Natural Swimming Pools: Inspiration For Harmony With Nature (Schiffer Design Book)

Natural Swimming Pools: Inspiration For Harmony With Nature (Schiffer Design Book)
Average customer rating:

Perfect book

YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK

Beautiful photos; strange text

Very complete book

Surprisingly COMPREHENSIVE!

Natural Swimming Pools: Inspiration For Harmony With Nature (Schiffer Design Book)
Michael Littlewood
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
General | Building Types & Styles | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Outdoor & Recreational Areas | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Swimming Pools | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Poolscaping: Gardening and Landscaping Around Your Swimming Pool and Spa

ASIN: 0764321838

Book Description

Natural swimming pools rely on the correct balance of plants and microorganisms to clean and purify the water. They are a safe place for children to play and birds to drink, and are a dramatic example of ecological design, combining the natural and man-made worlds while creating beauty. These pools offer enjoyment not only in the warm months, but during winter, too, when they can be used for ice skating and other activities. Often the focal point of a garden, natural swimming pools blend into their environments, flowing into the surroundings with plants and rocks.They reflect the changing seasons and they enhance the environment naturally. They are easy and less costly to maintain than chemical pools, providing significant savings in water. Chlorine and other common pool chemicals are hazardous to human health and are not used. This book is a necessary resource for anyone interested in having a natural swimming pool and shows how a natural swimming pool system works, as well as the environmental, health, and safety benefits it offers. Drawings, diagrams, and charts cover planning, design, biology, materials, construction, planting, and maintenance. Over 300 beautiful color pictures feature projects that will inspire you to have your own natural water garden where you can swim in harmony with nature at any time.

Customer Reviews:

Perfect book.......2007-09-04

Great book for all aspects of creating a variety of green/natural pools. Beautiful pictures and good illustrations and copy to help in decision making.

YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK .......2007-08-22

Simply put this book is a MUST READ for anyone intersted in any aspect of Sustainable and Ecological Design. It should be read right along with Permaculture by Mollison, the Passive Solar Handbook by Mazria, Rainwater Harvesting by Lancaster, and ecocities to Living Machines by Todd. Even if you aren't specifically interested in making a swimming pool (which you will be after reading it) the insights into the workings of hydro-ecologies and how to design natural systems are invaluable!

If you aren't interested in the whole range of sustainability but just this particular topic of pool design then this book is STILL A MUST READ. If you're an ecologist who wants to make a pool, or a pool designer who wants to do something ecological this book provides an excellent layman's understanding of ecological design, with good technical and artistic advice for how to do it, and good technical and artistic advice for swimming pool construction.

I would still advise you to also purchase the book Poolscaping as a companion to this one.

This is an all around excellent book buy it now.

Beautiful photos; strange text.......2007-08-01

Thumbing through the book will make you want to move to Austria or Germany where beautiful "natural" pools are somehat established. Why is the U. S. so environmentally backward? Unfortunately, the text is awkwardly translated at times such that one has to struggle to figure out what is meant with limited success.The assumption is that one is swimming only in the summer, but in California we may want to swim year round. Useful especially since so little information is available. Can't understand why the publisher didn't insist on professional proofreading.Buy it for inspiration, or wait for the next edition, or wait for one more applicable to your area. It does provide info in the back about two U.S resources, one in CA.

Very complete book .......2007-02-24

Is the book i need for learning on natural swimming pool. Now i can make my own pool

Surprisingly COMPREHENSIVE!.......2007-02-09

This large sized book covered the subject exceedingly well in lots of color photos with explanations and, more importantly, in lots of diagrams and nuts and bolts descriptions. I only read sections here and there but what I did read clearly indicated to me that you could actually use this book to build a natural swimming pool. At the least, you could definitely make a solid decision whether or not you could build or would want to build such a pool on your property. These pools are basically like salt water aquariums in that you have to make a biosphere and monitor it. In some ways it's not as easy as it sounds but also not as hard as it sounds. However, start up takes time and it can be tricky to finally reach environmental stabilization. I am not going to build a natural pool but I still found this book very useful. At the end this book are MANY pages of water plants and trees recommended for certain types of water areas. There are zone maps of the US included for reference. So even if you just want to make a little ornamental fountain in a big pot on the patio deck or a pond or a bog out back, this book has a VERY comprehensive set of plant lists you will find exceedingly useful. 18 pages of them. Categories include Submerged Plants, Floating Plants, Floating Leaved Plants, Shallow Marginal Plants, Deep Marginal Plants, Moisture-loving Plants, Bog/Marsh Plants, Waterside Plats-Trees & Shrubs, Ferns, Grasses Sedges Reeds and Rushes. Botanical and Common Names are listed along with height, spread, water depth, flower color, flower period, foliage, position, comments and plant zone. It's the best I've seen in any book so far.

Preston Bailey's Design for Entertaining: Inspiration for Creating the Party of Your Dreams

Average customer rating:

As an Event and Party planner in Seattle, this is a must have...
absolutely amazing
Very Inspiring
Entertaining with a flair
Very Inspiring

Preston Bailey's Design for Entertaining: Inspiration for Creating the Party of Your Dreams
Preston Bailey
Manufacturer: Bulfinch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Special Occasions | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Party Planning | Special Occasions | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

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Preston Bailey's Fantasy Weddings
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ASIN: 0821227653

Book Description

PRESTON BAILEY'S DESIGN FOR ENTERTAINING is the ultimate sourcebook of inspiration for creating the perfect ambience for any major party or event. Bailey guides the reader through the planning process from large decisions- picking a theme, setting the mood, and transforming the space to fit the vision for the event-to the details such as flowers, lighting, and table settings that all come together to create a unique environment. Full-color photographs of events including Melissa Rivers' wedding and the launch party for Oprah's O Magazine showcase the spectacular results of his approach.

Customer Reviews:

As an Event and Party planner in Seattle, this is a must have..........2007-08-30

What a fabulous book for inspiration to all professional florist, Event and party planners every where. As a high end Event and Party planner in Seattle, WA we use Mr. Bailey's book for reference to customers who are looking to throw an "over the top" party or event.

I recommend this to all flower lovers.

Magnolia Village Florist
Seattle, WA

absolutely amazing.......2007-06-13

This is an amazing book! While most people may not be able to re-create these parties, you can definitely get ideas from all of them. Take the ideas here and apply them to one or two tables or a small area. The pictures are wonderful and I am amazed at what is done in some of these parties. Would love to have a chance just to walk through one of these!!!!

Very Inspiring.......2007-01-11

I love this book. The themes and pictures are great. It's more for the higher end weddings

Entertaining with a flair.......2006-11-30

Subtitled: Inspiration for Creating the Party of Your Dreams

Worried about the upcoming holiday party you have to plan? You (and all your friends) know what Martha would do but it's time to shake things up. The problem is you aren't sure where to start.

Luckily for you, Inspirations by Preston Bailey is available. Preston Bailey is a well-known event planner for Hollywood stars. Recently, he's worked on Oprah's fiftieth birthday celebration and Donald and Melania's wedding celebration.

Ten parties, eight of which are weddings, are photographed and discussed in this book. Locations include Niagra Falls, a Virginia stable that is converted into a wedding chapel and the Temple of Dendur at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Each chapter celebrates a different theme. Yes, there are eight weddings covered but each wedding has its own theme, color scheme and something unique to offer. The last chapter provides ways to organize and showcase your dining table.

This book dazzles with its full-size color photographs. It celebrates colors, flowers and the unexpected. Reading this book was a great way to spend a rainy afternoon as there are a lot of things to ooh and aah over. Two of my favorite are pineapples made out of sunflowers and a dog made out of dogwood flowers.

Bailey's philosophy is you aren't just throwing a party, you are creating a theatrical event for your guests. It's important to pay attention to the details so your guests will know they are in for a wonderful, magical night. Some examples of small but important details that Bailey uses are: a wedding menu made out of edible chocolate, displaying sculptures that support the party's theme and embellishing cloth napkins with silk roses.

This book is not a "how to" because there aren't any step-by-step instructions. Rather, it's designed to be a "how about this idea" book. It's a peek into Bailey's creative process.

Bailey finds inspiration in nature, artwork and the various cities he has visited. He doesn't want you to simply copy his ideas but he wants you to use this book as a springboard for your imagination and personal style.

Armchair Interview says feeling ambitious and daring? Incorporate Bailey's suggestions into your celebrations.

Very Inspiring.......2006-07-17

This book is certainly not a how to book. It is most definately a coffee table book showing off the talents of Mr. Bailey & his design team.
They are very good at what they do.
I use this book as my design inspirational bible and have produced some great, one of a kind arrangements for weddings and parties.
It is a pity that the author decided against sharing his knowledge. This book could have been a great best seller had he offered up some basic design techniques.
Though I love the book, everytime I thumb through it, I ask myself - who was the intended audience?

Mediterranean Inspiration: 125 Home Plans Inspired by Southern European Style (Inspiration (Homeplanners))

Average customer rating:

Mediterranean Inspiration
Affectation In-A-Box
Jolene's Reviews

Mediterranean Inspiration: 125 Home Plans Inspired by Southern European Style (Inspiration (Homeplanners))

Manufacturer: Home Planners
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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Style | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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European Luxury Home Plans (Sater Design Collection, 1)

ASIN: 1931131090

Book Description

Mediterranean inspiration Bringing the allure of the sunkissed Mediterranean directly into readers hands, all 125 home plans are inspired by the traditional Southern European style.

Customer Reviews:

Mediterranean Inspiration.......2007-05-15

Title should be "Mediterranean Lack of Inspiration".
This book will appeal to those with too much money, too few brains and absolutly no taste
Although America, rightly so, lays claim to some of the finest examples of Mediterranean Revival in the world, this book does nothing to bring the reader into the understated elegance created by those homes. Instead it continues the trite and tasteless habit of ostentatious behavior we Yanks have become known for the world over. The designs are thinly vieled examples of the MacMansions found on converted corn fields, complete with corn fed owners, throughout America. Bigger is better and gaudy is better still.
The book should not be used for reference material or even a coffee table book unless you need something on which you may rest your Bud while watching Monster Truck episodes.
Using this book for reference will not supply any insight into the Mediterreanean style, but it will demonstrate just how good we are at commandeering a style that has been perfected over hundreds of years and "fixing" or "improving" it.
If you are interested in the Mediterranean style in America, try "Red Tile Style" by Aroll Gellner or "Santa Barbara Style" by Kathryn Masson.
There are also many books covering he work of Addison Mizner and George Washington Smith in Florida and giants such as Julia Morgan in the West.
This book MIGHT be good to line the cat's litter box, but be forwarned, the cat may object.

Affectation In-A-Box.......2006-09-26

.
gauche: Lacking social polish; tactless

gauche --Synonyms inept, clumsy, maladroit; coarse, gross, uncouth

This offers the reader All of the above and more.

Several issues are immediately apparent. First, is the lack of congruity it seems, of a philosophy (or budget) that would purchase plans from a mass-marketed stylebook on the cheap, only to have designs embellished with an excess of budget-busting ornamentation, inordinate angles, appliqué, unnecessary fictitious details, fatuous decoration and curves upon curves.

Anyone expecting to save money on this type of approach to building is setting himself or herself up for a HUGE awakening. One is well advised to consult a designer, building designer, or architect prior to purchasing such plans and proceeding with wise professional counsels.

Essentially what the reader is purchasing is a catalog of 125 cookie-cutter, in your face track home plans, from which they can select the one design on which to spend another thousand dollars (give or take depending on the plan) to secure the foundation plans, detailed floor plans, cross sections, structural plans, exterior elevations, and electricals.

These ersatz, eclectic "Mediterranean Inspiration" designs "steal and borrow" (the word begins with a "B" and will not pass the filter although a legitimate clean word) from Neoclassical, Story Book Style, Norman, Gothic, Tudor, doghouse. They brim with ostentatious details that betray the very fundamental standards of taste and refinement that the purchaser hopes to transmit.

The designs are a miscellany of plans intended to impress; yet lack the grace, elegance, and fundamental standards of good taste.

The reader should recognize that they will need to float their furniture on all those curves that are so beguiling on paper. The reader needs to identify 12-foot living room space as too small, or a 10-foot circular breakfast room that looks better on paper than the Gestalt of its reality. Consider all those eyebrow, and Palladian curved windows that look great on the exterior elevations will also require window treatments. Curved arches, arch-over-standard, circles, octagons, hexagons, trapezoids, angled top or bottom, and cutout shades are all going to require custom solutions that are not only far more costly than standard windows, but they also frequently detract from the interior surroundings they are supposed to enhance.

This book might be useful to free up creative blocks for those persons collecting ideas for their building projects. Nonetheless spare yourself the troubles of buying the actual plans without professional counsels.

Jolene's Reviews.......2006-07-04

This book has beautiful photos and sketched home plans for luxurious living. If you are looking for ideas to build an estate or a waterfront home, this is a good choice. It has home plans from designers like Sater.

The Anatomy of Design: Uncovering the Influences and Inspirations in Modern Graphic Design

Average customer rating:

The title could've been "The Evolution of Design"
Lots of nice pictures...
Bad cover, good book
Great for students!
A New Kind Of Art Book Is An Endless Visual And Intellectual Feast

The Anatomy of Design: Uncovering the Influences and Inspirations in Modern Graphic Design
Steven Heller , and Mirko Ilic
Manufacturer: Rockport Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1592532128

Book Description

An iconic collection of design work presented in fresh and useful format.

Designers are conceptual pack rats. They pack as much raw material in their brains as possible and then use that to build their own unique designs. The Anatomy of Design is what, in the butcher business, they call a "side of beef." The authors selected fifty examples of graphic design that will be dissected, piece by piece, tissue by tissue, revealing an array of influences and inspirations. These are not necessarily the most well-known or celebrated objects of graphic design, though many contain the genetic codes of some canonical works. Instead, these represent contemporary artifacts that are well conceived, finely crafted, and filled with hidden treasures. Some are overtly complex and their influences are somewhat easy to see with the naked eye. Others are so simple that it is hard to believe there is a storehouse of inspiration hidden underneath.

The selections include all kinds of design work including posters, book and record covers, packages, catalog covers, and more. Each exhibit is selected based on its ubiquity, thematic import, and aesthetic significance, and every page is a means to show how great work is derived from various inspirational and physical sources, some well-known, some unknown. Each design is presented on a gate-fold showing the featured design and and other works that share the key influences with extended captions explaining the whys and wherefores.

Customer Reviews:

The title could've been "The Evolution of Design".......2007-08-08

This is a great book, especially for referencing. Beautifully designed! As for the title I truely believe "The Evolution of Design" would've been more appropriate, especially while referencing to the earliest documents containing that particular object, artifact or style and its transcendence to what the subjects' conceived graphic design has "evolved" to.

True as stated in the preface, "These are not necessarily the best-known or celebrated objects of graphic design, though many contain the genetic codes or canonical works. Instead, they represent some visible and a few obscure relatively contemporary artifacts that are well conceived...", there could've been other, more successful pieces on the table for dissection, yet the specimens selected are exceptional!

Lots of nice pictures..........2007-05-16

That's all well and good, but it lacks a textual narrative. The fold-out pages are a nice novelty for 'docovering' the apparent lineage of the feaured images, but do grow tiresome - and crease very quickly without undue care. Good for inspiration but not great.

Bad cover, good book.......2007-05-12

Honestly, I haven't had the time to actually read this book yet. But the hundreds of examples they give for specific styles of design make this book amazing in itself. I've never owned a book that has so many examples of quality design. The cool part is that the examples actually pertain to specific pieces; there supposed to be the works that specific graphic designers drew inspiration from to create a certain their work. Basicly, you flip the page and there's an example of a good piece of graphic design. Then you unfold the page to see what works that piece drew inspiration from. It's really interesting. Every single page opens up, giving you twice the amount of content, so your getting a good deal. *There's a section that has some rather explicit graphics in it so this isn't a kids book.* Overload of quality design; couldn't ask for more in a book.

Great for students!.......2007-03-20

This book is great for seeing a designer's though process. It opens up endless doors for creative minds. We need to start pushing the envelope!

A New Kind Of Art Book Is An Endless Visual And Intellectual Feast.......2007-02-15

This is a visual equivalent of Bartlett's Quotations - with an ingenious analytical presentation. It is full of interesting ideas and enough content to last for a lifetime. Aside from being tremendously enjoyable to anyone like myself who is interested in the graphic arts, it looks like it gives a full course in graphic design and the history of visual art. The generous, non-stop foldouts are ingenious and every one of them is filled with fascinating images and commentary. It wouldn't surprise me if this work, aimed apparently at graphic designers, became a best seller simply as a new kind of art book.

Interiors by Design: Advice and Inspiration from the Professionals

Average customer rating:

Interiors by Design: Advice and Inspiration from the Professionals
Ros Byam Shaw , Ros Byam Shaw , and Christopher Drake
Manufacturer: Ryland Peters & Small
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1841724025

Book Description

Anyone who's covered their walls in paint samples or pondered over lighting schemes will know that being your own designer is not as easy as it sounds. Luckily, help is at hand with Interiors by Design. Getting Started shows you how to draw up the all-important design brief of what you want to achieve from your space, both practically and aesthetically. Complete Schemes and The Rooms present over 30 interiors selected from the most stylish homes around the world, created by talented designers including William Yeoward, Pam Giolito and Joseph Marino, and Bruce Oldfield. Trade Secrets provides a summary of professional wisdom to ensure you get the best results. About the Author Ros Byam Shaw is a former features editor of World of Interiors and deputy editor of British W, the fashion and lifestyle newspaper. She is now a freelance journalist and writes on design and interiors for House and Garden, Tatler, and The Sunday Times. She is author of Naturally Modern, and

The Way We Live: An Ultimate Treasury for Global Design Inspiration

Average customer rating:

terrific book
Rich, complex, atmospheric
Through the Keyhole
A Comprehensive and Sensitive Survey of Peoples and their Habitats
Great Research Book.

The Way We Live: An Ultimate Treasury for Global Design Inspiration
Stafford Cliff
Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Fashion | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1400051347
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Book Description

Spectacular in scope yet intimate in detail, The Way We Live transcends the archetypal style book to reveal global connections and patterns in home decoration. This unique body of detailed design inspiration encompasses the full range of options, from climate, location, and size to surfaces, arrangements, and colors. Whether you’re decorating a beach house in Chile or a loft space in Paris, you’re sure to be inspired by hundreds of images from around the world—a Moroccan house that coolly mixes the modern and traditional in elegant interiors; a dramatic arrangement of shells decorating a tabletop in Mauritius; flowers strewn across bare floorboards for a Christmas feast in Sweden. The enormous range of places here highlight connections and parallels of very different habitats in a way both striking and reassuring. The same attention to detail can clearly inform the layout of a dining room in a modest Mexican home as it does an exclusive club in Buenos Aires. This encyclopedic tome, a sublime visual record of how we construct and adorn our living spaces, celebrates our communal experience of the home.

From coastal hamlet to urban center, design expert Stafford Cliff compares architectural styles and decorating details from every corner of the world, whether it is a modest adobe dwelling whose contours complement those of the earth or a skyscraper of glass and steel that contrasts the natural terrain. The ingenuity of each culture shines through in the instinctive use of colors and materials, and in the way the spaces are inhabited.

The world tour of interior design elements and accents is lavishly presented in more than 1,000 glorious color photographs by famed lifestyle photographer Gilles de Chabaneix. Humble yet interesting structures, objects, and settings are all viewed with the same eye as the grandest homes, the rarest antiques, or the most exclusive addresses. From an unadorned Vietnamese sitting room to a bustling Neapolitan street market; a modern London flat to a baroque drawing room in Versailles; an Indian palace to a Chilean café, here is a world where old and new, organic and synthetic, happily coexist. And within these interiors, a myriad of choices and inspirations are seen in the contrasts between stark simplicity and sumptuous embellishment, minimal modernism and rococo splendor, the self-consciously urbane and the authentically rustic, the uniform and the eclectic. Fabrics, textures, and ornamental details reflect the complexity of different spaces and lifestyles, spurring countless ideas for personal self-expression. It seems that the way we live is not always defined by where we live.

Commentary on communal open space, which connects us to one another, and a meticulous guide to sources and materials round out this ultimate treasury. Both beautiful and practical, The Way We Live is much more than a decorating guide—it is a design for living.

Customer Reviews:

terrific book.......2007-05-15

brilliant pictures of landscapes from around the world and homes. I particularly enjoy the pictures of various stairwells together or doorways for example.

Rich, complex, atmospheric.......2006-06-14

I thought this book was exceptional.
This book deals with design in all parts of the world, but much more than this it gives you the feeling of the cultural richness of people who live in these spaces. It is visually beautiful and evocative.
I think the photography is outstanding. The photograper has a real knowledge about light and composition. It is rare, I think, to have so many excellent photos in a single volume. Along with this, the narrative is direct and insightful.
For those interested in design, the book offers many ideas for all types of settings. None of the ones presented are stereotypical or stiff.
The most winning aspect in this book is the realism and beauty that we are able to see around the world. The colorful, serene, and eclectic nature of many settings make this book a delight to read over and over again.

Through the Keyhole.......2006-02-08

Have you ever walked or driven past someone's home and wanted to look inside? Looking through this book is a bit like that on an international scale. The book is a beautiful work of art in itself, the presentation top class, the paper quality excellent, the binding great. It is packed with marvellous photographs of interiors, accompanied by descriptive text. What it isn't is another of those boring interior design books, filled with rooms that are painted offwhite, with large mirrors, potted palms and overstuffed sofas. This book is interior design getting real!

A Comprehensive and Sensitive Survey of Peoples and their Habitats.......2005-12-06

Stafford Cliff has collected images from all around the world and with the help of superb photographer Gilles de Chabaneix has done what few other innovators in design have done - created a book that is, yes, about design, but is equally about how climate, place, ethnicity, tradition, cultural philosophies, and history inform the decisions people make about their living environments.

Not just viewing the gracious homes of the wealthy of the planet (though there are plenty of gorgeous 'palaces' of design to please the most art hungry eye), Cliff views the differences geography makes in dwellings, from spectacular vistas of the sea to the mountains and to the deserts, and how the climates influence the manner in which 'design' is used. As interested in discussing and sharing the most humble abodes with the most lavish mansions, Cliff doesn't miss a beat as he and de Chabaneix journey to places obscure and places of notoriety. The emphasis is always on the manner in which the people of these dwellings adapt and incorporate their living spaces to their environment.

A book that is both sumptuous in design itself and tender in its approach, THE WAY WE LIVE will appeal to both students of design and to those who long to understand the essence of living, wherever they travel. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, December 05

Great Research Book........2005-10-01

As an interior designer, I often start thinking about new spaces by doing research as to what other people have done in the past in similar situations...this is a great book to have in your library for that purpose. I've referenced it many times to show clients the sort of "mood" I'm looking to create before we sit down to hammer out the nuts and bolts of how that feeling translates into a different space with different furnishings and fabrics...this book won't teach you how to make curtains, but it is well worth the investment as exactly what it says it is..."a global design inspiration".

Lone Star Quilts and Beyond: Step-by-Step Projects and Inspiration

Average customer rating:

truly worth the money
This book is a great one!
A good book on making eight pointed star quilts
watch the errors!
You CAN make these quilts!

Lone Star Quilts and Beyond: Step-by-Step Projects and Inspiration
Jan Krentz
Manufacturer: C&T Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Quilts & Quilting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Diamond Quilts and Beyond: From the Basics to Dazzling Designs

ASIN: 1571201610

Book Description

Now a master quilter helps you explore the world of Lone Star quilts! Jan Krentz demonstrates, step by step, everything you need to know to make the Lone Star quilt of your dreams, from fabric choices to finishing touches. This guide includes nine colorful projects to get you started, along with a gallery of eye-catching Lone Star quilts to inspire creativity. Plus, rotary cutting saves you time, while imaginative additions such as appliqué and "designer diamonds" give these quilts a fresh, updated look.

Customer Reviews:

truly worth the money.......2007-08-13

This book is one that I would recommend to the intermediate to advanced quilter without reservation. The directions are very clear, the photos are fabulous and the options are endless using her suggestions for splitting diamonds and mix and matching the borders. This is a pattern book and reference book that you will return to again and again for inspiration. LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT.

This book is a great one!.......2007-01-13

I took Jan's class and can see why she was voted teacher of the year. She is really great and the book is a very nice one. Do check her website for the corrections, I like the way she squares up the sections of the stars so they go together really nicely. I have 3 of them ready to quilt!

A good book on making eight pointed star quilts.......2005-08-27

This beautifully produced book concentrates on the theme of making star quilts - not 12 inch block pattern stars but those gorgeous large lone stars which cover a whole quilt top with one huge star made up of hundreds of tiny diamonds.

Rotary cutting and machine paper piecing methods are used in this book to create some particularly intricate quilts which include curved piecing and many sharp points to match. Some of the patterns included split the diamonds down the middle which further increases the complexity of the pieces - and the workmanship in the sample quilts is superb.

There is a large gallery of different quilts, many of which use very brightly coloured fabrics. I don't greatly care for the way very busy fabric prints are used in some of the pieces both in the gallery and in the pattern section. I feel that the busy floral prints obscure the intricate designs which are beautifully pieced and finished. Don't expect a lot of large bed quilt patterns either - although the quilts could be laid on top of a bed the average size of the completed patterns is 50 inches square.

Fabric selection and design is also discussed and there is a selection of different templates to help you begin creating your own original Lone Star quilt layout.

This is not a book for the beginner. The quilt patterns are pieces for the advanced worker who knows what she is doing. However it provides plenty of inspiration for the experienced quilter.

watch the errors!.......2003-12-05

those of us who have been making lone star quilts for a while will instantly know that the cutting chart in the back of the book is incorrect.....all of it! diamonds are measured one way, the strips to cut them, another. check the authors' website for corrections, but be advised, the chart is still wrong. Adding a half an inch to the size of a diamond does not give you the size of strip to cut. Her projects are probably OK though.

You CAN make these quilts!.......2002-08-18

Even though I have not made many quilts, I took the plunge and enrolled in a class for the Spiral Lone Star pattern from this book. Incredibly, the quilt truly did turn out to be "much easier than it looks" as promised by the teacher. Krentz has broken the intricate designs into workable sections and simplified the construction techniques for each section. These quilts will challenge you to explore color and movement in every piece, with thrilling and satisfying results.

A House on the Water: Inspiration for Living at the Water's Edge

Average customer rating:

EXCELLENT !
OK, but not what I was looking for.
Visually Delicious
Architect
A House on the Water- inspiration for dreaming and designing

A House on the Water: Inspiration for Living at the Water's Edge
Robert W. Knight
Manufacturer: Taunton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Real Estate | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Design & Construction | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

House Plans | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Waterfront Retreats
Waterfront Homes: 189 Home Plans for River, Lake or Sea
Beach Homes (Best of Fine Homebuilding)
Waterside Living: Inspirational Homes by Lakes, Rivers, and the Ocean
Cottages on the Coast: Fair Harbors and Secret Shores

ASIN: 1561586072
Release Date: 2003-10-05

Book Description

There is a universal longing to live near the water ... and this inspiring book can make that dream come true. What's it really like to live near the sea (or on a lake or at the river's edge)? Maine architect Robert Knight looks at 25 well-designed dream homes that are enhanced by the water around them; and he presents six design themes to help the reader understand what makes a house on the water work well. Over 300 color photos and site plans are featured in this outstanding portfolio of homes filled with inspiration.

Customer Reviews:

EXCELLENT !.......2007-06-29

If you are about to build a home...or just enjoy seeing the details that make other structures a "home" then you will love this book...

Very informative...beautifully executed...homerun all the way...

OK, but not what I was looking for........2007-02-13

I was excited to get this book in the mail, as I thought it would have some real good ideas on how to build a larger home on the water that had some character. I found most of the homes rather odd, homes for people that would name their children Jupiter or Flower. I am back today ordering more books. Also most homes either are RIGHT on the water or set back in rock. Didn't find much in the way of regular 100ft setback from the water, woods, maybe a walkout basement type of MN lakes home. There was one from WI but again, it was right on the water, which you normally can not build now days.

Visually Delicious.......2006-12-28

This book is wonderful at capturing the rare beauty of various architectural wonders through vivid photographs and welcoming text. You never get bored flipping through this book and it is incredibly inspiring. It combines several differently designed homes that will appeal to a variety of readers. Reading this book is like daydremaing on paper. Highly recommended.

Architect.......2006-03-11

I found this book both educational and handsome in content and in photography. As an architect practicing in different regions of the country, I'm always thankful for having opportunities to do design work in Maine. Maine, as a place to live, is simply wonderful and unique, but the sense of peace in these "Houses on the Water" is elevated creating a noble inspiration for the reader.

A House on the Water- inspiration for dreaming and designing.......2004-01-19

As a landscape designer, I was consistenly impressed with how these wonderful houses fit into their site, lifting out the critical views and respecting the nature of the place. Having enjoyed the houses that Robert Knight designs, I was pleased to learn why his houses and those selected for his book are so satisfying to see and experience. O'Rourke's photographs are spectacular and with the plans, really help to visualize the structure and the setting and how they fit together. Design professionals and homeowners alike with whom I've shared this book rave about it. A perfect gift for friends and family!

The Art of Beadwork: Historic Inspiration, Contemporary Design

Average customer rating:

The Art of Beadwork: Historic Inspiration, Contemporary Design
A book to turn the beadworld on its ear!
Blending history and an overview of cross-cultural beading traditions with artist profiles and fun projects
FABULOUS!!!!
OH MY GOD!

The Art of Beadwork: Historic Inspiration, Contemporary Design
Valerie Hector
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Beadwork | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Jewelry | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

The Beader's Guide to Color
Peyote Stitch: Beading Projects
Exquisite Beaded Jewelry: Use Basic Techniques to Create Distinctive Designs
The Art of Beaded Beads: Exploring Design, Color & Technique
Beading with Cabochons: Simple Techniques for Beautiful Jewelry

ASIN: 0823003078

Book Description

The popularity of beads and beadwork has skyrocketed since the late 1980s. While there are many books on the subject, few direct more than just a passing glance at the art of beadwork from other times and cultures. As a result, today's jewelry enthusiasts are hungry for inspirational images of beadwork from around the world, as well as innovative and highly creative projects for beaded jewelry designs. The Art of Beadwork offers readers a detailed look at the quality, diversity, and stunning artistry of beadwork from ancient Egypt to the new millennium. From tribal Africa to East and South Asia, 17th-century England to 20th-century France, Central Asia to the Middle East and even the Americas and the Carribean, here are 24 exquisite projects inspired by some of the world's great cultures. Rather than merely providing instructions for copying, this remarkable reference demonstrates how to translate one or more of an inspirational piece's characteristics-color, technique, and dimension-into dazzling examples of contemporary jewelry design. Readers will discover how to use these beadwork methods to create impressive beaded necklaces, earrings, pendants, pins, bracelets, hair ornaments, bags, and more through easy-to-follow diagrams and complete instructions. Along with a history of beadwork, lists of materials needed, and a comprehensive appendix of resources, this guide also features resplendent, full-color examples from such noted beadworkers as Flora Book, David Chatt, Sharon Donovan, Kathryn Harris, NanC Meinhardt, Don Pierce, and Laura Shea.

Customer Reviews:

The Art of Beadwork: Historic Inspiration, Contemporary Design.......2007-01-09

This is an interesting book, filled with history about beading. I do wish Ms Hector had given specific instructions for her "big bead" Japanese beads (shown on the back of the book).

A book to turn the beadworld on its ear!.......2006-04-18

I have been doing beadwork, writing about beadwork, researching beads and beadwork, devoting my master's degree work to beadwork ... everything I have ever done these past 10 years seem to relate to beads ... even vacations with my wife center on going to specific bead stores, collections and museums.

This book is PHENOMENAL! There are things in this book that I could never have dreamed about. The photography, illustrations and explanations for the projects are first rate. Linking them to traditional pieces is brilliant.

This is the one book that will change the face of beadwork to come in the future.

Blending history and an overview of cross-cultural beading traditions with artist profiles and fun projects.......2005-09-06

Beadworkers have traditionally received less volume and detail in their guidebooks than quilters, but the genre is growing and has been enhanced by the addition of Valerie Hector's The Art Of Beadwork: Historic Inspiration, Contemporary Design. Valerie Hector is a famous jewelry designer who invited several artists to use a piece of beadwork from another time or culture as inspiration for creating a new piece: The Art Of Beadwork celebrates this effort, blending history and an overview of cross-cultural beading traditions with artist profiles and fun projects for creating necklaces, earrings, pins and more. With the world as its inspiration, The Art Of Beadwork features inspirational pieces from around the world, with diagrams and easy project notes assuring relative newcomers will be able to duplicate the polished results.

FABULOUS!!!!.......2005-07-09

I waited months and months and *months* for this book after seeing the author's work in person and nearly fainting on the spot over her inexpressibly luxurious Xhosa double scallop stitch pieces (technique included in this book). Every few months I'd check on the status, and find out the publication date had been set back, and I thought I'd expire from desire before I got it.

AT LAST it was published, and I pounced -- and OH, *what* a marvelous book it is, and how well worth waiting for!! How wonderful to have the rare book for more advanced beadworkers -- packed with superb diagrams and inspirational photographs and unusual, atypical stitches.

Hector's approach is sort of anthropological; she builds the chapters around traditional/cultural styles of beadwork from around the globe and throughout history, presenting a rich and well-researched context of historical and multicultural example in which she roots the contemporary projects. Each chapter features the work of a different contemporary bead artist, who designed his or her project in response to the historical/cultural inspiration featured in that chapter.

The result is the most novel, juicy and satisfying wide-ranging offering of truly unique beadwork inspiration. That said, it should be noted that it would not serve well as a first "how-to" book for a beginning beader; some of the stitches are rather advanced and I believe would prove frustrating to most beginners. On the other hand, that is exactly what makes this one of my FAVORITE bead books of all! It's so gratifying to find a truly unique set of techniques that have not been presented in a dozen other books. In addition, the marvelous range of photographs, showing both historic and contemporary beadwork from around the world, still make this an unquestionably valuable inspiration book for more novice beaders.

I only wish I could give this gem 6 or 7 stars, and hope all those who are truly enamored of beadwork or textiles, traditional or contemporary, as collectors or artists or just fans, will rush to buy this super, unique book by this very learned and talented artist/author!

OH MY GOD!.......2005-05-19

I received my book 2 days ago. I looked through it and though I'm by no means done going through it, I had to jump in and try the cubic right angle weave. It's so cool!
The great thing about this book is the unusual weaves. Definitely not the same ol' stuff you see all the time. I'm an experienced beader and am always on the lookout for books that are not geared to the beginning beader. This book is really wonderful. As another reviewer said. She presents the possibilites in photos, then gives the general instructions, suggests other design possibilities leaving the rest to your imagination. The instructions given were clear and concise and enough to continue on your own (provided you're not a beginning beader.)
If you're an intermediate to advanced beader looking for new things to try, you've GOT to have this book. Beginning beaders will enjoy seeing the wonderful possibilities that can be viewed in this book but will probably want to get a good handle on weaving techniques before jumping into the projects offered here.
I can't wait to get back to this book and trying some more of the techniques. My upcoming vacation will be filled with hours devoted to this book.
I wasn't familiar with the author before but will definitely be watching for her name from now on.
GREAT BOOK!

The Farmhouse: New Inspiration for the Classic American Home

Average customer rating:

Amazing - Full of Great Ideas
Perfect and Invaluable
Review-The Farmhouse: New Inspiration for the Classic American Home
Beautiful Inspirational Book!
Not for those looking for a "classic" farmhouse style

The Farmhouse: New Inspiration for the Classic American Home
Jean Rehkamp Larson
Manufacturer: Taunton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Design & Construction | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Household Hints | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Creating a New Old House: Yesterday's Character for Today's Home (American Institute Architects)
American Country Building Design: Rediscovered Plans for 19th-Century Farmhouses, Cottages, Landscapes, Barns, Carriage Houses & Outbuildings
The Farmhouse Book
The Distinctive Home: A Vision of Timeless Design (American Institute Architects)
The Farmhouse: Classic Homesteads of North America

ASIN: 1561586668
Release Date: 2004-09-15

Book Description

America's quintessential house style is reinvented for the 21st century family in this book. Farmhouses evoke nostalgic memories, real or imagined, of a simpler life, and deep, nourishing connections to the seasons and the land. This remarkable collection details and celebrates today's interpretation of the American farmhouse by focusing on traditional elements as adapted for modern needs, such as porches, roofs, windows, mudrooms, doorways, vestibules, fireplaces, and nooks. The 20 homes in this book represent today's best interpretations of this classic style in new and renovated homes designed for modern living. In suburban and rural communities from Maine to California, The Farmhouse celebrates an enduring American icon. This engaging tour, including over 300 color photographs and drawings that vividly showcase the farmhouse of today in a variety of settings and seasons, will delight, instruct, and inspire homeowners, architects, designers, and builders alike. Site and floor plans plus sidebars with historical detail are also included.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing - Full of Great Ideas.......2006-10-14

This book is a valuable resource as my husband and I plan our "farmhouse" that we intend to build next year beginning in February. It gives examples of restorations, new construction built to look like the old classical farmhouses across the midwest, and amazing interiors. I love the shaded boxes of information, emphasizing the importance of features such as shape, the color white, porches, etc. It is a lesson book for those wanting a basic education on how to talk farmhouses. We bought three books, and this one is far superior to the others.

Perfect and Invaluable.......2006-01-03

One of over $1,000 worth of books I ordered prior to starting our remodel, The Farmhouse is above and beyond the best book I bought for our tastes, and is the primary resource I have given to our architect. No country shabby chic here -- the style is spare, warm, and elegant. Great photos and text. This book will save us thousands by beautifully getting across our ideas for our new Boulder, Colorado home. Those who like this book would also like Jeremiah Eck's The Distinctive Home.

Review-The Farmhouse: New Inspiration for the Classic American Home.......2005-11-02

An informative book with good examples and photos.

Beautiful Inspirational Book!.......2004-11-29

This book is a great quality hardcover full of spectacular color photos of the traditional farm style. I found it's content and pictures insipiring and it would make a great gift for any 'farm-style' enthusiast... or it's great for any coffee table! Really an excellent book, un-beatable in terms of conveying a classic style and delivering inspiring ideas!

Not for those looking for a "classic" farmhouse style.......2004-09-14

This book, although well detailed and presented left something to be desired as far as I was concerned. Appreciating the "classic farmhouse" style, which covers a wide variety of architectural detail, I did not like many of the homes highlighted in this book. They were much too contemporized for my "Yankee" preferences. Oddly, the house most resembling a traditional farmhouse style inside & out was a California Greek Revival.The unusual angling of portions of 1 house, the strange selection of plastic siding for another, the glass & steel addition to an otherwise beautiful famhouse, left me wanting more. I'm sure some people like this style, but they were "cold" buildings. If you are looking for a book on beautifully detailed, classic farmhouses, look no further than "American Farmhouses" by Leah Rosch. I believe a modern day farmhouse can be built with an eye to the past and livability for today without sacrificing the warmth and traditional look.

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