Review of American Farmhouses: Country Style and Design (Hardcover)

I grew up in California agriculture and the houses selected for this book bare little resemblence to Western farmhouses.All the houses are from east of the Mississippi, mostly East Coast and very old.There is one Texas farmhouse from the Civil War era.

It seems that the design strategy of the owners has been to restore the old farmhouse ambience with older style elements.In California we try to reach the ambience of the farmhouse but with modern elements and techniques.If this is your objective then the book is still interesting but it won't give you much direct inspiration.

I rate it three stars because the author forgot that the western US has its own farmhouse style and we happen to be American also.A more appropriate title would have been "Colonial American Farmhouses".

- jim



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Review of Home by Design: Transforming Your House Into Home (Hardcover)

This book is divided into three parts (space, light, order) and 27 chapters. Each chapter has a two-page spread introducing the topic (e.g. Changes in Level), with one full-page and several smaller photos, followed by a two-page spread giving examples of the concepts (e.g. Stairs as Sculpture, Lowered Room, Raised Room, Platforms, Over Under), with one or two illustrating photos or sketches and a couple of paragraphs for each. Following is about 4 pages profiling how the concept is used in one house. Some chapters include a half-page feature on the concept as used in public architecture, or using doctored photos to show how a space looks with and without the concept (e.g. show a space with a lowered soffit and without).
I found Susanka's first book, The Not So Big House, a helpful reference when buying my current quite-small house 4 years ago. It's far from architecturally designed, but allows light on two sides of major rooms, and I arranged furniture and art to use diagonal views and create window-seat-like spots on the edge of the living and dining rooms. The lack of visual connection between the living room and kitchen/dining area does, as predicted, make that room less used.
Her second book, Creating the Not So Big House, I found a helpful continuation of the theme, and I expect to use concepts I learned in both in five years or so when I hope to be looking for a slightly larger house in the same school district--land prices here would preclude building new. I'm trying to train my eye to figure out what is fixable with minor remodeling, or even a paint/drapery/furniture change, and what is intractable or very costly to fix, a skill I don't yet have a natural instinct for.
So I bought this book hoping to add to my toolkit. Many themes are well-illustrated, but I miss the focus on individual houses from Creating--the featured home sections show a couple of striking highlights, but I really wanted to see how it all worked together. There's no scale on the floorplans, so you can't tell how big a huge-seeming space really is. If you have read books from the Taunton Press, or Inspired Home magazine, you've seen some of these homes before. And by and large these are million dollar homes, including a truly beautiful two-story pool-house/gymnasium. It's stunning, but since you don't need to furnish it or lay it out to work like you do a home, how useful is this example? Of course, if you're thinking of building an elaborate two-story poolhouse, buy this book...
The doctored photos are an inspired idea, useful in identifying patterns that matter to you and those that don't. I confirmed that changes in ceiling height often irritate me, while aligning views is important. The two photos of the same space are a much better comparison than two photos of different rooms, since the only difference is the ceiling height, open view, trim line, etc.
Overall, the book is useful but not as strong as the others by the author. If you have those, you may not need this. I wish I'd gotten it from the library, and perhaps bought the paperback version in a year.
I would buy a book about Estes Twombley's architecture--in this and Creating they showcase comparably modest homes, made special by attention to detail. I'd like to see more of that, and fewer mansions--even if not mcmansions, they still aren't something I ever plan to buy or build.



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Review of Linda Applewhite's Architectural Interiors: Transforming Your Home with Decorative Structural Elements (Hardcover)

I gave three stars to this book since I am a fan of the author through her previous appearances on the cancelled HGTV show, "Sensible Chic."I was expecting more from her book however and was surprised at some of the odd image qualities of the photographs.In an attempt to emphasize the "glowy" quality of her design style the photos were overly bright and un-natural and looked overexposed and just odd at times.Applewhite's style can best be described as a very unique, bright, and ecclectic version of California Wine Country style which takes inspiration from a wide variety of sources such as Spanish Colonial, French Country, Tuscan and Asian as well as others.And...make no mistake about it - Applewhite's style is great...very unique, inspired and things seems to just glow.This book does not even come close to doing her talents justice and actually makes her style look outright garish in certain photographs.I looked through my book wanting to feel more but in the end I returned it.I hope the author's future books will be a better reflection of her talents.

Product Description
Author Linda Applewhite shows how to create a comprehensive building plan to turn your house into a home through the magic of finding and using the right bones. Applewhite introduces readers to the creative opportunities that open up when you can actually change a home's structural elements, enhancing the beauty and uniqueness in each room. Architectural Interiors offers creative solutions such as adding a column or pillar to define a space, installing unusual cabinetry to give structure, adding a set of elaborate moldings for extra elegance, or installing French doors to connect a room to the garden.
Linda Applewhite and Associates designs residential construction, remodeling and design projects for a nationwide client base.
Her designs are seen in the rooms and public spaces of the Mill Valley Inn in Mill Valley, California, and in the remodel and redecoration of the Hotel Sausalito and the Cottages of Napa Valley.
Teaches design seminars with attendees from across the United States and Canada.
Featured in House Beautiful, Elle, Bon Appetit, Travel & Leisure, Traditional Home, Women's Day, Sunset Magazine, Sunset Books, California Home & Design, Marin At Home, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Los Angeles Times, and the Marin Independent Journal.
Featured in the Italian design magazines Gioia Casa, La Mia Casa, BRAVACASA, Bagno e Accessori, and House & Garden Thailand.
Linda's design projects are frequently seen on Home and Garden Television's (HGTV) Sensible Chic and Curb Appeal, and on Food TV's Ultimate Kitchens.
(20070819)



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Review of Home Color Harmony (The Home Magic Decorating Series) (Paperback)

After spending several hours at the bookstore yesterday, to select the best decorating books for a novice - I briefly paged through over 50 books and purchased 3.Home Color Harmony is full of information and pictures that provide stimulus for personal decorating ideas.For months and months I've been trying to figure out what would look best and what I wanted to do and, after reading this book (in one night!) I've finally been able to determine what color paint, carpeting, window dressings, etc. to use in each room of my home.The cover of this book says it "Take(s) the guesswork out of choosing great color schemes for your home" and it delivers on that promise!!I would highly recommend this book to anyone, but especially to someone like me who has always been 'decorating challenged'.



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Review of Feng Shui: Arranging Your Home to Change Your Life [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

I should have known!The feng shui just wasn't right for an art gallery in that little Victorian house by the sea on the coast of Maine!!!Thechi--or life energy--flew down the staircase and out the front doorwhenever it opened, and the large gallery rooms lacked accessibility fromthe front of the house--customers had to wind their way through the hall toget there. Now that that little unsuccessful venture is over, I'll useKirsten Lagatree's Feng Shui to design my new house to maximize happinessand abundance in my new life in the DC area.Little water fountains willkeep the chi, or life energy flowing, and yellow flowers in the southeastcorner will keep my marriage harmonious.A mirror will face the front doorto deflect any poison arrows that might shoot directly in from the street,and my many little animal sculptures will find their optimum positions tobring their benevolent energies into my home. It may sound like hocuspocus--but who cares?It can't hurt, and it could really help, and in anycase, I'm sure I'll find great enjoyment in bringing the principles of fengshui into my interior design.

Product Description
Emphasizing balance--between yin and yang, as well as comfort and style--in every environment, the ancient Chinese art of feng shui demonstrates how to arrange your home to enhance your fortune, health, and happiness. This room-by-room handbook provides tips for good feng shui and easy fixes for problems in every part of the home, from the kitchen to the study. Line art, charts, & 2-color text throughout.



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Review of Hannah's Art of Home: Managing Your Home Around Your Personality (Capital Lifestyles) (Paperback)

If you're like me, you have walked over that pile of dirty clothes behind your bedroom door (because there is no room for them in your closet) one too many times.This book offered the help I needed to get my living space in working order and so much more! Like a life-long friend, Keeley laughs you through a home overhaul....with a twist! By incorporating a little psychology (through a quick quiz)she offers helpful hints for your unique personality. Even if you actually have a place in your closet for your dirty clothes this book offers a great read, lots of understanding smiles and plenty of "laugh out loud" moments.



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Review of Improve the Value of Your Home up to $100,000: 50 Sure-Fire Techniques and Strategies (Paperback)

Offering "50 surefire techniques and strategies" to help improve the value of one's home, Irwin utilizes common sense to help owners decide where it is best to spend their money on their homes. With the recent real estate run-up (especially where I live in Southern California), the best investment we can make is in the very place we live. While I don't plan to sell in the near future, I always want to be sure my home could be ready for a sale at any time, just in case. Irwin gives dollar-sign guides as to how much value an improvement could help increase the price you could eventually ask for your property. Although very little in this book was new to me, I highly recommend it for folks who are not very sure about how to increase the value of their homes. Although there were several suggestions I questioned (especially the value he gave to some improvements and how little he valued other improvements), I believe that he used sound judgment to guide the reader. I plan on utlizing several of the improvement ideas in my own home!

Product Description
Earn large profits on small investments in your home!

You can profit up to $500,000 tax-free when you sell your home! And some of the most effective ways to raise the value of your home are also the least expensive! Did you know that you can increase your property value simply by parking your car in the garage? It's true! And that's just one of the many proven value-building secrets you'll find in this indispensable homeowner's handbook.

Improve the Value of Your Home Up to $100,000 is packed with money-making ideas that make your home more elegant and pleasant to live in now, and far more valuable whenever you decide to sell-tomorrow or ten years from now. You'll find plenty of tips on how to save money on major improvements, learn which improvements are most likely to add the greatest value, and even discover value-boosters that you can take with you after the sale to add value to your next home! Find out how to increase the value of your home by:

• Making buyers fall in love with your home
• Adding just the right touches to kitchens, bathrooms, and entryways
• Improving your entire neighborhood
• Finding simple, inexpensive ways to modernize
• Making your backyard "the place to be"

Your home is the biggest, most important investment you will ever make. Now you can make it your most profitable investment with simple techniques that bring higher prices and quicker sales. Find out how in Improve the Value of Your Home Up to $100,000.

From the Back Cover
Earn large profits on small investments in your home!

You can profit up to $500,000 tax-free when you sell your home! And some of the most effective ways to raise the value of your home are also the least expensive! Did you know that you can increase your property value simply by parking your car in the garage? It's true! And that's just one of the many proven value-building secrets you'll find in this indispensable homeowner's handbook.

Improve the Value of Your Home Up to $100,000 is packed with money-making ideas that make your home more elegant and pleasant to live in now, and far more valuable whenever you decide to sell-tomorrow or ten years from now. You'll find plenty of tips on how to save money on major improvements, learn which improvements are most likely to add the greatest value, and even discover value-boosters that you can take with you after the sale to add value to your next home! Find out how to increase the value of your home by:

• Making buyers fall in love with your home
• Adding just the right touches to kitchens, bathrooms, and entryways
• Improving your entire neighborhood
• Finding simple, inexpensive ways to modernize
• Making your backyard "the place to be"

Your home is the biggest, most important investment you will ever make. Now you can make it your most profitable investment with simple techniques that bring higher prices and quicker sales. Find out how in Improve the Value of Your Home Up to $100,000.



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Review of The Smart Approach to Home Renovation (Paperback)

I like the opening sentence of this book, 'Before you take a single step toward fulfilling your remodeling dreams, do a thorough reality check.' Having been through a serious remodel (after a fire) I can assure you that the advice she gives is well founded. Her ideas on working with contractors are very good, but I'd add one more thing to check - contractors are bonded. Find out how big the bond is. If it's say $20,000 and he defaults on four projects, you're only covered to $5,000, max.

Kitchens, this book, and most other books on remodeling show kitchens that have commercial grade gas stovetops. They're really neat, but wait until you see the price of new ones. However, restaurants go out of business and the stoves last forever, you might get a really good price on a used unit. Or in my kitchen I got one that had been used by the restaurant supply company at a trade show. It wasn't new, but the price was less than half.

Tile floor in the kitchen? It looks great. Don't drop anything. A jar of mayo that falls on a carpet is usually OK. On tile, it's a mess.

All in all, lots of good words here that if heeded can save you a bundle of money, of aggravation.

Product Description
Thinking about remodeling but perhaps a little unsure of what to expect? The Smart Approach to® Home Renovation is the latest title in the best-selling series of Smart Approach books. The Smart Approach to® Home Renovation counsels would-be remodelers about the process, from planning and budgeting through completion. Included are the stories of real-life homeowners and their makeovers that include kitchens, baths, additions, exterior updates, and outdoor living spaces. These "Case Studies" are followed by picture-driven Design Workbooks that illustrate important design features within the projects. In all, the book contains hundreds of photographs that include both before and after shots of remodelings, plus plenty of inspirational photos. Like all of the books in this popular series, The Smart Approach to® Home Renovation contains Smart Steps in each chapter that take the homeowner through the process of planning and design. Smart Tips throughout provide special condensed but important pieces of information. An extensive Resource Guide in the back of the book offers information regarding related manufacturers and associations.

Book Description
The Smart Approach to Home Renovation is the latest title in the best-selling series of Smart Approach books. Author Susan Boyle Hillstrom counsels would-be remodelers about the process, from planning and budgeting through completion. She also tells the stories of real-life homeowners and their makeovers that include kitchens, baths, additions, exterior updates, and outdoor living spaces. These "Case Studies" are followed by picture-driven Design Workbooks that illustrate important design features within the projects. In all, the book contains hundred of photographs that include both before and after shots of remodelings, plus plenty of inspirational photos. Like all of the books in this popular series, The Smart Approach to Home Renovation contains Smart Steps in each chapter that take the homeowner through the process of planning and design. Smart Tips throughout provide special condensed but important pieces of information that will prove invaluable to the homeowner.
An extensive Resource Guide at the back of the book offers information regarding related manufacturers and associations.




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Review of Feng Shui For Beginners: Successful Living by Design (For Beginners (Llewellyn's)) (Paperback)

An absolutely wonderful book full of useful information.The author has put together an easily read text with practical advice.Not confusing like most feng shui books.It is THE best beginner's book on this subject thatI have found.Once you have assimilated the basics, then you can go on tothe more detailed tomes.

Product Description
For thousands of years, the effect of environmental factors on living has been studied throughout Asia. Known as feng shui, this science allows you to determine the best location and direction of your home and workplace. It even shows where the rooms in your home should be to best facilitate energy flow. It is a complex science, but it is clearly explained by Richard Webster in Feng Shui for Beginners.
In this book you'll learn about the two major schools of this science. The Form School examines the shape of the land, the shape of your building, and even its direction in relation to the land around it. For example, you'll learn that wrought iron fences with sharp points should be avoided, gardens along the driveways are beneficial, and desks and beds should be against a wall.
The Compass School is based on the pa-kua, an octagonal symbol surrounding the famous yin-yang. Each side is related to one of the eight trigrams from the I Ching, and is related to certain energies. If you are planning a house, you can put a pa-kua over the plans and determine which direction your home should face and the best way to arrange the rooms.
SPECIAL FREE OFFER! Every purchaser of this book can get a free transparent compass that can be put over any floor plan to determine the best design for health, prosperity, and happiness. Good only while supplies last, so get a copy today!
Chances are you either rent or own a home that was already designed and built. This book show you how simple things such as water fountains, aquariums, large sculptures, or correct colors can overcome blocked or negative ch'i.
If you need more success and happiness, this book can show you the way.




From the Publisher
When I walk out my door, I'm only a few dozen yards from a beautiful lake. (Of course, that's not uncommon here in Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes!) When I walk by the lake I feel different; more centered and balanced. Perhaps you've noticed something similar when you are near a lake, stream, or ocean. Today science tells us this is due to negative ions. But the effect of the environment on buildings and life has been studied in the Orient for thousands of years. Donald Trump uses the methods of this science, feng shui - shouldn't you? Now you can with Feng Shui for Beginners.
A large part of feng shui involves the design of buildings so they are in harmony with the landscape and at the best direction and shape to ensure the free flow of energy (ch'i). Here you'll learn about the two major traditions schools of this science, the Form School and the Compass School. As a special, free offer, every purchaser of this book can get a transparent compass to put over any floor plan to determine the best design for the free flow of ch'i so you can have better health, more prosperity and greater happiness.
When I purchased my home, it was already built. So my favorite part of this book is all the information on how you can correct blocked ch'i or "bad" ch'i. According to author Richard Webster, things like pets, mirrors, aquariums, and large objects can help the good ch'i flow. That's why I have all of these things in my home. These simple items bring comfort and make me feel better.
Does it work? Is it all subjective? All I can say is that it works for me. It works for Donald Trump. It works for millions of people all over the world. It can work for you, too!





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Review of Bold Colors for Modern Rooms: Bright Ideas for People Who Love Color (Hardcover)

The main problem with a book such as this is that it can become outdated so quickly (if you have ever seen a used book from 20 or 30 years ago that was current and hip and modern to that time and horrible outdated now, you know what I mean).Sarah Lynch is concious of that potential problem and presents the material in such a fashion as to avoid being outdated, gives wonderful examples, explains colour principles, displays good photographs, and warns that there are rules for current fashion/interior decoration trends, but you can go ahead and break them if you want to, with guidance on what to watch for by the way of results.Also helpful is the last few chapters on how to correct mistakes if you don't like the results after all. If you have an inkling that you want to go bold but are hesitant, or looking for helpful direction, this is a good book.

Product Description
You can't go wrong with the clean, crisp look of white walls and neutral furnishings...right? Boringl Says interior design expert Sarah Lynch. In Bold Colors for Modern Rooms, she provides interior design advice and inspiration for the bold. Here is a modern, unafraid guidebook for splashing rooms with lots of color. Rulebreaking "use-what you love" format offers practical color guidance for the real world: forget about palettes and concentrate on your own taste. If you like a bold look, but need a bit of steering, chapters help with "what to put with what" inspiration; along with color "Fact Files" that let readers in on what happens to color when you use it in quantity or over a large surface (such as whole wall/room treatments).

About the Author
Interior design writer and editor Sarah Lynch writes the monthly Colorways column for Metropolitan Home magazine and is an expert on all things colorful. Lynch's byline regularly appears in top interior design and decor magazines.

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Review of Modern Color: New Palettes for Painted Rooms (Paperback)

Lots of great ideas for those who love color and modern design. I got ideas for every room of my home.If you love bright colors but aren't sure how to use them, this book will give you confidence and inspiration.

Product Description
Throw away swatch books, interior design book, and rule books. This color guidebook is not for the faint of heart: it packed full of eye-popping bold colors and how to use them. Now in paperback, Modern Color: New Palettes for Painted Rooms, features advice, inspiration, and ideas for all who crave the excitement and energy of pure, bold color in an interior design scheme.

To succeed with bold color, readers are encouraged to forget about the rules what we?ve known as polite d?cor and instead, put the strength of color to work. Author Sarah Lynch shows how to use color to set the mood, hide or highlight architecture, transform dull rooms and drag hallways, and add depth, height, and light to any room.

Get ready for a new universe of color ideas and solutions. Mix, match, and go all out with colors you love. See your rooms as you?ve never seen them before.

About the Author
Sarah Lynch is an editor on staff at Metropolitan Home. Her column, called Colorways appears in every issue and gives advice and information about one chosen color. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

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Review of Bedrooms: Creating and Decorating the Room of Your Dreams (The Small Book of Home Ideas series) (Hardcover)

I got so many ideas from this book it's driving my husband crazy. This woman has put together a really useful and practical book. Of course the pictures are nice! I have already adapted one of her ideas for the closet in our guest room, I am so glad I found it because the doors are absolutely wonderful and I never would have thought of it alone.



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Review of Feng Shui for Success & Happiness (Paperback)

"One Joy Scatters a hundred griefs" Chinese proverb.
By opening his preface with this quote, Richard Webster lays the basis of Feng Shui down. He has a theory that you have to be happy before any kind of change can take place.
He touches on what a 'shar' is, how to overcome even the smallest problems with Feng Shui remedies and explains the 'magic square'.
This book is nicely illustrated with line drawings and examples of 'pa-kua mirrors' (which should only be used outside), trigrams and the Magic Square. He also includes the Cycle of Production of the Five Elements (fire, earth, metal, water and wood) and the Cycle of Destruction of the Five elements. He is very thorough and even a rank beginner can understand it.

I would recommend this book for someone who is interested in Feng Shui and wants to have a basis to get started.

Richard Webster explains thoroughly what Feng Shui means, how you can affect small changed in your life and how Feng Shui will help you. He includes a couple of case studies from people he has worked with toward the end of the book as well.

From reading this book, my interest in Feng Shui is more piqued and I will be reading other books to get more information.

Product Description
The ancient Chinese noticed that different environments had a direct bearing on contentment and even luck. Feng Shui for Success & Happiness  will show you how to activate the energy, or ch''i, in your home to improve your environment and to achieve happiness and abundance.

About the Author

Richard Webster was born and raised in New Zealand. He has been interested in the psychic world since he was nine years old. As a teenager, he became involved in hypnotism and later became a professional stage hypnotist. After school, he worked in the publishing business and purchased a bookstore. The concept of reincarnation played a significant role in his decision to become a past-life specialist. Richard has also taught psychic development classes, which are based on many of his books. Richard's first book was published in 1972, fulfilling a childhood dream of becoming an author.Richard is nowthe authorof over seventy-fivetitleson New Age subjects. His best-selling books include Spirit Guides & Angel Guardians and Creative Visualization for Beginners.Richard has appeared on several radio and TV programs in the United States and abroad including guest spots on Hard Copy, WMAQ-TV (Chicago), KTLA-TV (Los Angeles), KSTW-TV (Seattle) and the Mike and Matty Show (ABC). He currently resides in New Zealand with his wife and three children. He regularly travels the world to give lectures, workshops and to continue his research.

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Review of The Emotional House: How Redesigning Your Home Can Change Your Life (Paperback)

I tried the exercises in the book and for the first time in my life I have a great color scheme in my house!I did three rooms and love them all!The colors work with my furniture and friends have even commented on it.One room we never used and now we are in there all the time.It is warm and cozy and you feel good in there.Guess that is what the authors meant by color therapy!"

Product Description
Most of us spend more time in our homes than any other place. For better or worse, this highly personal space has a powerful influence over the way we feel about our lives. Based on the program used by the authors in their successful home consulting practice, this book teaches readers to use psychological and design principles to transform their houses into nurturing and supportive living.

The exercises in the book encourage readers to list the activities they engage in, room by room, in their homes. Readers learn how to analyze each room's size, layout, and decor and how to read their psychological and physiological reactions to the various spaces. Then the book offers readers a step-by-step process they can use to figure out what they and their living companions-family members, roommates, and even pets-want out of each room. Based on these discoveries, the book proposes cleaning, organizing, and decorating ideas guaranteed to make each room function better.

"This book unlocks the door on home design, giving you keys to creating a home that lifts your spirits and agrees with your lifestyle." -Candice Olson,one of North America's top designers and host of Divine Design on HGTV

About the Author
Kathryn L. Robyn is the author of Spiritual Housecleaning. She is a consultant on healthy home living, master in Reiki healing, and an editor for a national healthcare magazine. She has led transformational workshops and facilitated support groups in healing issues for over twenty years, working with organizations such as Child Help USA, the Alcoholism Center for Women, and Alive and Well, Inc., as well as in private practice. Her support groups for artists and adult survivors of child abuse and her popular workshops help individuals transform defeating habits, reframe personal obstacles, and repair trauma and spirit-related injuries. She offers workshops and personal consultations for those wishing to create a more supportive, nurturing, and inspiring home.

Dawn Ritchie is a consultant and a television writer and producer with credits on over fifteen network and syndicated dramatic series. Codeveloper of the Emotional House Program, she brings her visionary design, personal style development and life-skills techniques to the book.

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Review of Good Things (Best of Martha Stewart Living) (Paperback)

In the introduction to this book, Martha Stewart defines what she and her staff consider a "good thing". It must be uncomplicated, useful, aesthetically pleasing, interesting, pertinent, unusual, and done with materials that are easily found. I would say that about 75% of the projects in this book meet those criteria as I would apply them.

The book is well organized into seven sections: entertaining, cooking, celebrating, giving, gardening, decorating, and homekeeping. I found useful ideas in each section - some sections were better than others for me - but even the ones of lesser interest to me were still lovely to look at. At the end of the book, Stewart includes a source guide for most of the materials used in this book.

I especially liked the kitchen tips (in the cooking section); the easy instruction for handmade soaps; tole painting on tin buckets; and the organizing hints which included record-keeping.

Some of the ideas did not appeal to me at all (like gluing live ivy leaves along the edges of a tablecloth, making a linen table-sized mat, making linen basket liners, and constructing wraps for bottles) but then again, they were fun to look at!

The beautiful arrangement of this book and its photos made it worth buying.

Product Description
Culled from the best of the "Good Things" columns in Martha Stewart Living magazine, this book offers a varied selection of wonderful crafts projects, recipes, hints for home decorating, organizing, and gift-giving. 200 color photos.



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Review of Not So Big Remodeling: Tailoring Your Home for the Way You Really Live (Hardcover)

As a designer, I like to read books on home and garden design and remodeling. Not So Big Remodeling, by Sarah Susanka and Marc Vessallo was wonderful.

This book is weighty, and beautifully laid out. It has tons of photographs, diagrams, and floor plans. And, it is simply loaded with information.

Not So Big Remodeling is also great because it shows how small--and inexpensive remodels--can yield big results.

In the introduction, Susanka writes: "It is my fervent hope that you'll discover that the house of your dreams is actually hiding right where you live today." That's what this book is all about--customizing your home so that it fits your needs exactly. You may still need the help of experts, but this book teaches you to ask the right questions, to figure out your needs and then address them.

The book begins with the remodeling jobs Susanka did in her home.

The book covers remodeling jobs for every room in the house. I like the "Questions to ask yourself," found throughout the book, and the many useful bulleted lists.

The chapter on green remodeling was a great addition. Here again, Susanka shares what eco-friendly upgrades she has done in her home.

I highly recommend this book before you do any remodeling.

If you are interested in this topic, you may also like an award winningbook on improving and greening the interior design of your home--HARMONIOUS ENVIRONMENT: BEAUTIFY, DETOXIFY & ENERGIZE YOUR LIFE, YOUR HOME & YOUR PLANET is great for that. For the outside, I recommend both Susanka's OUTSIDE THE NOT SO BIG HOUSEand COMPLETE HOME LANDSCAPING givespractical advice for the property.



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Review of The Guide to Home Decorating Indian Style (Hardcover)

Beautifully presented, the book is a visual inspiration to all who review it. The author's straight forward writing presents practical answers to basic decorating questions applicable to all styles, not just Indian style.


Maritha Burmeister



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Review of A Home for the Soul: A Guide for Dwelling wtih Spirit and Imagination (Hardcover)

If you are looking for lots of ideas for floor plans, design or decorating ideas, this is not the book you want.If you are looking for a book that will help you create a space that feels like "home," this book will help you think about what that means in terms of your space.

Lawlor takes an unusual approach to his subject by first examining each living area with respect to the Greek gods typically responsible for that space.Before one dismisses this as a New Age thing, study the ideas behind the activities represented by that god.It's simply his "hook" to get the reader to continue on, to think about what this space is intended to do in the routine of life.As a storyteller, I was thrilled to read of his ideas for planning one's living area, which should be a space for stories, music and social interaction.He does not ignore the ever-present television, but he does suggest planning for lively, involved social interaction, which we all crave but often lack in our busy lives.

He does give general suggestions for room layouts if you are in the planning stages of construction, and closes each chapter with his vision of the ideal layout for that living area.He suggests materials, colors, furnishings and accents for each specific area, so that if you are looking to change existing space, you'll find that, too.Anyone who places a priority on books as a major furnishing component will win me over every time, but his vision of planning for a home, not a house, has appeal as well.

Product Description
A Home for the Soul
by Anthony Lawlor

Anthony Lawlor is known as the architect who brings soul to design. His acclaimed book The Temple in the House showed how to and the sacred in architecture. Now, in A Home for the Soul, he reveals how our houses and apartments can become havens of inspiration and renewal.
"From the moment we're born, we seek to find home." Lawlor says, "Yet, despite this primal longing, our dwelling places often disappoint us." In A Home for the Soul, we discover that the depth and meaning we seek is right in front of us if we but have the eyes to see. Lawlor teaches us how to develop a consciousness about the spiritual possibilities inherent in our interior surroundings; he shows how to recognize the sacred in material form. "Each time we bathe," says Lawlor, "we not only cleanse the body,
we refresh the spirit. Each time we open our front door, we enter a universe of connection and signifcance."
Lawlor leads us on a journey through each
room of the house, opening our vision to hidden possibilities. We discover, for example, how a stove expresses the transforming power of nature, how clothes closets reveal our inner personalities, and how home offices display our talents. Lawlor shows us the mythological
and archetypal meanings within the common objects of daily life--such as a bed, a bathtub, a pair of shoes, or a loaf or bread.
The author also offers practical suggestions
for arranging or building soulful homes.
He explains how to use wood, tile, brick, and stone to express qualities of the spirit and
how to use furniture and personal objects as allies in creating meaning.

Finally, Lawlor shows us how to construct a Mandala of the Soul--a wood cabinet with compartments for housing the symbols of home that have particular personal meanings for
each reader.
In these pages, we come to understand how all the rooms we live in can form a sacred place of wholeness, a home that cares for and uplifts the totality of mind, body, and soul.



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