Furniture Books

Tim Stead's work is a challenge to the imagination. His concepts seem at first somewhat bizarre, but on closer examination the logic and consumate craftsmanship becomes clearer and items which seemed no more than curiosities are transformed into objects of desire. Tim started out with a desire to convert trash - acres of mature trees felled by abnormal weather conditions - into something useful. He achieved not only utility but beauty. The results encourage and stimulate all who reflect on the work. The illustrations give a good feel for what Tim is doing, but more importantly are just a stimulus to planning pilgrimages to his workshop to experience the reality.

You will learn so many thins. Easy to follow instructions very nice pictures. At last an easy book to read.

This book has become a starting point for all of my home storage projects. Most of the projects can be completed with basic power tools (circular saw, jigsaw, drill) and inexpensive materials such as veneered plywood. Just about all of the projects can be completed in a weekend although some may take longer. The book covers projects with a variety of difficulty and is appropriate for inexperienced to moderately experienced woodworkers. The only complaint I have of this book is that a number of projects look a little dated, perhaps more appropriate for a book published in the early to mid 80s than the late 90s. All in all, though, this is an excellent book and is well worth the price.

This book does a good job covering the basics, and some more advanced ideas, of finishing. The articles by George Frank are most interesting and it's a shame that a man with his skills is no longer with us.

This is a wonderful book featuring a wide variety of beautiful fountains for all types of gardens. The book is in full-color and most photos are full-page size. You'll find many unique ideas here to fit any size garden.

The book starts out with photos of formal fountains and springs. Then images focus on integrating the fountain into the garden or adding plants around it for accent. Captions below describe the fountain & point out its special features.

My favorite fountains include a woman holding a small bowl that falls onto a circle of rocks. I also liked a colorful Spanish influenced fountain with four frogs shooting water to the center.

This book is not meant to teach how to make or install a fountain. Rather it is an idea book. I found the examples here inspirational & they were very helpful in choosing a fountain for my garden.

In this day and age of Trading Spaces & Design on a Dime this book is a must in any home improver's library.

Each project starts with a photograph of the finished project from several views. The instructions include a materials list & tools list, cutting, assembly and finishing instructions with cutting & assembly diagrams.

32 projects in one book! Projects include chairs, tables, desk, cabinet, child dream house, floor lamp, shelves and more!

All designs have a modern feel to them.

This is an excellent book for a kindergarten class using the Smithsonian Science Kit "Wood". The illustrations are clear and colorful. The text takes the reader from the tree in the forest to the finished piece of furniture using language appropriate for the young child.

The photographs are amazing, and it's a lot of fun to have around just to flip through on a whim. But, unless this alone will justify the price tag for you, I wouldn't recommend it. It seems to be written for people already in "the know," and for a regular Joe it's nearly impossible to enjoy as text alone. For me, the reading was difficult, seemingly random, and saturated with references to alien individuals and organizations (I was using Wikipedia quite a bit).

So, if you're looking for a user-friendly primer on 70s design, I would try elsewhere first... but the pictures are fantastic.

At last, a guide you can really carry along to flean markets and antique stores, comtaining hundreds of illustrations and photos to make on-the-spot appraisals easy. Hundreds of listings including up-to-date prices. Over 400 photos and illustrations. Quick-find furniture caregories and styles. Dating chart, furniture terms, construction details and more.

These are drawings that were done for the vocational school in northern New Mexico, back in the 1930's. Very good drawings with enough dimensions that you can change the sizes easily. The only draw back I found is that the drawings and views are all in black and white. The cover has colors of that time, so it really is o.k. If your want to make this type of furniture you will be very pleased with this book. I have looked a long time to find a book with this much variety and information.