Residential Books

I bought this book as reference material on the advice of an architect friend. He told me "If you need help figuring out the style of a house then buy this book" and he showed me his copy. He was right. The book is well organized which helps compare styles quickly and the many black and white pictures of houses that the author uses as examples are great because the b&w contrast helps your eye focus on details. This a great book to have in any architectural office. Its great for novices and experienced alike.

As a writer, you need lots of details to keep the reader interested, and this book has details on houses most people wouldn't know. Of course, if you give no details the story is not interesting, and if you give wrong details, some reader will know it and be disapointed. A book like this can be invaluable.

Great book!!! I'm using for my company to get a true representation of many styles for many of the house I'm designing. A great resource for any firm!!!

great at housing history
great describe for the house component
good picture to show handy book to show at real estate

After some introductory chapters on the history and theory of homebuilding, the McAlesters commence with descriptions of the different styles. Each major style is described with a large stylized diagram with its identifying features labeled, a description of the major subtypes, descriptions of the style's unique elements, a paragraph on the frequency and locations of its occurrence, some historical comments, and then dozens of black and white photographs. The styles are ordered roughly chronologically, from native dwellings and colonial houses in 1600 to the neoeclectric houses of the 1970s and 1980s. (Even my 2006 printing ended with the 1980s.)

I read the field guide cover to cover - something I never before done with a field guide. By the end, it seemed repetitive, but overall I was impressed with almost everything about this book from the introductions to the last diagrams. Every time I travel though a historical neighborhood, I am glad that I read this book.

Decorative Artist Curtis L. Heuser will take you on a true-to-life journey of his purchase of a forgotten historic house in disrepair to it's reclaimed glory. A chance meeting between Curtis and the art director for the book's publisher resulted in this journey being documented for the benefit of creative thinkers everywhere. Where to begin? What to tackle first? How to proceed? Curtis allows us to enter his creative thinking process as he provides the reader with his inspirations, initial preparatory drawings, as well as tips and tricks, materials lists and instructions for executing many of the exciting painted and plaster finishes that he used in this stunning home. From the elegant chinoiserie-inspired garden mural on the cover to the creation of a faux-rusted vanity, Curtis hasn't kept much to himself. He allows the reader generous access to this handsome home and to all of the secrets of it's restored beauty. Your Home, a living canvas will inspire you to rethink your own living canvas and if you like, will hold your hand along the way.

This is a delilghtful and beautiful book for artists or those of us who appreciate others' talent. Curtis has created a labor of love first in his home and then in his book. I was fortunate enough to tour the finished product and it is truly gorgeous. I'm able to relive the experience by revisiting his book from time to time. This book is a winner on all counts.

I love reading what people have to say about things I KNOW so well. lol I am very fortunate to have a Curtis Heuser mural in my home and when guest see it, they speak of my home to others as a mansion, not a house. Curt is a would class artist, however, this book gets criticized in some reviews because it is not JUST about murals. Please be thankful about that folks. A mural does personalize a space and add an art feature to a home but Curt then teaches how to complete the picture by showing you how to decorate the space. Curt does not say, "Give me a boat load of money and i'll transform your home", he tells you how to make your house a mansion. I, like Curt, came from very humble beginnings and he has taught me how to live like a king, or at least look like on a shoe string budget. He teaches how to select great paint colors, fabrics, and decorative pieces you can pick up at discount stores or antique shows. People come to my house and look at things I have picked up and marvel at their beauty and I smile knowing that the item might have been $9.00 and I bought it because I loved it. I didn't have to pay a decorator a commission on something purchased form a store that already has it marked up. Please enjoy Curts gift for making your house a home from mural work, faux finishes, collections that you purchase from Goodwill to antique shows. However, having said all this, my best purchase was the mural in my dining room. Check it out on HGTV website, episode 508 on the show Before and After. I hope there will be many more books from this man. He has the gift to create world class spaces. I wish all of you could have your own Heuser mural. His portfolio is amazing.

YOUR HOME,A LIVING CANVAS sits on my living room coffee table and everyone who sees it wants one. Curtis Heuser's work is stunning and his directions for achieving beautiful results in your own home are clear and accessible. This book is head and shoulders above any others that I have read on faux finishes and/or murals. For just browsing for aesthetic pleasure or for guidance in undertaking major artistic redecoration, YOUR HOME is the book to own; the perfect gift to give or to receive.

Being in this house must be like walking around in a dream.This man is highly gifted!

This book is amazing in its scope. Mr. Toker has researched the Kaufmanns, Pittsburgh, Fallingwater, Wright, and American culture with incredible depth and breadth. As a fan (but layperson) of architecture, I found the insights into the design and construction fascinating. Of particular interest was the information about the overall architectural milieu into which Fallingwater was inserted by Wright(or inserted itself). I also enjoyed the sections of the book that reconstructed the commercial history of Pittsburgh.

That said, I hesitate to give a universal accolade to this book. Toker occasionally belabors his arguments and stretches his scholarship to its limits. Particularly tedious are his chapters on the literary representations of Fallingwater, the press coverage of the completed house, and the interminable lists of objects d'arte found in the house (either currently or in the past). I also found the lack of illustrations of many of the referenced architectural works (of Wright and others) bothersome. Certainly I can look many of them up on the internet, but I shouldn't have to, especially since Toker insists that these works are so important to any understanding of Fallingwater and Wright's conception of it.

Finally, the binding on the paperback edition is atrocious! Less than a third of the way into my reading, the book fell apart. I am not that hard on my texts! I see that others have had the same problem. This is not the fault of the author, but it does detract from the reading experience.

Overall, if you are a fan of Wright or Fallingwater, or if you want a better sense of the American architectural scene of the period, give this book a read. You will come away with a much better understanding of all of these than if you merely read a picture book or general guide to the house.

The binding on my paperback copy also fell apart half-way through the book. While I found some of the writing less than crisp and the organization sometimes left me confused as to sequences of events, overall it's a wonderfully detailed history of how a great house came to be. I wish I had read it before I visited Fallingwater; it would have greatly increased my enjoyment of the house.

I have now read FALLINGWATER RISING twice, and I think it is one of the most well-written, readable, and engrossing books about any subject. What I like most about it is that even though Fallingwater is an inanimate object, we feel that it is a living thing; this is our emotional response to it. This book makes it clear that people made the building happen. People with all of their strengths, foibles, desires and aspirations. Each of these people come to life on the page, and Toker's delightful spirit of inquiry illuminates the writing and makes it sing.

Every "thing" you could ever want to know about Fallingwater is contained in this book -- and then some. It is an enjoyable, insightful book about an extraordinary house. The writing is convincing, intelligent and clear, covering a wide range of complex and contentious topics without ever seeming either simplistic or academic. For my tastes there was too much detail on some peripheral subjects -- such as Ayn Rand's book The Fountainhead and the PR campaigns relating to Fallingwater. I didn't really need to be given lists of all the doo dads and art objects that were put on various walls and shelves at one time or another, but some of these matters are easily skimmed over. Despite its encyclopedic scope and thorough research and analysis, the book ironically fails to really get at the essence of the creative process that resulted in Fallingwater -- especially the contributions of EJ Kaufmann. How is it that EJ Kaufmann built Fallingwater and the Palm Springs Nuetra house -- two of the most extraordinary houses of the 20th century? In the end the essential mystery of Fallingwater remains.

I must say that as an architect who has been practicing for over 25 years, I have not read any book quite like this before that reaches so deeply into the creation of a master work such as Fallingwater. I have always "appreciated" FLW work but only recently have more fully understood what he has accomplished and created in built architectural works that to me borders on magical and genius at the same time. The glossy pictures alone only begins to reflect him as the gifted craftsman he represented. Living in Chicago I get to enjoy much of his work all the time. I'm still enjoying the book and must say your work here is amazing and a fitting tribute to an increbible individual and architect. Thanks for the experience. Jack Svaicer

Reading this made my son and me want to build, build, build. At the same time, the book achieves something else: the way people make their homes shows something very intimate and moving. This collection of photographs, drawings and stories shows how closely related the art of building, the art of art and the art of living are. This is one of the rare occasions where I would like to thank the authors.

followed by several days flipping through again and again, searching for my favorites...beautiful pictures. I could have done with more "on the road" pics and less (what I would refer to as) "normal" houses...I can see those kinds when I look out the window...but that's just a personal preference....I wish he'd take all the extra stuff he said he had and put it on a website or publish another book. I'd buy it!

this book is even better then the other books by Lloyd Kahn, and i didnt think that was possible. The photographs are outstanding, the text interesting, informative, and captures thoughts, people, homes and places of times past, present and some that look futuristic! This book is for anyone who has a passion for architecture, and culture. a great coffee table book.

MUST HAVE FOR ALL couchpotatoe MALES, and anyone who has dreams! This is such a fantastic book: inspiring and creative and so marvelous to see so many passionate people out their DOING THEIR THING! Get up from your desktops, ladies and gentlemen, stop the online dating circus and do something satisfying: BUILD YOUR OWN SHELTER. Lord knows I want to after pouring through every inch of every page and these great photos and life stories. Thanks, Mr. Lloyd!

This book is absolutely stunning. I spent hours poring over the pictures. It's mostly pictures of creative, unique houses people have built, with a few stories about builders' experiences and techniques.
It will put into perspective the amount to which we have limited ourselves when it comes to traditional housing. It shows how a house is not just shelter, but art, expression, and passion as well.
This will inspire you!

I am hooked on Susanka's books describing how to give our homes more of the character found in 50+ and older homes. I'm hoping to build using some of the detailing she explains, instead of having to buy an old house and renovate, in order to get a cozy, unique and homey dwelling.

I bought this book because I am looking to renovate my house and I found it very useful. There are plenty of photos of the various details in the houses and a great explanation of how to achieve a similar look. It is an excellent source of ideas if you're looking to transform your home.

This is one of my favorite books. I love Susanka's style - modern, but also friendly and warm. The layout of the book is excellent too, lots of photos with helpful annotations.

Absoultely amazing insight ....worth every penny; the quality of the photos alone will justify the purchase....it will be the single best expenditure that you can make in building a new home or remodeling an existing area. Makes things so clear that everyone will get it. They say "You don't know what you don't know"....after reading this book and her others in a series....you will know what you did not know that you did not know...Just buy the book and you will understand what I am saying

I bought and then gutted a 1960s, three-story, 3,700 SF office building. Serving as my own architect and general contractor, I completed the two lower floors as offices for my professional engineering firm. I then turned my attention to converting the third floor into a luxury two-bedroom apartment.

Although my original intent was to make the apartment a rental space, family circumstances of a regrettable but common kind will soon require me to make the apartment my own residence. With the floor plans nearly completed, I realized that the "oh my God" reaction from first-time visitors that I was seeking required great attention to detail.

During the design of the office portions, I had studied about a dozen design books from Amazon and now wanted resources for the architectural details of the apartment. (Architectural details include windows and doors, floor, ceiling, and wall finishes, cabinetry, molding and other millwork.) With architectural details well done, the apartment or home looks inviting and interesting even before furnishings and decorator items are added.

This book was the third to arrive of the ten I ordered so far. The first two were entirely forgettable, but this one yielded a dozen good ideas.

The 210-page book has a chapter for each of twenty-three projects, each by a different architect. Most projects were renovations of a home of 1,200 - 2,100 SF. Architectural interior detail styles range from craftsman and usonian, to contemporary and gentle modern. Each project is notable more for the interior design details than for the building exterior or site.

My favorite, but not my only source of ideas, was a Block Island cottage by the Newport architect, James Estes. My apartment, located at a charming 1900-vintage village center of a NYC suburb is 15 miles from the nearest salt water, but the quiet serenity and color palettes of an ocean-front cottage had been in my mind as an organizing concept for some time. No matter that the large band of windows on the east end overlook a parking lot instead of beach and ocean.

The Amazon listing shows the cover photo, a project not to my liking. You can page through the other pages available on Amazon for other samples. Note the excellent color photography and the expert and well written commentary of Sarah Susanka, the principal author of the many volumes of the Not So Big House series. Co-author Marc Vassallo is an architect, and he now writes fulltime, including fiction.

This is an outstanding book on remodeling your home to blend in with nature, and to avoid introducing toxic products into your home. Great ideas and photos.

And I am glad I did! I am even gladder to know that more people are waking up to the idea of natural remodeling. I am not sure whether it alone will save our earth but it's a good start. If enough people do it, it will certainly raise the level of our appreciation of nature to a higher level.

We're in the process of buying a house. Having been brainwashed by the mainstream culture and the media, I had grand dreams of huge expansion with piles of the latest and the biggest "goods" we're all programmed to consume - things like an all powerful over sized profession stainless oven even though I would never use it. But I now have a completely different mind set after reading this book.

We've decided to go small and practical and recycle, reuse as much as possible. Let mother Nature live so that we can too!

I've been teaching at a community college for 16 years on the topic of energy efficiency, Passive solar, Building Science, green building, healthy home and alternative structures. These fields have evolved over this period of time. During the past 5 years there have been many good books on new construction, but few on Remodeling.

Since remodeling would recycle a whole building, it is "greener" than new construction, especially in Suburbia or rural agricultural land. I would like to emphasize Remodeling in community colleges and think this would be the best textbook on the subject. The photographs alone are worthwhile. I also own the book, "Green Remodeling" by David Johnston and would use it as a secondary reference.

I would also recommend Natural Remodeling for homeowners.

I could not put this book down. It answers all of my questions and concerns as I begin to contemplate the large undertaking of creating a healthy, eco-friendly home for our family. Very thorough, creative and well-written... I only wish I could hire these women directly. Just enough information to cover all of the key considerations, with plenty of guidance on how to dig deeper if necessary. Should be required reading for every builder on the planet!

There were many good ideas in this book. Some more expensive than the average person could afford. I read Building Green: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods Earth Plaster * Straw Bale * Cordwood * Cob * Living Roofs; By: Clarke Snell (Author), Tim Callahan (Author). Which was very comprehensive and enjoyable. While Snell and Callahan focus on building from scratch I was more interested at this moment in remodeling. I wouldn't dismiss this book, but I would identify what your needs are first.

This book is beautifully photographed and well written. It is a perfect example of how new homes can be constructed to have the timeless appeal of historical properties by using old and new materials and thoughtful intrepetation of historical designs. Mr. Town's homes are the kind that can be handed down from generation to generation due to their quailty and beauty. Mr. Town's residential projects should be an inspiration to those considering building a new home in any price range. It is the design that counts.

Being born and raised in SE Louisiana just outside of New Orleans I really enjoyed the homes presented. I am currently planning to build our home here in the Houston suburbs and the ideas presented are awesome!!!

We are building a new home with the Hays Town Louisiana houses as inspiration. His style should translate well to rural Atlanta. But we have to pass on the German Shepherd.

My wife loves the A. Hays Town homes, and this book is a nice representation of his work. A good coffee table item for guests to view.

I found this book to be exactly the view of Hays Town's work that I wanted to see.

This is a great book for fans of FLW. We visited his house when we were on vacation in Chicago and saw several of the other homes he had designed. This book is full of superb photographs - not just of the exteriors but of the interiors too, so you can see the furniture and fixtures that he designed.

This is a lovely coffee table book with mostly spectacular color photos of most of Wrights houses, including many interior shots. There is not much historical information but this is covered in other books.

This book was a wonderful eye opener. It will appeal to the reader for crisp pictures in beautiful settings and landscapes as well as the various style phases Wright went through architecturally. For Wright aficionados, there is a detailed, but not too intense history of his style, works and personal history as he changes design elememts during his career. Grand interior shots only enhance the overall attraction. The book will add diversity to anyone's collection.

There are many different aspects to highlight when studying the work of one of Americas' greatest architects. The part of his work that is probably the most accesible, are his private houses. It was great to see all these houses together in one beautiful volume. The photographs are stunning, and it is great to see so much attention paid to the interior of these houses, as Wright was responsible for most interior design too.
As a professional or just a fan, when you love Wrights' work and want to visually enjoy it to the fullest, this book is a must have. The only thing better is to buy one of his houses...

This is a necessary book for all who study architecture. Why? Because the photography conveys something close to the reality of Mr. Wright's works, especially so when it comes to the interiors.

When I was studying architecture in college in the 1970s, the BEST photography books about Wright's oeuvre were "In the Nature of Materials" and the very expensive Wendingen Edition. Both are presented in black and white and while that kind of pared-down quality may have suited the age in which the International Style was still in its ascendancy, it did nothing whatsoever to convey the true sense of a Wright space--specifically interior space. The intimately human scale of these spaces was missed.

And color is so much a part of Wright's aesthetic, and without it, one is in dreary Kansas instead of Oz.

Living in the northeast, it was not possible to see many Wright buildings first hand, until that trip to Chicago... and then what a revelation! These spaces were not cold grays but marvels of ochres and greens and wood tones and conveyed so much more serenity than those older photos could suggest.

Happily, future years placed me in conjunction with many of the Midwestern buildings, and a day trip could take me to Wisconsin or Michigan or other less-frequently visited residential and commercial works by F L W. Friendships with original Wright clients or owners of Wright houses opened other doors--I have experienced about one third of the places in this book, so--trust me--the photos do them justice and are almost as good as being there.

I would guess that anyone who has been in these places will tell you that this book gives a very fine representation of these spaces. And thankfully, more and more of these spaces are open on a regular or annual basis for the student or admirer of Wright to visit. Some residences are even now B&Bs. Wow!

The fine articles that accompany the photographs are also most helpful and enjoyable.

If you find this review helpful you might want to read some of my other reviews, including those on subjects ranging from biography to architecture, as well as religion and fiction.

Remodelling made easy with this visual book. I worked out some details on a remodel alongside my contractor using this great resource. The book is mainly illustrations of the various ways (right and wrong) to change your home without the use of an achitect.

A local Architect recommended that I get a copy of this book. I am staff to the local historic zoning commission and always can use assistance explaining architectural concepts to applicants. This book is a reasonable articulate resource that alows an applicant to see the problems he/she might be having with a design. This book is easy to read and it presents clear and useful solutions to the mistakes that many applicates and their architects seem to want to make. I have gotten copies for all of the Commissioners and I am working with the Library system to make sure all of our libraries have a copy.

A lot of work went into this book. The overall presentation and layout is friendly and easy to the eye. The illustrations are very effective and easy to understand. The language is simple and clear. What you get is a book that is very practical and that explains in great detail the dos and don't of design. While the focus is residential the principles can be applied to all types of buildings. Highly recommended.

I would have to say this is by far THE best book I have found for designing authentic traditional style homes. Say goodbye to cookie cutter - every designer should have a copy of this book beside them when they design, or else memorize it!
I am not a HUGE reader, but I was so enthralled with this book, that I read about 125 pages in my first and second sitting. Ok, it has a lot of pictures, but still that is pretty good for me. I usually lose interest quickly. :)
Don't hesitate to buy this book. It is a deal at any price. It WILL help you "Get Your House Right", save money and increase the value of your home tremendously in the process.
This should be standard issue at all technical schools, colleges and anywhere that teaches how to design good quality authentic buildings that are pleasing to the general public.

I bought this book about a month or so ago. I have read through it once. While I will skim it again, from time to time, I'll be keeping it as an irreplaceable reference manual for home design or purchase.

The illustrations are gorgeous and pure genius. Most of them are NOT CAD drawings, but honest-to-goodness pencil illustrations, which all have a definite artistic flair to them.

The premise is simple: the Greeks and Romans got it right, and modern home designers try to ape their aesthetic without doing the requisite homework make awful looking houses. Once you read this book, you'll never be able to go into a rich new suburban development without easily being able to point out the painfully obvious design gaffes that abound. That's the downside--you're an instant architectural snob after one read. But the upside is that when it is time to YOU to buy or build, you'll know precisely what to look for and what to avoid.

Marianne Cusato has proven her genius with the "Katrina Cottage" design, which will probably set her for life financially. I hope it does, so she can focus all of her energies toward the classicist movement. I'd sure love to hire her to design my next home (if I could ever afford her now).

The modern architectural ethic of the last century, emphasizing a lack of details, machinelike designs, and a material driven ethos (steel, glass, and concrete) is absolutely put to shame by the Greek and Roman orders of proportion, balance, and detail. Hopefully, Ms. Cusato and her classicist colleagues can put the last few nails in that coffin. I could live the rest of my life quite well without having to view another gawd-awful building that looks like it was designed by Fisher Price.

This book is a masterpiece.

I have enjoyed thinking about doing some of this. The book gives fine guidance

I came across this book in my local library and loved it so much I bought a copy for myself. Ms. Buckingham manages to create beautiful trompe l'oeil work with simple techniques that are easy for even the absolute beginner. An added bonus is that her stencils are available online...

I purchased this book 2 years ago. At the time I did not know they sold stencils until I purchased a few stencils on their website along with their video. The book is easy to follow and they give you many ways to incooporate simple stencils. This book encouraged me to create a mural from a small picture and brought out a talent that I never knew existed. Well done. Fantastic pictures with great color which I feel either makes or breaks a simple stencil or a 5 layered stencil. I would highly recommend their book, stencils and their video. If I can learn, anyone can!!!! A+++++

Grab this book without hesitation!

I saw the author on the show, "Home Matters" and was instantly motivated to buy this book. When I saw that it was available in both hard- and soft- cover verrsions, my decision was difficult. Usually saving a few bucks on the paperback version of any book means sacrificing quality; thin paper, fewer illustrations, shortened versions. etc.

When I opted to buy this in the paperback form, I was expecting the usual compromises. I was, joyfully, wrong! This book not only boasts the easy instructions and wonderful pictorials of the hardcover version, it also has wonderful, high quality paper stock rarely found even in hardcover these days. The quality of this book will stand up to years of planning and crafting!

The projects in this book were well-detailed and gave some good information on composition and layering of stencils. I checked this book out of the library and don't intend on buying it BUT I do recommend it if you like the more folkart type decor. I was looking for something more realistic in floral decor. The trellice project was very cute and would look great with a cottage country look.