Furniture Books

I Love to get designers books. And in this case, the Philippe Starck one is one i picked up a while ago.
I had this book in my hands before, and its so nice, that i decided to pick up one for me, and an other for my girl friend!

I recomend this book to any design-lover

An entertaining and thoughtful journey through the career and the mind of this prolific celebrity designer. Illustrates hundreds of furnishings, objects, interiors, and architectural projects; some of which are documented here for the first time. Clean and interesting graphic layout by Keith Lovegrove captures the spirit of the "Starck aesthetic". Conway Lloyd Morgan's essays and commentaries by Starck himself do much to explain the inspiration and creative process of this enigmatic and controversial most-modern designer. Numerous books about the work of Philippe Starck have been published over the past several years, some on par with this one however, at the published price (and even less through amazon.com) this is a wealth of entertaining information for a small price.

Karl Taps.

DOn't have time for this right no

This facsimile is a very helpful resource for identifying Thonet-furniture. Around the turn of the century the Thonet company produced modernist furniture designed by members of the Vienna Sezession, Otto Wagner, Josef Hoffmann, Kolo Moser, Marcel Kammerer. Some of which can be seen in this catalog; their number and place in the catalog is pointed out in the introductory essay. The book is a valuable resource if you are interested in antiqeus and early 20th century design. Thonets designs are the prototypes of modern furniture.

UPHOLSTERY: A Complete Guide by David James is a logical book with clear concise step-by-step directions. With the directions from this book I have recovered six wing-back chairs and saved a small fortune...

As an Upholsterer's Dictionary it is a good book and rather thorough.There are endless detailed sketches of the equipment Upholsterers use,a glossary of common terms ,information about exhibitions and Fairs etc. However,it isn't a "how-to" book. There are no step-by-step projects or photographs. This is a very technical book,a guide to wanna-be upholsterers rather than a guide to anyone who simply wants to experience the joys of a home-made redo.

As a small antiques and collectibles dealer, I have had the opportunity to purchase hand painted furniture and gift items from Karen Petrus Williams for the last twelve years. I knew she had a book coming out and was expecting great things. WOW!! She exceeded even my expectations. I have purchased books to display with her work in the shop. This review is to encourage other artists to follow her techniques. There is a market out there. Grandma's Keepers Katy, Texas

Ok, so I wrote it- this is Karen and I want you all to know I did my best to put everything I look for in a painting book- in this book. As an artist I am very visual so there are design ideas, adaptable patterns, and step by step instruction to turn your simple brush strokes into your own beautiful designs. And all the designs can be used on multiple surfaces- not just furniture.
My purpose in writing this book was to give you the tools, the information, and the tricks of the trade I have learned for the past 15 years to create your own pieces and enjoy doing it! I did my best and I hope you learn and enjoy the wonder of paint and design transformations.
And yes I did give it a 4 because I think its good but you always want it to be a little better. If you are an artist you always see where you could make improvements. Maybe on my next book. Thank you for your time and to all who helped me and encouraged me on this project. I truly hope you enjoy this book- but mostly I hope you learn from it.

I'm not artistically inclined, but think that after reading this book, I might actually be able to transform one of my old pieces of furniture into something quite nice! The photos and instructions are well thought out. There are patterns to enlarge and follow, too. Pretty much everything you need but paint and brushes is in the book. I'm going to give it a try. I've been inspired! There are 'workbook' pages for vines and roses and so on, so I think I'll practice some of the easier looking ones and then jump right in and paint my furniture and see what happens. Wish me luck!

I had no idea I was so creative. Weekend projects not only added value to our [] starter home, they saved my marriage (and my wallet!) I am anticipating more great ideas and simple tips from Ennis and would gladly pay double for another book if it means more home equity in the future. Thanks for sparking my interest in home renovation.

I found the instructions in this project book to be extremely useful and easy to follow. My wife and I have completed most of the projects with great results. Great Christmas gift for the home crafter! I gave a copy to my sister and she was able to transform her 60's rancher into a sanctuary.

When I think of "weekend" I think of part time or inexperienced. Because, why would an experienced woodworker be woodworking on the weekend? (There's a riddle there somewhere.)

Gardner's book is excellent but for the woodworker just starting out somewhere between an idiot and a beginner, I found it at a level of complexity that wasn't helpful to me.

The shelving unit on the cover is very attractive however if your not sure how a router works . . .well, you can see my point.

It should be called "The Weekend somewhat-experienced-or-knowledgeable Woodworker." 4 stars. Larry Scantlebury

The perfect book for both new & experienced amateur woodworkers wanting to make practical & stylish pieces for their home.

This book has over 25 original designs, including a traditional style console table, modern kitchen makeover, Gotic style bathroom cabinet & simple but stylish bed.

Each project has clear, step by step photographs & straightforward diagrams. Interesting discussion on how to use hardwood, softwood & manmade boards to the best effect. Plus tools, lumber & techniques - all the information & advice you'll need.

I AM NEW TO CARVING, AND THIS BOOK HAS PROVIDED EASY TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS AND PATTERNS FOR A SUBJECT I ENJOY, NAUTICAL DESIGNS, AND THE CAPTAIN & CREW MAKE FOR A GREAT PROJECT THAT EVEN THE NOVICE CARVER LIKE ME CAN COMPLETE.

Me gustó mucho la obra. Muestra en pasos muy sencillos como realizar tallas en madera muy expresivas. Es muy recomendable para todos aquellos que gusten del trabajo en madera.

This is a great book with many project ideas. It is not a book of measured drawings. If you've viewed "The Woodwright's Shop," you wouldn't expect to see them anyway. Each project highlights different techniques with hand tools. I've personally recreated the bellows from this book with much success (If I do say so myself!)

I still re-read the section on hand-cutting dovetails each time I attempt them.

All-in-all, it's a great book that demonstrates woodworking techniques while forcing you to improvise your projects around the basic themes presented in its pages.

When you read Underhill you begin to understand the tradition of woodworking--the heritage of anyone whose ancestors had to hew out a shelter and live off the land (in other words, every one of us). The former master housewright for Colonial Williamsburg includes projects with instructions specific enough to get you started but vague enough to challenge you to inject individuality into your work. As a still-green intermediate woodworker and a history student, I loved it.

This was purchased as a gift for my son-in-law. As I told him, it is by far the best do-it-yourself home repair manual I have ever seen or used. It is clearly and logically laid out. Illustrations are in full color and large enough to easily identify the part(s) to be worked on. Diagnostics are systematic without being wordy, and very accurate. It also tells you when you have exhausted all do-it-yourself op;tions and need to call in a professional -- something some repair manuals don't do. It's the first and usually final place I look go to for information on home repairs, major appliances, electrical repairs, and plumbing repairs.

My only complaint is that the binding on my copy eventually broke after several years of heavy use. I guess I'll just have to buy another copy.

I had one once before but was lost.But the new ones cover more and they are real handy when you need info about working onthings and tells you what tools you will need.

Good book for the first time home buyer or anyone that is interested in doing some basic fix-it-up or simple repairs. There are good illustrations and explanations. Some of the book is outdated, but there is plenty here to recommend it.

I purchased this book as a Christmas gift for my son. I started to leaf through it prior to wraping it and I am glad I did. This book was published in 1977 and although there is a lot of information - much of it is outdated - how many people do you know who own electric typewriters or bonnet style dryers in 2007??? I would have been very embarassed to give this gift. It has been returned and we purchased another book from the local home improvement store which contains all of the newest technology with regards to home repairs, etc. Sorry I was not happy with my Amazon purchase!!

I was somewhat disappointed in this book. I was expecting some good how-to pointers on fixing things around the house. I received a book that is very outdated. It gave instructions on fixing cassette decks and turntables. And who fixes broken toasters? I did find a few good pointers, but not like I expected.

Written more as this-is-how-I-do-it book but the ideas definitely make it worth the price of the book and the time to read it.

If you feel as I do that MDF and such make excellent cabinets, then this book is for you. In my opinion, particle board and MDF will outlast most people, or at least outlast their ability to live with a given style. For those wanting to build their own kitchen cabinets, this is an excellent book. I am more interested in built ins, but this is the book for me. Proulx has a system that works, and he includes cut sheets, cutting lists, and all kinds of stuff to make this an easy process for his readers. It should be pointed out that this book tells you what you need to know and no more, so it is not the first or the last word on the subject, but it may be the only book you will need.

but don't throw out the baby with the bathwater!

The late Danny Proulx was an EXTENSIVE contributor to cabinetry schools and magazines for many years before succumbing to a heart attack at a woodworking convention, but his passion lives on in this wonderfully simple and comprehensive book.

If you want to learn how to build high end custom cabinetry with all the nice details then look at udo schmidt's or jim tolpin's books. If you want to learn the basics to building a solid face frame cabinet with raised panel doors or frameless cabinets, this is an amazing introduction into the world of cabinetry as the author not only describes the steps but also gives you ACTUAL DIMENSIONS for both 5/8" and 3/4" materials for cabinets that are in the standard 3" widths. Not many people realize the merits of proulx's hybrid face frame/frameless cabinet which enable you to save yourself a lot of grief and pain in attaching european hinges and drawer slides to the cabinet sides directly without having to shim out to accomodate the inner lip of the face frame. This is the first book that I've encountered that describes this process. Finally, his section on frameless (or FULL ACCESS) cabinetry is invaluable for folks who don't want to buy a jointer and a planer (both are required) for machining solid wood for face frames. This is also one of the first books to explore this area of cabinetry. Lest you think that european frameless is junk, I recommend poggenpohl or omega cabinets as references.

Yes, the pictures of the cabinets are rather hideous because they utilize low grade plywood slab doors, but you can easily build cabinets that rival those that you see at home depot with SUPERIOR case construction methods but using raised panel doors. I would recommend using pocket screws to attach the face frame to the carcase instead of nails as well as using either confirmat screws, biscuits or assembly screws (NOT drywall screws) for assembling the carcases.

Realize that if you are serious about building your own kitchen cabinets and you want them to turn out good, you are going to need to INVEST some money in good tools including a table saw. You can forgo the slider by building a cheap miter sled but if you're going to be doing this in the future, I would strongly recommend the sliding table attachment by delta or jessem or dewalt or purchasing a guided circular saw rail like eurekazone or festool. Lastly, I would strongly recommend using prefinished material either plywood or melamine as the finishing process for my eleven kitchen cabinets easily consumed just as much time as building them.

I think this is a very good book for a first time cabinet builder. After reading several times I have begun to build our kitchen cabinets using most of the methods in the book. So far everything has turned out great and I expect that to continue. The book is straight forward, gives plenty of good examples with pictures. I especially like the standard cabinet cut lists which takes the guesswork out of the dimensions for most common cabinets. While Mr. Proulx uses particle board to build cabinets I have had many people tell me it is not a good material. After building 6 cabinet cases from 5/8" industrial particle board I feel it is a very acceptable material and I am confindent it will hold up in the long term using this method of construction. I added biscuits to all the cases to help alignment and strength. I recommend this book to all the newbies who want to venture off into cabinet making.

Overall, this book is of good quality and point you in the right direction to build your own kitchen cabinets.

The title of the book is misleading in the sence that this book only tackle the europen frameless type cabinet build with MPB.

One thing that I didn't like in this book is the fact that I had the feeling to read the same thing over and over and over again for each piece (base, top, corner, etc).