Book Description
For everyone who craves a simpler lifestyle, not only in how they live but also where they live, The Simple Home features 21 houses and presents six different approaches to creating a home that realizes its full potential both simply and elegantly.
We are living in complex times, in a commodified, virtual, and overstimulated culture. One response to high levels of complexity and overstimulation is to look for yet another gadget or closet organizer to simplify our lives. But the answer lies somewhere else. The road to a simpler more satisfying life begins with a clear-eyed examination of the choices we are making for our time--and that includes choices about where we want to live.
The Simple Home presents six paths to simplicity, each illustrated by human-scaled, unadorned homes with straightforward floor plans and forms. These are open, light-filled homes (with rooms or spaces that are often multipurpose) that express their beauty in their utility and practicality. Simple homes are low maintenance and often green, designed for homeowners who wish to embody a different set of values in their housing choices than the run-of-the-mill starter castles littering the landscape.
The 6 Paths to Simplicity:
1. Simple is Enough
2. Simple is Thrifty
3. Simple is Flexible
4. Simple is Timeless
5. Simple is Sustainable
6. Simple is Refined
Customer Reviews:
Houses that live large for their owners.......2007-08-17
Wonderful case studies about 20 homes with good explanations about material choices, site considerations, and the people who own them. It's a Taunton Press book, so the photos are great, of course. I especially like the floor plan illustrations that support the photos and give a sense of flow through the houses.
Eye-opening book.......2007-08-04
This book is amazing! The pictures are great, and so well coordinated with the text that the reader can truly "see" each house. For anyone dreaming of a second home, or a more efficient first home, this is an ideal volume.
Defines the concept of a 'simple home' .......2007-07-08
Sarah Nettleton's THE SIMPLE HOME: THE LUXURY OF ENOUGH defines the concept of a 'simple home' and offers interior design tips to achieving satisfaction from a basic home design. This involves eliminating non-essentials and practicing restraint: six avenues to achieving a 'greener' lifestyle from this approach blends full-page color photos with comments on designs which refine and simplify the home - perfect for new students of interior design and homeowners contemplating reconstruction.
Great Book!.......2007-05-14
Wonderful pictures! This book has so many great stories of the home and how people really make their houses simple and comfortable.
Hmmm?.......2007-05-12
My copy came with many scratches on the dust cover and a broken binding when I opened the book. As far as the contents...I was expecting more of a layman friendly simple life-style type approach. Instead I felt like I was buying a book a self-contractor could use. My perusal indicated more about architecture as opposed to simplifying home content. Not a happy camper with this book. I returned it.
Book Description
The first desk reference on technical building systems for interior designers
Building Systems for Interior Designers is the first book to explain technical building systems and engineering issues in a clear and accessible way to interior designers. The technical knowledge and vocabulary presented here allow interior designers to communicate more effectively with architects, engineers, and contractors while collaborating on projects, leading to more accurate solutions for problems related to a broad range of other building considerations with an impact on interior design. Information on sustainable design is integrated throughout the book, making it a relevant tool for current and emerging trends in building design.
Written in a straightforward, nontechnical style that maintains depth and accuracy, this book is the first complete text applicable to interior design courses and provides thorough preparation for the NCIDQ exam. Engaging, clear illustrations support the text, which is accessible to those without a math or physics background.
Topics covered include:
- Heating and air conditioning systems
- Environmental issues
- Water and waste
- Thermal comfort
- HVAC systems
- Electricity
- Lighting
- Security and communications systems
- Fire safety
- Transportation systems
With numerous case examples illustrating how interior designers apply this material in the real world, Building Systems for Interior Designers is a valuable book for students, as well as a practical desktop reference for professionals.
Book Description
Green. It conjures images of a meadow in spring for some, and the color of money for others. What does "green" have to do with our homes? In essence, green building-or sustainable building-means being smart about how we use energy, water, and building materials so that we can live well without needlessly damaging the environment. Creating a good green home isn't just about conservation, about using less or saving more-although that's certainly part of it. It's about creating better homes that are easier on the environment, less expensive over the long term, and more delightful to come home to. That's the message Jennifer Roberts wants to share in Good Green Homes, the ultimate new guide for people who want to live in comfortable, healthy, environmentally conscious homes. With some simple steps outlined in this book, you can save money, and do your part to help save the environment. For instance, using an energy-efficient light bulb saves you money. It also results in less demand for electricity, which in turn results in less pollution from power plants, which may help a child with asthma breathe a little easier. If you associate green-built housing with the unconventional or the quirky-tree houses, geodesic domes, dwellings constructed of tires or soda bottles-think again. Perfect for homeowners, remodelers, renters (who might be surprised by how much is within their power to change), architects, builders, and interior designers, this book lays out seven fundamental principles of green building, illustrated with more than 150 color and 20 black and white photographs of more than twenty-five homes. Jennifer Roberts launched two retail stores in San Francisco specializing in environmentally sensible consumer products, including household goods; and is a freelance writer and editor on topics that include energy-efficient building design and systems.
Customer Reviews:
A good start..........2007-01-18
This is an excellent book for those seeking an introduction to environmentally sound home building. There are many good general points and examples of green homes. It is short on details for actual designers but good for home builders who need to read this information desperately and stop building mega-mansions with 5 bedrooms for families with one kid.
Good book.......2006-07-12
Doesn't give a detailed analysis of anything, but is a great tool for people wanting a basic understanding of green building, energy efficient techniques, etc.
Beautiful, but...........2004-10-29
This book no doubt makes a lovely addition to my coffee table. I feel so inspired and now.. how do I do it?? I was looking for more practical advice that addressed all my reasons for wanting to remodel green - protecting my family's health and our planet's natural resources and my financial savings. If the intention was to create a stunning, inspiring book - great job. If it was to really explain what green is and exactly how to do it, I think I'd look to books like "Green Remodeling" by Johnston and Master or read Environmental Building News....
Real Homes that Make a Difference.......2004-03-03
"A recent poll revealed that an astounding 96% of consumers are willing to pay more for green features in a home, and 91% feel that energy-efficient features in a new home were extremely or very important."
If you are planning to redecorate or remodel, Good Green Homes offers ideas, real-world advice and lots of inspiration. Jennifer Roberts is a freelance writer who specializes in sustainable building, energy efficiency and corporate social responsibility. She helps people make choices that encourage positive change in their living environments. She answers the following questions:
How does having a "green" home actually save money?
How can someone who rents their home make significant changes?
What are some ways to protect and improve the quality of air inside our homes?
What are "rapidly renewable sources?"
How can you afford a green home on a limited budget?
Jennifer is also a merchandising manager for the Marina Green stores and joys introducing consumers to the joys of stylish clothes made from organically grown cotton, healthy paints, energy-efficient light bulbs, tableware made from recycled materials and environmentally friendly alternatives to everyday household products.
Featured Homes Include:
A Delightful Cottage
An Ecofriendly addition to a historic home
A Trio of Healthy and Green City Homes
An Artist's studio on a Wooded Island
A Vacation Retreat in the Wine Country
A Neighborhood of Homes
A Remodeled Victorian Flat
It is rather shocking to learn that the air inside our homes can be five times more polluted than the air outside. One look at your energy bill might convince you to read this book.
These homes don't really look all that different, but there are features like skylights to save electricity or there is a home that is naturally cooled, heated and lit. Some homes have solar water-heating systems for the summer and a unique solar power system blended right in with a backyard trellis to generate electricity from the sun.
The section on air quality was of interest to me because I am always moving my Austin air filter about the house.
The "Wine Country Retreat" looked like a house I could live in because it even has a tower. Well, the pools also looked rather inviting.
~TheRebeccaReview.com
Best Book of Its Kind!.......2004-01-01
This book is a gift to the Earth and to so many of the people who inhabit it! Good Green Homes is educational and practical in an amazingly palatable way...that is to say, it is most enjoyable reading; and at the end one is so much wiser than when one began. It is a visual feast. The concept of environmentally sensitive choices in every aspect of the home is brought to the whole spectrum of the population, from new construction to renters to "what can I do with what I've got." This book is beautiful, user friendly and, above all, inspirational. I kept saying, "I can do that! I can take that action. I can make a difference, and I want to!" Bravo!
Book Description
The Essential Resource for Creating Effective Signage and Wayfinding Projects
Signage and Wayfinding Design is an essential reference for design professionals who must communicate meaningful information in the built environment. Written to be both comprehensive and accessible, this vital resource shows how to apply a holistic, proven design method to large and small signage projects in an efficient and systematic manner.
In this practical guide, author Chris Calori outlines her proven "Signage Pyramid" method. This approach divides signage into three interrelated focus areas and components—the Information Content System, the Graphic System, and the Hardware System—making it easier to solve the often complex design problems posed in a comprehensive signage program.
Signage and Wayfinding Design gives professionals an in-depth view of the environmental graphic design (EGD) process from research and design development through project execution, and:
- Offers a wealth of illustrative examples from real-world projects
- Covers approaches to project documentation, including sign typing and message schedule management
- Explains nomenclature and numbering systems
- Illustrates how signage creates and reinforces brand identity
- Provides an overview of sign materials, coating, and finishes
- Highlights code and Americans with Disabilities Act considerations
- Includes more than 250 images and 32 pages of color images
By taking a cross-disciplinary approach, the author makes the information relevant for graphic designers, architects, interior designers, landscape architects, and industrial designers. Clients who engage EGD professionals will also gain valuable insights.
Customer Reviews:
Hands-on design primer on Signage.......2007-08-13
Calori covers industrial design specs to graphic design to project management to rapid prototyping signs to materials to testing to final deployment. A great primer into wayfinding and signage design.
For the next update, it would be great to see more color photos. The full-color spread of third party signage examples contain a few serious design flaws. How about a critique of mediocre systems?
Signage & Wayfinding Design.......2007-08-07
It is a brilliant book. A must read for all practitioners of Environmental Graphic Design.
The best book on Environmental Graphic Design in 25 Years.......2007-04-26
25 years ago John Follis published the last great book on environmental graphic design. This book is an update and improvement. The book starts with a clear and simple premise that underlies environmental graphics, a pyramid made of three parts (Graphics, hardware, information) The pyramid neatly divides the book into clear areas. Each section literally throws in the kitchen sink, with information on research, codes, guidelines and examples. Even more important are the picture examples. Many designers may come away disappointed if they are expecting a picture book, but the examples (A mix of B+W and color pictures) links closely to the text and lends weight to the content. This is a serious resource book for designers interested in reaching a higher level of design rigor.
Finally a comprehensive signage book!.......2007-04-02
A great up to date resource for everything having to do with environmental graphics. I see this as a valuable tool for design and architectural businesses as well as real estate developers. It is laid out like a step by step guide to take you through the entire process. The only thing that I found missing was how to come up with the great creative ideas that were featured in the color plates in the book - can we use them?
Average customer rating:
- Excellent "describe the subject as a whole" book
- Not a bad book but could have been better
- too good for a book
- too good for a book
|
The Ecological Design Handbook
Fred A. Stitt
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Professional
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Environmental
| Building Types & Styles
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Drawing & Modelling
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Civil
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Environmental Science
| Earth Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Environmental Science
| Earth Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Urban Planning & Development
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Building Materials
| Civil Engineering
| McGraw-Hill Engineering Store
| McGraw-Hill
| By Publisher
| Books
All Amazon Upgrade
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Engineering
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Home & Garden
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Professional & Technical
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Home & Garden
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Design Outlaws on the Ecological Frontier
-
Alternative Construction: Contemporary Natural Building Methods
-
Ecological Design
-
Sun, Wind & Light: Architectural Design Strategies, 2nd Edition
-
Sustainable Landscape Construction: A Guide to Green Building Outdoors, Second Edition
ASIN: 0070614997
Release Date: 1999-06-14 |
Book Description
* The best A-TO-Z book available on "green" design
* Covers everything from alternative energy source hardware to design...aesthetics...permaculture...energy-saving retrofitting...interior air quality...hybrid construction materials...cohousing...bioremediation...infrastructure... and the New Urbanism
* Practical guidance on zoning, financing, and implementation
* Up-to-the-minute ideas of international leaders in the field
Customer Reviews:
Excellent "describe the subject as a whole" book.......2002-02-15
Excellent collection of essays from different authors/sources covering the ecological design in many aspects. Each chapter is concise and to the point. Both general and practical information is provided. Chapters on the future of eco-design are included. It is also a pleasure to read.
Not a bad book but could have been better.......2001-08-25
This is a good book but readers would be better off getting Permaculture a Designers Manual, by Bill Mollison first, and then use this book as an additional reference for more ideas. as the editorial reveiw says it is an A-Z reference. Permaculture a Designers Manual is a how-to reference which I beleive makes any book more valuable than an A-Z reference and this is the only reason why I am giving this book 3 stars.
too good for a book.......2000-08-15
contents too good to be described
too good for a book.......2000-08-15
contents too good to be described
Book Description
Both an accessible and fascinating title, this book reveals how our past experiences and psychological developments inform the choices we make today when selecting a place that we truly feel is our "home"
It considers our "environmental autobiographies" and our psychological development in respect to urban experiences, focusing on the personal stories of Charles Jencks, Michael Graves and Andres Duany, three of the most prominent figures of our time from the world of design
Both theoretical and practical exercises involve the reader in understanding and improving the quality of their own environment. An entirely new approach to architectural design which combines aesthetics and psychology
Customer Reviews:
A Solid Book-inspiring and well written.......2007-07-24
"Some Place Like Home" is a groundbreaking book for the field of Design Psychology. As an Interior Design student I realize that my study is constantly subordinate to the field of Environmental Psychology and the two are interrelated. Dr. Israel is a pioneer of this field and I would recommend her work to anyone wanting to further their understanding of this discipline. She is dead on when she states, " The idea of environmental autobiography has been around for a long time, so has environmental psychology. Unfortunately these ideas have not been effectively communicated to the public at large, or to architects. Perhaps this book will help convince people that there is a powerful connection between past, present and future sense of home and place and that this connection can be explored through...Design Psychology."
"must read" for any interior designer and/or architect.......2007-07-19
A great book, very easy reading but also very inspirational in the sense that you are handed very usable tools for communication with (potential) clients. A logical thaught-process which needed to be put to paper: how to create a design which is not only great, but also gives te person who has to live there a sense of home!
Questionable concept but read the book anyway........2005-12-14
I'm rarely uncertain about my reviews but I am with this one. I've gone through Toby's recommended process of discovery and I think it is partially valid but either incomplete or on the wrong track. Her questionnaires and analysis of past experiences with "home" are the basis of her theory and book.
From Martin Seligman's Authentic Happiness "It is difficult to find even small effects of childhood events on adult personality, and there is no evidence at all of large effects." (I happen to be reading this article with this quote, I haven't read the book yet: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2099-1793873_1,00.html.)
I just don't see a childhood environment influence in my design preferences. I suspect that we are influenced much more by what we are exposed to that we remember. If a child sees a dome in a house and happens to remember 30 years later that a dome can be used in a house design then that designer is more likely to use a dome. My understanding of Toby's theory is that the designer would use a dome feature if they had a happy environment with a dome in the home in their previous experience. I see this as more coincidental than part of the psychological make-up of the designer.
I grew up in an old California mining town and my parent's house had bats in the attic. The bats were amusing but I don't recall the urge to design my homes with accomodations for bats.
An Amazon review is no place to get into a full academic discussion but I believe I've seen enough decent research that works against her theory and that my personal experience combined with her approach does not work at all. It would take a book to refute her theory properly but at least don't accept it without question.
What value has this book, theory, and process to architectural and interior design? I found that the insight into the thinking and histories of the three superb architects she interviews was worth my time and money. Also, her process should work at least some of the time, and possibly more often than not. It can't hurt to know the client better and her technique is not burdensome.
I recommend reading the book if you are doing design and want another theoretical reference point.
- jim
One of the best design tools out there........2003-12-03
This book is wonderfully written and easily understood by those directly and indirectly involved with interior design and architecture. The author, Toby Israel, leads you through her pioneering ideas behind design psychology with an interesting format that includes narration, interviews and exercises. You'll discover how your own past history of place - where you grew up, the type of home you lived in and even where you went to school - can affect choices you make regarding dwellings and workplaces now and in your future.
The exercises throughout the book help readers uncover influences from their past and can help them create successful environments for themselves or for clients. This book is a must have for anyone seeking to create satisfying designs with tools we inherently possess but too often ignore.
Book Description
Written for architects, interior designers, and color consultants, this ambitious study explores the psychological and physiological effects of color in the man-made environment. Scientific findings and industry-by-industry examples are furnished to help professionals specify colors that will create healthful environments in hospitals, schools, restaurants, and other public facilities.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Book- Very Helpful.......2000-04-23
This is an excellent book. It's very interesting and was the first book of it's kind that I have read. I gives color and light suggestions for different environments such as schools, office spaces, etc. It gives detailed scientific information about why these colors and types of light are good to use in these environments that is easy to understand. I think this book is a must have for all interior designers who care about the effects the environment they design will have on the people that will be in it!
Good Enough I'm Looking for the Author.......1999-07-24
Help! My cousin in Brazil is trying to contact the author of this book. The letter he sent was returned to him as the address being no good. He had gotten the address out of the back of the book. Does anyone know how to contact the author?
Average customer rating:
- The depth and coverage can't be beat.
- Well Satisfied on all counts
- Who Knew?
- One of the Architects Chimes In
- I love this book!
|
Log Houses of the World
Richard Olsen
Manufacturer: "Harry N. Abrams, Inc."
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Residential
| Building Types & Styles
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Materials
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Small Homes & Cottages
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Log Cabin Classics
-
Shakespeare in the Garden
-
Cabin in the Woods
-
Rustic Fireplaces
-
The Rustic Home
ASIN: 0810957469 |
Book Description
Long considered the apotheosis of rustic kitsch, the log house actually has a rich architectural pedigree. Since the late 19th century, a surprising number of architects, along with their artisan-builder counterparts, have transformed the simple pioneer log cabin into a supremely crafted work of high art. Log Houses of the World is the first-ever chronological survey of the greatest examples of log houses designed in Europe and the United States. Included are photographs, plans, and little-known drawings—most never before published—from such celebrated Modern-era architects as Eliel Saarinen, Adolf Loos, Le Corbusier, Richard Neutra, and others. The result is both a remarkable tour of some superbly crafted homes, and an important vehicle for garnering for these houses the popular recognition, critical and otherwise, that they deserve.
Customer Reviews:
The depth and coverage can't be beat........2007-02-08
Radek Kurzaj's lovely color photos compliments the first chronological survey of log houses designed in Europe and the U.S. from 1890 to modern times, and covers a vast range of architectural designs and builder innovations in the process. Libraries strong in woodworking or homeowner's titles, especially general-interest public library collections, will find LOG HOUSES OF THE WORLD an eye-catching display title that fulfills its cover attraction and promise with equally compelling interior photos. But don't think it's just a picturebook coffee table addition: it's packed by Architectural Digest magazine editor Richard Olsen's commentary and history as well. The depth and coverage can't be beat.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Well Satisfied on all counts.......2007-01-28
Received the book in the time limit specified. It arrived packaged well and in excellent condition as stated by the seller. I am very pleased with the book and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this seller to my friends, or to do business with them again in the future.
Who Knew?.......2006-12-07
Great insight into the world of the log house. This will shatter your preconceived concept of what a log cabin is, and show you what it can be. Very educational and beautifully photographed. A great addition to anyone's book collection who is interested in log cabins, architecture, or history.
One of the Architects Chimes In.......2006-10-26
I'm one of the architects whose work is published in this collection. At the risk of sounding preposterously self-serving, I wanted to chime in that I just received my copy of the book and I was very taken with it. It's a diverse collection of projects, nicely photographed, and in particular I found the writing to be refreshingly well done. The author captured the distinct elements of the built works and the narrative behind them very skillfully, and in my case, quite accurately. It's a great volume and I'm honored to be included in it.
I love this book!.......2006-09-29
What a wonderful and beautiful treatment of the subject! I will never think of log houses in the same way again. The writing is engaging as well as educational. I love design as well as travel and this book took me around the globe. Bravo!
Average customer rating:
- Transform Your Home into a Peaceful Sanctuary
- Detox Your Life
- Declutter, paint and detoxify
- Life-changing ideas
- Fantastic book with tons of information
|
Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify and Energize Your Life, Your Home and Your Planet
Norma Lehmeier-Hartie
Manufacturer: Lingham Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Herbal Remedies
| Alternative Medicine
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Feng Shui
| Stress
| Personal Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Healthy Living
| Personal Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Decorating
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Ecology
| Environment
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
Solid Waste Management
| Environmental
| Civil
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Toxicology
| Public Health
| Administration & Medicine Economics
| Medical
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Healthy Living Space: 70 Practical Ways to Detoxify the Body and Home
-
How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office
-
Home Enlightenment: Practical, Earth-Friendly Advice for Creating a Nurturing, Healthy, and Toxin-Free Home and Lifestyle
-
Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living
-
The Healthy Home Workbook: Easy Steps for Eco-Friendly Living
ASIN: 0977963306
Release Date: 2007-01-01 |
Product Description
Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify & Energize Your Life, Your Home & Your Planet, by Norma Lehmeier Hartie, is an indispensable reference book for anyone who cares about their health and well being and for the future of the planet. Hartie concisely covers a wide range of subjects and includes a comprehensive listing of advisory organizations, product and service resources. Part I of the book, Banish the Ugly from Your Life, is a blueprint for green, sustainable living. Discover how to replace toxic and unsustainable products from household cleaners to food (including recipes) to furniture to personal care products with safe, eco-friendly ones. Hartie is the tough but motivational Life Coach in her approach to cleaning, removing clutter and on organizing the home or office. Part II, Bring in the Beautiful to Create a Harmonious Environment and Self, includes a chapter on Earth-based spirituality and a fascinating look at the Four Elements (Earth, Fire, Air and Water) and the Medicine Wheel. The core of Hartie s philosophy blossoms in Chapter Seven, Applying Harmonious AdjustmentsTM: Using Feng Shui and Other Techniques for Powerful Results. Unlike other Feng Shui authors, Hartie has experience as a designer and her skills are apparent in this chapter and the following two. She has combined principles of Feng Shui, the Four Elements, color, energy, Vastu, and good design principles that create a unique and eclectic approach to home decorating. Finally, Hartie provides guidance on how to manifest personal or professional desires. In Part III, Putting the Pieces Together, Hartie skillfully integrates the many subjects of the book into a unified and cohesive whole. At its cover price of $19.95, Harmonious Environment is a value alone for the comprehensive green living product suppliers in the Resources section. What makes this book so truly ambitious, however, is what lies beneath the surface. In a sense, this book is only marginal
Customer Reviews:
Transform Your Home into a Peaceful Sanctuary.......2007-04-10
"The energy from flowers is so bright and strong that they can be put anywhere in the home and they will enhance your life." ~ pg. 217
Norma Lehmeier Hartie is a design consultant and Harmonious Adjustment practitioner who enjoys gardening and cooking. She created the practice of Harmonious Adjustments to give her clients the chance to reconnect with nature and to manifest their personal and professional dreams. Through her book she introduces ideas for detoxing and decluttering your home environment.
If you want a happier, healthier lifestyle that is more in harmony with nature, then Norma Lehmeier Hartie's book has a world of information to make this possible. She can help you:
Remove toxic products from your home and garage
Clean and organize your home
Buy environmentally friendly cleaning products
Organize your home for more peace and harmony
Find healthy personal care products
Grow plants that help to control pollution - A list of the Fifty Best Houseplants
Find the best choices in flooring
Figure out how to recycle larger items like a refrigerator
Cook more safely and use kitchen scraps for your garden
Formulate a plan to keep your house clean
Organize every room in the house
Decorate with Confidence
Reading through the list of harmful products gives you an idea of the ingredients to avoid in cleaners and how they can affect your health. For an antibacterial spray, the author suggests water and essential oils and for cleaning silver she also suggests more natural solutions like baking soda and vinegar. Using Borax and water is less dangerous than chlorine bleach fumes and you may want to try this in your shower. You may enjoy products by Seventh Generation.
Chapter three felt a little out of my personal range of expertise, although we know that thoughts can affect our environment and life and can move our life in a positive or negative direction. This chapter deals more with spiritual practices. Chapter 6 also delves into a deeper connection with nature, personality types and elemental powers. The list of Yin and Yang is helpful to create a balance of the two in your home. An entire chapter is also dedicated to plants, gemstones and crystals.
"If you are the average American woman, you expose yourself to over two hundred synthetic chemicals that are found in the products you use as you prepare yourself for the day. These products do not simply sit on your skin; approximately sixty percent of these ingredients get absorbed into your bloodstream." ~ pg. 91
Chapter four is especially informative and essential if you are trying to be healthier and want to find organic alternatives to products filled with synthetic chemicals. Why should you avoid petroleum and talc? Why is there lead in hair dye?
The section on an Eco-Friendly Kitchen is interesting and the chapter on natural and organic foods also gives ideas on how to save time in the kitchen. A few recipes are included:
Vegetarian Pasta Primavera
Fajitas
Risotto with Scallops or Shrimp
Lemon Rice
Grilled Vegetables
An extensive list of resources and a very handy index complete this well-researched and extremely helpful book. If you enjoy Feng Shui or decorating and organizing your home, there is a lot to enjoy and you may find the information in this book can also help with fatigue, anxiety and sleeping problems.
~The Rebecca Review
Detox Your Life.......2007-04-04
No matter what your goals are, this book has the starting point for you. Learn how to make your life less toxic and get a better relationship with Mother Earth.
Declutter, paint and detoxify.......2007-04-02
Using the principles of Feng Shui, you can create a harmonious home environment with this book as a guide.
Author Lehmeier-Hartie has you choose colors, elements and design based on your birthday. If you suffer from problems feeling disorganized or headachey at home, it could be your home is not organized properly or the flow of energy is impeded.
The author extends this tranquility to finding the right job and the right mate. Whether or not it is the alignment of elements in the home, focusing on clearing clutter in your life can only have positive effects. A very pretty book.
Life-changing ideas.......2007-02-02
Worried about what your family is being exposed to? Are you hoping to increase your wealth or find love this year? Trying to decide on the best color to paint your walls? If you answered "yes!" to any of these questions, then Harmonious Environment is a must read.
The goal of this book is to create positive energy both in your home and your life and to be kinder to the earth. Hertie is a design consultant, chef, gardener, and healer. She shares her professional and personal experiences with the readers, i.e., homemade earth-friendly cleaning products, tasty recipes for carnivores and vegetarians, etc. She recommends that after reading this book, you apply the process in the following order:
1. Remove toxic products from your home and garage
2. Clean, declutter, clear and organize your home
3. Buy/use environmentally friendly products
4. Learn how to use place objects (furniture, mirrors, etc.) to manifest change in your life
The relationship between people and the Earth is an important part of Harmonious Environments. To remind ourselves of this interconnection, Hertie recommends bringing the natural world into your home. Some ways to do this include displaying rocks and minerals and using houseplants as pollution busters.
Hertie uses Harmonious Adjustments (TM) that combines "the best principles of Feng Shui, the application of the Four Elements based on your birth date, color, Vastu, energy work and good design." I've read a few Feng Shui books in the past, but the author's clear instructions and enthusiasm has given me the confidence to actually try this at home.
I liked how the author reminded me to use this book as a guideline but to also trust my intuition. Do what looks and feels right for you. I also liked how the Resource section listed all the suppliers, organizations and further readings mentioned throughout the book.
Even if you aren't interested in Feng Shui, this book has valuable information about becoming an informed consumer and living a more eco-friendly life.
Armchair Interviews says read Harmonious Environment and get ready to change your life!
Fantastic book with tons of information.......2007-01-18
I got this wonderful book as we are moving our place of business, and wanted to make smart choices. From the first page, Ms. Lehmeier-Hartie shares her expertise in an organized, thoughtful way. The day after I got the book, I negotiated a much more logical and healthier ventilation system, and the section on colors was far and away the most organized and logical explanation I have ever seen.
Some aspects of our project are beyond our control, but I became a much more active participant. We anxiously await our new space, and know that the suggestions made here will add to the beauty and functionality of our space. I wish I could have rated this 10 stars!
Books:
- The Social Styles Handbook: Find Your Comfort Zone and Make People Feel Comfortable with You
- The United Arab Emirates: A Study In Survival (Middle East in the International System)
- Tile Your World: John Bridge's New Tile Setting Book
- Versailles
- VoiceXML 2.0 Developer's Guide : Building Professional Voice-enabled Applications with JSP, ASP & Coldfusion
- William Morris: Decor and Design
- Woodshop Dust Control: A Complete Guide to Setting Up Your Own System: Completely Revised and Updated
- Xeriscape Handbook: A How-To Guide to Natural, Resource-Wise Gardening
- 101 Kitchens: Stylish Room Solutions (101 Rooms)
- A Year In the Life of an ESL (English Second Language) Student: Idioms and Vocabulary You Can't Live Without
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: The Bestselling Guide to Doing Business in More Than 60 Countries
- Annapurna
- The BPM List: A Music Reference Guide for Mobile DJs
- The New Color of Success: Twenty Young Black Millionaires Tell You How They're Making It
- Window Seat: The Art of Digital Photography and Creative Thinking
- Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride
- Alcoholics Anonymous - Big Book 4th Edition
- Quickbooks for Windows: Making the Numbers Work
- The Home Office and Small Business Answer Book: Solutions to the Most Frequently Asked Questions Abo
- I Can Read About Baby Animals
The Barefoot Home: Dressed-Down Design for Casual Living
Crossing Boundaries: A Global Vision of Design
Let's Get Comfortable
The Not So Big Life: Making Room for What Really Matters
Prefabulous: The House of Your Dreams Delivered Fresh from the Factory
