here are the approaches taken for two rooms: For the section on the living room, the author describes the psychology of refuge and prospect in a way that is potentially useful for anyone trying to figure out why their house does not seem to offer them the feeling of comfort and belonging they would like. For the section on the kitchen, we are treated to the historical background of women's literal place in the home, and the way the kitchen has evolved with and contributed to the feminist movement. Both sections are well written and interesting, but only the first supported my goal of learning how to create a comfortable home.
   
   This lack of of focus cripples what could have been both a very readable and very useful book. As it is, while "House Thinking" is still well worth reading, it will not be a book that earns a place of honor in your library. Or your living room. Or bedroom.



2. I work with architects & interior designers every day to design commerical space, so I'm familiar with the ideas the author was trying to communicate. The concept of how we live in our homes and how design has evolved in America and throughout the world is fascinating. The author has done a tremendous amount of research. At the end of the book I was left feeling like I'd read a draft of someone's doctoral dissertation, with a lot of editing still to be done. As others have mentioned, the lack of pictures and illustrations is a huge oversight. Even for those of us familiar with design concepts & nomenclature, it is nearly impossible to wade through the descriptions given--I felt like I was being tested to translate her observations into a vision that reconciled to her conclusions. Furthermore, I think the organization of the book, a room-by-room analysis of how design has evolved, although logical in approach--did not mesh well with what the author was trying to communicate. She would often go off on a tangent siting research, trends throughout history and psychological implications that may have applied to the "room" in question, but were often as relevant or irrelevant to any other room, yard or community she might have chosen to elaborate on.
   
   This might be a good book to introduce the evolution of design to someone with little prior knowledge (which is why I'm generous in providing 2 stars); especially at the current bargain prices on Amazon. Otherwise, I'd recommend passing this one by.



3. Enjoyed this book a lot though it is not a "decorating book" in the usual sense. I agree pictures would have been a delightful addition but I can see how it would have increased the costs and size of the book too much to be affordable. I found the insights into how our home spaces have evolved over time, and why we use them the way we do to be very entertaining. This book helps you think about how you use your space, and what feels good and right to you so your choices in decorating, remodeling or purchasing a home can be more deliberate. (You may actually understand why you fell in love with a house, or one room just feels so good, and another so bad!) It is easy to read and so entertaining, I hated to put it down.



4. This is a really neat, unusual book in that it goes room by room through American homes and talks about what those rooms mean to us culturally and how their cultural meaning has evolved over time. It's a lot of fun if you have an interest in design, architecture or social/cultural history. A lot of what she said or pointed out had me hitting myself on the forehead and saying, "Duh! Of course it's that way for a reason." I really enjoyed the experience of reading this book and enjoy having names for concepts I veguely already had.



5. A well-researched book on the psychology of our living spaces, with practical suggestions for looking around our own homes with fresh eyes. In this way, we can often reconfigure an area so that it better serves its intended function without resorting to expensive remodeling projects. But why on earth are there no illustrations or photos at all? The author describes countless examples of homes across America, both landmark sites (such as Washington's Mount Vernon and Jefferson's Monticello) and homes that could be in our own neighborhoods, but the point she is trying to make is often lost among the words when a simple photo or two would have worked beautifully. I'm holding off on buying this book in hopes that the paperback edition will include the photos that should have been included in the first release.

3 comments about The Ultimate Book of Lighthouses.

1. Nice photography, nice text but too US-centric to deserve the title "Ultimate book" knowing that the worlds most interesting lighthouses are in Europe and this book only shows you US lighthouses (I have to admit, they are kinda nice too).
   
   If you are looking for a more comprehensive book there are other options.



2. The cover picture of the West Point Lighthouse on Prince Edward Island, Canada was of particular interest to me since my Grandfather Capt Michael Howard sailed his schooners out of Brae Harbor and used the light as his guide. The lighthouse is now a hotel and restaurant and reservations are a year in advance. I stay nearby several times yearly and have breakfast there regularly. it is a beautiful spot ad you have to be there to appreciate it. When I first saw the text I was so pleasantly surprised that of all the lighthouses in USA & Canada they picked the home area of my Mom & Dad!!



3. The cover picture of the West Point Lighthouse on Prince Edward Island, Canada was of particular interest to me since my Grandfather Capt Michael Howard sailed his schooners out of Brae Harbor and used the light as his guide. The lighthouse is now a hotel and restaurant and reservations are a year in advance. I stay nearby several times yearly and have breakfast there regularly. it is a beautiful spot ad you have to be there to appreciate it. When I first saw the text I was so pleasantly surprised that of all the lighthouses in USA & Canada they picked the home area of my Mom & Dad!!

2 comments about China Modern.

1. This book is at the cutting-edge of today's modern Chinese interior design. The selection of the featured projects covers a wide range of style. Generally speaking, the majority of these projects are great works (except for one HK house). I have personally been to several of the places featured in this book. The text and the pictures captured the beauty of these places and provided rich information about the cultural values behind decoration and designing. Simply put, this is a high quality book. I can feel that the authors are really serious about the content and have done a lot of research. If you like Chinese style and modern decoration, this is definitely an excellent source.



2. written by obviously one of the region's foremost authorities on Chinese design and interiors having been in Hongkong with Elle Decor and other excellent publications for many years, Sharon Leece knows her way around the traditional feng shui and new leanings of the China elite as well as the western expat with a home and heart in Asia. Creative and informative text and fabulous photos take the reader on a trip into another world of China Decor uptil now unseen but sure to be come a trend worldwide. Check out her other China interior books for even more wonderful shots of lush and lavish spaces.

1 comments about Islamic Architecture: Form, Function, and Meaning.

1. This is an excellent book about Islamic Architecture. It offers a comprehensive coverage of building typologies, their influences, and the context (historical and geographic) within which these types can be found. However, I cannot use it as a textbook alone. I need to complement the content with other sources that talk about cultural context as both determinants and modifiers of the built form. I complement the book with George Michell's "Architecture of the Islamic World", the work of AlSayyad, Rapport, and many of the published work of the Aga Khan program.

2 comments about New Orleans Houses: A House Watchers Guide.

1. I subscribe to Dwell magazine, and I like Modernist architecture as much as the next guy. But the old homes in New Orleans are not like their companions in other cities. New Orleans does everything differently. So people come to eat here and they say "WOW, I have never had soup like THIS.." Or, "I've been to so many clubs in my life and I have NEVER heard music like THAT...." There is a playfulness and mischeivous quality to New Orleans Victorian homes, for example, that is just thriling and exicting, no matter what your architectural tastes. It is like the jazz music which New Orleans invented. Its been almost a century now and yet it keeps finding endless new fresh expressions here -- often by humble bands playing for nothing at tiny, rough venues. So if you've spent some time exploring Victorian homes you may be sick of them. You go to a place like Cape May, NJ and you think, "Yeah. these are all very pretty, but they are pretty conventional." You understand why the style seemed to run its course and wear out, bleeding into Arts and Crafts or Art Deco things after about 50 years.
   
   New Orleans has followed some of these architectural trends too. Yet it has always given its own distinctive mark, with wild variety and exuberant detail that makes these stand out. Like the food or the jazz, New Orleans homes are just different.
   
   Lloyd Vogt is a very able guide, who can wrestle out some common threats among the wild variety. He brings some order to the chaos. Written in 1985 Vogt traces the major movements with clearly written essays and lovely illustrations. A glossary in the back is extremely helpful as well.
   
   In 175 large pages Vogt takes us through Colonial (1718-1803), Postcolonial (1803-1830), Antebellum (1830-62), Victorian (1862-1900), Early Twentieth Century (1900-40) and Modern (1940-) periods. With staggering attention to detail, given the incredible creativity New Orleans brought to each style, he walks us through French Colonial Plantation Homes, Creole Cottage, Creole Townhouse, Porte-Cochere Townhouse, Entresol House, American Cottage, Double-Gallery House, Shotguns (single, double and camelback), corner storehouses, Georgian, etc.
   
   From these basic outlines, he next takes us to the evolving house styles: French Colonial, Creole, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italiante, Second Empire, Eastlaek, Bracket, Queen Anne, Richardsonian Romanesque, Georgian Colonial Revival, Neoclassical Revival, Tudor Revival, Bungalow Style, Spanish Colonial Revival, International Style, etc.!
   
   With each style he give detailed sketches, struggling to come up with a sort of 'ideal' (often impossible with all the flamboyance and originality of New Orleans). Arrows identify individual features.
   
   My personal favorite is Eastlake Vctorians, which were the most common style in New Orleans 1880-1905, especially in Uptown. We bought a 1902 shotgun double in the heart of Uptown in 2006. Like so many others here, it was originally built for a humble working class family and yet is full of playful and lovely details that cost extra time and money. There is a joy and a passion of expression that gives a window into the spirit of New Orleans. Vogt's book is the most helpful work I found for understanding and enjoying our place. I have bought several copies for my office, visitors to the city, friends, etc.
   
   Good companion volumes are the New Orleans Architecture series (volume VIII, University Section, covers my immediate neighborhood).



2. I've read many other books (both photographic and textual) about New Orleans architecture. The great part about this one is that it's all line drawings which makes the elements of the houses very distinguishable and crystal clear. A great companion for New Orleans fans to deepen their appreciation.

4 comments about Ecological Design and Building Schools: Green Guide to Educational Opportunities in the United States and Canada.

1. I was very pleased to finally find a well written and thoroughly comprehensive study of the options out there for someone looking for an education based on ecological design. This is a very important and developing area of study and needs specific attention. When I was in school for design you only had "word of mouth" on what was out there for a design education based on the environment. The author has obviously recognized the need for such a resource for people interested in design, as well as people interested in teaching and implementing sustainable design programs. Great book. I may buy another to send to some old professors. Very recomended.



2. I have been interested in Ecological Building (primarily Cob Building)for at least 14 years and have logged many hours online in search of schools and courses. Thankfully someone gave me a copy of this book and I now have a compendium of schools at my fingertips. The 'Program Tables,'comparisons of schools' curriculum. learning environment etc. were particularly useful and the school 'Profiles' were very inspiring (eg. EcoVillage at the Farm) for a novice builder like myself.
   
   Being Canadian, I appreciated that research on Building schools was carried out for my country and included both schools that I recognize and ones that were new to me.
   
   Any student of Ecological Design and Building will find this book an invaluable resource. Buy it!



3. The rise of environmental design or "green" architecture is by far the most important movement in architecture and the building industry for the last two decades. And for years young people have faced the daunting task of finding the best education to meet their needs. My architectural office is constantly receiving questions from students asking where they should study. At last we have a clear and effective guide to the broad range of opportunities to learn about sustainable design.
   
   The guide takes on the very broad and sometimes confusing diversity of ecological design fields, from "natural building" schools to institutions that offer study in more technological solutions. This book covers an incredible range of schools, including traditional 4 year college as well as part-time schools, post-professional education, and organizations that provide hands-on instruction.
   
   The book is very well organized, and I found the ratings charts of the schools to be especially clear and useful. I only wish there were more of the concise 1 page profiles that paint a very clear portrait of what the schools are like. While students still have to do more personal research as to which school will ultimately suit them best, they now have an excellent base to get them started.



4. I was waiting for this book to be published, because I was told from multiple sources that it was going to be a good source for ecological design and building schools, but i was extremely disappointed in this book. It is in no way comprehensive and I am not sure why you would publish a book like this that was not comprehensive.
   
   There is some decent information in here, but nothing that you can't get from spending a little bit of time doing some searches on the internet.
   
   It is a shame, because this type of book is needed and a great idea.

1 comments about New American Interiors (New American).

1. This book continues in the series of modern American residential design being done by the Whitney Library of Design. As the name implies, this volume concentrates on interior design. It discusses and illustrated some 20 interior design projects by some of Americas leading firms.
   
   The photography is absolutely top notch, as was the selection of the homes and apartments to be photographed. The description to go along with the photography describes what the designer had in mind when selecting the furniture, art, and colors of the room.
   
   The projects in this book cover a wide range of interior designs from the ultra modern to traditional. It makes it clear that the art of interior design is not dead, although you will certainly have to have a strong bank account to afford some of these rooms. Excellent.

2 comments about Living in Sri Lanka.

1. The only previous review (by Bunbury) is very well worth reading, and I will not repeat what was said there, except for this: "the real usefulness of this book for travellers lies in its coverage of hotels." That is absolutely right, but I would state it differently because the book is not designed to be useful in that sense.
   
   I would say that in addition to being an extraordinary guide to a host of very beautiful houses, the book serves an unexpected function: It can be used as a guide to some of the whackiest places to stay that Sri Lanka has to offer. You will get a far better sense of what the places look like than you will find on a travel site.
   
   That, as I said, is incidental. What this book is really about is showing how a variety of people have converted a variety of structures into places to live in Sri Lanka. Three things about this book are especially noteworthy. First, the quality of the book itself, which was printed in Singapore. It is what I would expect of a book costing twice as much. Second, the technical quality of the photographs, and the printing thereof, which is very high. Third, the sheer beauty of most of the subjects.
   
   There is only one other book which brought the sights and sounds of Sri Lanka rushing back to me the way this one does. That book was all text (Michael Ondaatje's 'Running in the Family'), this one is largely pictures. Anyone who has the slightest interest in the subject ought to buy this book, and anyone who has lived in Sri Lanka, as I have, will be greatly rewarded by this wonderful collection of evocative photos and very interesting accompanying text.



2. Where to live the Sri Lankan dream
   
   THERE are glossy lifestyle books in abundance, luring voyeurs with their perfect depictions of art-directed homes, unblemished gardens and, most inspirational of all, interiors free of any sign of real (read: messy, cluttered) life.
   
   Living in Sri Lanka by James Fennell and Turtle Bunbury (Thames & Hudson, $75) delivers the dream: page after glorious page of airy villas with colonnades and courtyards, rattan furniture, colonial antiques and four-posters festooned with mosquito netting. It's enough to make you wish for instant retirement, defiantly ensconced in a planter's chair waiting for the first G&T of the day.
   
   Fennell is the capable photographer, while the splendidly named Bunbury (who, we must imagine, forever wears a turtleneck jumper, even in the tropics), described as a "traveller in the grand tradition", has penned the words.
   
   And while his text is very good, and the cross-section of featured properties covers many styles of architecture and interior design, the real usefulness of this book for travellers lies in its coverage of hotels.
   
   Nestled between the divine images of private residences lie villas for rent, boutique hotels such as Colombo House in the capital's upmarket Cinnamon Gardens district, and Sri Lanka's best-loved accommodation. In Galle, there's architect Geoffrey Bawa's radical Lighthouse Hotel and the charming Doornberg, a restored 18th-century Dutch homestead. These hotels attract the likes of the Australian cricket team, A-list celebrities such as Sting, and architects and designers galore.
   
   If Fennell and Bunbury had neglected to include the rainbow that is Helga's Folly in the hill station of Kandy, the book would be a lesser publication. This gem of a hotel is, quite simply, the maddest place I have stayed. But here it is, in all its exuberant glory, with red walls, an overload of murals, painted ceilings, the whole bangshoot just bursting at the seams with the bric-a-brac of its owner, Helga de Silva Perera Blow, every inch as aristocratic and eccentric as her name suggests. Not to be missed by anyone hoping for a window into Kandy society.
   
   Susan Kurosawa

5 comments about Tropical Asian Style.

1. This is a great book, I never get sick of looking at it. Highly recommend for lover of Asian stle living



2. After reading it, I wanted to knock down every wall in my house. Or at least remove the window glass. My next house will definitely be designed based on the rooms in this book.

   I didn't read much of the text because the pictures were so captivating. They show every aspect of the tropical Asian house, except perhaps kitchens, which seem to be nothing more than a stove-type device near the dining area. The predominant theme is living among nature and even inviting it to share the living space with you (or is it the other way around?). Instead of windows and doors, you see slatted screens and netting. Very romantic. And a far cry from most of America's obsession with locks and glass. I need to move......




3. My dream is to be surrounded by teak and orchids, eating curry and sipping lime juice, and not owning any sort of time piece. Since that isn't going to happen for several more years I bought this book. I am neither a designer nor a photographer so my only input is how this book makes me feel. I have come to love Southeast Asia after several all too brief trips to the region and Tropical Asian Style, specifically Tettoni's photos, has brought some life to my dull suburban living room. And, while I realize that this book comprises several distinct cultures, it is the overall effect, not any particular region, that is so overwhelmingly beautiful. If you feel trapped in your American workaholic routine, this book is a wonderful diversion.



4. This is an excellent look at the best examples of tropical Asian luxury living.

   It is not a detailed exploration of regional design elements (look to Bali Style, Thai Style, Tropical Garden Design, et al, for the next degree of depth). It is, however, a rich overview of the best of SEAsian luxury architecture and furnishings.

   Every page is simply gorgeous, with photos "bleeding" out past the paper, one trait of a good coffee table or style book. There is little or no image repetition in the coverage of the homes or boutique hotels featured, and each photo is perfectly focused, every composition seen in its best light.

   In all the shuffle of Thai grandeur, Balinese earthiness, and Malaysian simplicity, the book might at first glance seem to be presenting a kind of fusion. I think it's fair to say that there is plenty of contemporary blurring of the distinctions between regions, but the reader can also look for regional elements and quickly learn them. Each property is given its own mini-chapter, which helps a lot. And the regional details and sensibilities really come alive when you read the accompanying texts, which are the work of expert style writers.

   In fact, the contributors list reads like a who's who of style gurus. There is the clever and quippy Made Wijaya, descriptive Diana Darling, the meticulous William Warren, and details-minded Robert Powell. It's a great read!




5. I am a collector of Luca Invernizzi Tettoni's work because ALL of them is a visual feast for the eyes. This talented man has a knack for details and never fails to capture the vivid and glowing nuances that represents the best of Southest Asia's style. Take it from me, living in the same environment, I sometimes take it for granted. This book is more than just a coffee-table piece, to complement the gorgeous photography , the text , written by various specialists, will enlighten you with well researched information on local crafts and traditions. It also shows the transformation that SEA architecture and interior designs have undergone; overall a fascinating mix 'n' match of vernacular designs and contemporary style.

1 comments about American Barns and Covered Bridges (Americana).

1. A great book if you are into bridges