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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Earth Ponds Sourcebook: The Pond Owner's Manual and Resource Guide, Second Edition

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The Ponder's Bible

Earth Ponds: The Country Pond Maker's Guide to Building, Maintenance and Restoration

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.

Biggest Book of Bread Machine Recipes (Better Homes & Gardens)

Average customer rating:

good book
A Let Down
Big disappointment
Well designed, but slightly complex recipes
So-So

Biggest Book of Bread Machine Recipes (Better Homes & Gardens)
Better Homes and Gardens
Manufacturer: Better Homes and Gardens
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb

Bread | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Special Appliances | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Betty Crocker's Best Bread Machine Cookbook: The Goodness of Homemade Bread the Easy Way
Breadman TR8752-Pound Breadmaker, Stainless Steel
Bread Machine Magic, Revised Edition: 138 Exciting Recipes Created Especially for Use in All Types of Bread Machines
Breadman TR2500BC Ultimate Plus 2-Pound Stainless-Steel Convection Breadmaker
Progressive International Clearly Fresh Bread Keeper

ASIN: 0696218534
Release Date: 2003-09-15

Book Description

More than 375 recipes keep fresh loaves of scrumptious bread in the pantry.

By varying seasonings and ingredients, custom bread making is easy and fun.

Two bonus chapters on Soups & Stews and Sandwiches offer more recipes and suggestions for enjoying delicious homemade breads.

Recipes, from sweet to classic, suit all tastes.

Basics chapter answers frequently asked questions.

Customer Reviews:

good book.......2007-09-15

Has a lot of no noncence recipies .It is not flsahy but the recipies work .

A Let Down.......2007-08-29

i was hoping to expand on bread machine recipes from the booklet that came with my mahine. This book has tons of recipes, but they're all pretty much the same, just switches flavors. Imagine any kind of fruit and nut combo bread, and they put it in there.I was hoping for more variety as far as type o fbreads and dough. Plus they have alot of sourdough recipes, which takes three days to make sourdough, somethinig I'm not inclined to do. It was kind of a disappoinment. i did try the banana bread recipe, but it came out like reguar white bread with a banana flavor-not very good.

Big disappointment.......2007-08-16

So sorry I wasted my money on this book. The recipes are too large for my machine. Some of them sound good, but since I have a 1 pound machine and all the recipes are for 1 1/2 & 2 pound machines, they did not do me much good. I was not expecting the soup and sandwiches portion of the book, either. If I had wanted soup recipes, I would NOT have bought a cookbook about making bread. It is a very nice looking book, however and lays flat for easy reading. The recipes are easy to read, also. Format is good.

Well designed, but slightly complex recipes.......2007-07-11

I have no complaints about this recipe book except that many of the recipes are very complicated and not basic. For instance, there is no basic honey wheat bread recipe. Every recipe has on average about 15 different ingredients, which is not very basic and makes utilizing the recipes a bit tedious when you have to hunt down ingredients, like gluten, rye flour, etc.

So-So.......2007-06-09

The first time I tried a recipe from this book, I thought it had too much salt and not enough yeast. I was right! Since then, I have increased the yeast by about 1/3 and decreased the salt by about 1/3, and they are about right.

The alternating orange & blue type is supposed to make it easier to read, but it makes it harder. For some reason, you tend to skip the orange lines. Be careful not to leave out ingredients!

I do like that there are separate lists of ingredients for medium and large loaves of bread, and the recipes tell you which cycle is recommended for each recipe.

I wish there were some pictures of some of the recipes. No pictures makes it feel like a cheap, fund-raising textbook or something. It doesn't feel like a professional recipe book.

Average customer rating:

Great Book
Too Primitive!
Ótimo livro sobre casa toscanas
Tuscan Elements
Tuscan Style

Tuscan Elements (Decor Best-Sellers)
Alexandra Black
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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

Style | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Private Tuscany
Bringing Tuscany Home: Sensuous Style From the Heart of Italy
Tuscan & Andalusian Reflections
Villa Decor: Decidedly French and Italian Style
Mediterranean Style: Relaxed Living Inspired by Strong Colors and Natural Materials

ASIN: 0823054802

Book Description

The Tuscan house, whether a simple homestead or expansive villa, has become one of the most sought-after living environments. Its design is virtually unchanged since the Middle Ages, when landowners in the golden hills of Tuscany built country retreats with gardens, porticoes, and loggias. The landowners often drew upon the natural resources of the region-and it is these materials that give the Tuscan house its unique character. Tuscan Elements brings to life the colors, textures, and aesthetics of the Tuscan house-the magnificent stone and marble work; the hardwoods like chestnut, oak, and elm; earthy terra-cotta and brick; and the all-important water feature, used in ponds, fountains, and pools. This unique, visual sourcebook deconstructs the typical Tuscan home and examines its basic components in dazzling detail, from the tiled roof and floor, thick stone exterior walls, and vine-covered loggia to the exposed wooden beams, luminous frescoes, and the sunny courtyard garden with an ancient well or exquisite swimming pool. Filled with extraordinary photos by world-famous interiors photographer Simon McBride, Tuscan Elements emphasizes living life well with a home that nurtures and comforts, accentuates the importance of family and friends, and entertains with good food and drink. For anyone interested in infusing their present home and garden with a little bit of Tuscany, here is a delightful source of never- ending inspiration.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2007-05-06

This book is filled to the top with great quality pictures. Wonderful inspiration for me and our new home which we are doing a Tuscan Theme. Will make a good coffee table book as well :)

Too Primitive!.......2006-07-11

The disigns elements were too rustic for my taste. I was looking for more of a casual elegence.

Ótimo livro sobre casa toscanas.......2006-03-17

Recomendo esse livro para quem, como eu, pretende construir no estilo toscano. Claro está que não se encontra mais tijolos de 300 anos, porém, pode-se ter completa idéia de como é o ar de uma propriedade toscana. Ótimas fotos e boas dicas.

Tuscan Elements.......2005-08-19

This is the best book of its kind that I have seen on basic Tuscan home design elements. Concise descriptions, beautiful photgraphy. I would heartily recommend this book.

Tuscan Style.......2004-12-24

I normally don't buy tabletop table books because I don't feel that they represent a value or add much to my understanding of a subject. Tabletop books full of incredible pictures just do not fully capture my imagination or attention. Consequently, most tabletop books get a cursory flipping through before I put them down.

However, `Tuscan Elements' is more than a book of pretty pictures and it is worth more than just a cursory flipping through. The author, Alexandra Black, has organized her effort to capture the elements of Tuscany. The four elements are stone, wood, earth, and water. These four elements are expressed in the homes, furniture, terracotta, and ponds, respectively, of Tuscany. To stand alongside the pictures of these four elements, Ms. Black takes the time to build a supporting story from a historical and literary point of view. Quoting D.H. Lawrence and Pliny the Younger, the story of how these elements have been woven into the ebb and flow of Tuscan life since before the Roman Empire emerges with an impressive clarity and vividness.

As a lover of Tuscany I am drawn to images of Tuscany and its way of life. The seductive beauty of the Tuscan landscape and the romance of the Tuscan lifestyle as expressed in the prose and images of this tabletop book is the stuff of dreams. This tabletop book provided me the fodder for those dreams and never once disappointed me.

The Home Depot Outdoor Projects 1-2-3 (Home Depot ... 1-2-3)

Average customer rating:

Great for the 1st time landscaper!!
nice book!!
A boon for us non-carpenter, born-in-the-big-city types.
love this book
The Handymans Hand Guide

The Home Depot Outdoor Projects 1-2-3 (Home Depot ... 1-2-3)
Home Depot Books
Manufacturer: Meredith Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Outdoor & Recreational Areas | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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

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

Home Improvement 1-2-3: Expert Advice from The Home Depot (Home Depot ... 1-2-3)
Decorating 1-2-3 (Home Depot ... 1-2-3)
Decks 1-2-3 (Home Depot ... 1-2-3)
Landscaping 1-2-3: Regional Edition: Zones 5-6 (Home Depot ... 1-2-3)
Patios and Walkways 1-2-3: Design and Build Beautiful Outdoor Living Spaces (Expert Advice from the Home Depot)

ASIN: 0696206730

Amazon.com

This is a joint project between the editors of Better Homes & Gardens and the Home Depot, and much like their earlier collaboration, Home Improvement 1-2-3, they cover a lot of ground in this big, detailed book. Clear, step-by-step instructions and diagrams for just about any outdoor project one can imagine--from deck building and maintenance to building a retaining wall to making outdoor furniture to installing an outdoor faucet or constructing a customized fountain--it's in here.

A very useful series of features throughout the book helps guide the homeowner: "Skill Scale" assesses the skill level needed for individual projects; "Trip Saver" helps save time and money, eliminating numerous trips to the store; "Safety Alert" warns of potential dangers on given projects; "Oops!" describes common errors and boo-boos and helps find solutions; "Designer's Corner" helps the reader with design and style choices.

Overall, as a comprehensive and nitty-gritty guide to all of the most common outdoor projects, this is a perfect book for the novice, but will have information and shortcuts for the experienced homeowner and do-it-yourselfer, too. --Mark A. Hetts

Book Description

Combines the expertise of Home DepotÂ—the nation's #1 home center retailer and Better Homes and Gardens BooksÂ—America's leading home and family publisher.

Every project is shown with clear, step-by-step instructions and illustrations.

The Home Depot employees review ever page to ensure accuracy.

Skill Scales for each project indicate the level of skill required and how long the project might take.

Stuff You'll Need features with every project includes a list of tools and materials needed to complete each project.

Bright red Safety Alerts call to the reader's attention any potentially dangerous situations.

Homer's Hindsight highlights mistakes homeowners should know about and how to avoid them.

Designer's Corner provides design tricks and tips that only experts know.

Buyers Guides highlight how to get the right part and offers advice on how to get the best value.

Regional variations in construction techniques are highlighted.

Customer Reviews:

Great for the 1st time landscaper!!.......2006-12-07

My husband is a carpenter and very good with working on things in the home. He needed a little guidance for outdoor projects that he never had done before. This book was even great for me who has no knowledge or training in building or landscaping. The two of us redid our entire back yard and it looks wonderful....we added a deck, patio, retaining wall, and lots of plants. Now we are looking forward to working on the front yard next Spring. This book will definitely get more use.

nice book!!.......2005-08-14

This book truly gives you the most "bang for your buck". If you are interested in learning how to do a wide variety of things and are somewhat mechanically inclined.....THIS is the book for you! I have my own contracting business and refer to this book many times for that "extra" insight I need on a project. The diagrams and pictures are very helpful and I truly would recommend this book to anyone!

A boon for us non-carpenter, born-in-the-big-city types........2001-01-01

Generally when I used think about home improvements (indoor or out) I thought about calling somebody (experienced or not) to help me with it. It was usually at this point that the neighbors would bring their kids inside. . . Just to be safe. . . To be honest, until just after I bought this book (a year ago) I didn't think I had the inate skills needed to do something as alien to modern men as replacing a fawcet washer, much less replacing the whole fawcet and installing a greenhouse!! This book, aside from not being very good at helping you lift heavy things, is all the help you will need to complete hundreds of different improvement projects in and around your house.

The skill gauge is very acurate in it's time estimates and tells you what level of skills you should have before starting a project - This is helpful if only so you can put your local fire department on call. With all the information on tools, their usage, and the type, amount and quality of materials you will need this book could make Homer Simpson look like Martha Stewart. . . Well, maybe more like Tim Allen, but you get the point.

I highly recommend this book and the Home Depot "HOME IMPROVEMENTS 1-2-3" book as well!! Truly money well spent!

love this book.......1999-10-25

this book is great my husband wanted it and now he loves it he uses it all the time and it give us both ideas on things we can do and then shows us how.

The Handymans Hand Guide.......1999-09-01

A user-friendly search manual of OutDoor/Indoor do-it-yourself projects. This book is a quick read with adaquate illustrations depicting vital home upkeep/improvement projects in simple lay terms. Sport reading for the seasoned professional, critical for would-be's.

Color Schemes Made Easy (Better Homes & Gardens)

Average customer rating:

A good reference book
Good color combos
Very helpful
Helpful & Inspiring!
Unique and helpful

Color Schemes Made Easy (Better Homes & Gardens)
Shelley Stewart , Better Homes and Gardens Books , and Vicki Ingham
Manufacturer: Better Homes and Gardens
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

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

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

The Color Scheme Bible: Inspirational Palettes for Designing Home Interiors
Choosing Colors: An Expert Choice of the Best Colors to Use in Your Home
Color Solutions (Better Homes and Gardens Books)
Decorating Idea Book (Idea Books)
Color Your Home: More than 65,000 at-a-glance Room Combinations

ASIN: 0696221268
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Book Description

Answers to help home decorators make their favorite colors work in any space.

Innovative color ideas that incorporate paints, fabrics, and accessories.

Color basics and how-to techniques for every room in the house boost decorating confidence.

Unique color scheme recipes and color swatches accompany inspirational photos.

Easy-to-navigate chapters are organized by color.

Interior designers and color experts answer questions on common color dilemmas.

Special quiz provides home decorators insight to color personalities.

One-of-a-kind, 16-page insert gives readers take-along color recipes for buying paint, fabric, and accessories.

Customer Reviews:

A good reference book.......2007-06-08

Learning from experience takes too long. It is better to read this book so that designing with the right combination of colours is more cost effective and less hassle.

Good color combos.......2007-03-09

This is a good book on color for your home.
The first part of the book covers the color wheel and basic color theory. It's nothing new, and not really detailed, but a nice overview.
Then each chapter focuses on a different main color. The pictures of the rooms are beautiful - very much like you might see in Better Homes, Country Home, or Country Living magazines - and usually show a good use of the color scheme they are portraying. It is not too trendy, most seem like you could live with them for many years.
I would have liked to see deeper and brighter oranges though. Leaned heavily toward apricots and corals.
Also needed more warm-toned browns.
The end of the book has all the color schemes used in the book, for matching to paint chips or fabric samples. Also a nice way to match color schemes if you were planning a whole house, since the main color in a plan turns up as an accent in other plans.
This book could also be useful to crafters looking for new colors to try together. I'm thinking of using some of the color schemes in knitting.

Very helpful.......2007-01-09

This is a great reference book. Having just built our home, I needed some professional help in the coordination of the colours I wished to use and it gave me some fresh great ideas I would never have thought of on my own. Highly recommended.

Helpful & Inspiring!.......2007-01-05

This book offers some rare inspiration that I've been hard pressed to find elsewhere. What it does especially well is lay out multitudes of color combinations that one would not normally think of as harmonious...then provides great photographs of actual rooms tastefully done in these purposed color schemes.

I'm a Garden Designer by profession ...not an interior decorator...but there are very few color guide books relating to plants thathave anything new to say. I often rely on the tools of Interior Designers & their books for help. I've bought several books on the this topic & this book is by far one of the best....& it's not only helpful indoors but has been useful in giving me ideas for outdoor groupings of furniture & planters, house colors etc too....

I highly recommend it & suggest anyone looking for new & innovative color schemes check into getting this book!

Unique and helpful.......2006-05-18

Excellent book to provide inspiration and ideas for selecting and mixing color schemes. Information is divided by color families. Each room has a sample color palette. In addition there is a complete section at the back of all the color palettes used so you can bring them with you when you select your paint. I refer to this book often.

Romantic Style: Lovely homes, pretty rooms, gentle settings (Better Homes & Gardens)

Average customer rating:

May not be for everybody,but I loved it!
Continually Inspiring ......
So beautiful and filled with ideas
Romance for American homes
What's missing are the "details" ...

Romantic Style: Lovely homes, pretty rooms, gentle settings (Better Homes & Gardens)
Better Homes and Gardens Books
Manufacturer: Better Homes and Gardens
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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

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

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

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

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Romantic Interiors
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Victoria Intimate Home: Creating a Private World (Victoria Magazine)
The Paris Apartment: Romantic Decor on a Flea-Market Budget
In the Romantic Style: Creating Intimacy, Fantasy and Charm in the Contemporary Home

ASIN: 0696212390

Customer Reviews:

May not be for everybody,but I loved it! .......2007-06-13

This decorating book may not be for everybody, but I SURE DID LOVE IT!

If you are expecting a "HOW TO" decorating book, then this is book may not be for you. However, if you've been looking for a book with wonderful photos of truly romantic (modern) homes, [and with GORGEOUS photos], then you might like this book, as I did.

(Plz note... my stress is on the words :"ROMANTIC MODERN")

This is more or less a coffee-table book. At least that's how I see it.

As with most BETTER HOMES books, this book has gorgeous photos, as stated before.

Once again, I have to say that the stress of this book is on "modern romantic" style decorating.

Continually Inspiring .............2006-11-22

I can't begin to tell you how many times I've referred to and reread this book over the years. It always reinspires me to try to achieve the casual, opulent, lush, intriguing, chic, timeless feelings expressed on the pages of this book. I highly recommend this book to inspire and guide your own decorating vision.

So beautiful and filled with ideas.......2002-08-23

Until I got this book, my favorite decorating book in the last year or so was French Influences. This book is in the same vein as French Influences, but it is shot in what look to be American homes. The European style decorating ideas are translated for you. Not only do I love this book, but so many of my friends pick it up and want it when they come over that I've started giving it as birthday and wedding gifts.

Romance for American homes.......2002-05-08

I had to write my own review because I just read a review from someone who said that the book was about European interiors (or something like that). The book is clearly photographed in American homes and is full of romantic ideas that I can use here in the northeast. I can easily translate the ideas in the book using new furniture and decorative accessories from local stores and from some of my favorite catalogs (like Ballard Designs and Rue de France).

What's missing are the "details" ..........2002-04-29

If you're expecting a DIY 'how-to' of Romantic Style, you will not find it in the pages of this book. Granted, it is filled with beautifully-breathtaking photos of all of the homes showcased but, if you're looking for the "real" how-to "details," they're sorely missing.

Looking at photos is definitely awe-inspiring -- but, I want to hear the 'details' of how each look was achieved ... along with alternative options for creating the same, or similar, looks on anyone's budget. Romantic Style took the form of a somewhat elitist expression of 'lifestyles of the rich and famous' instead of a 'to-the-masses' type read.

And, at least in my circle of friends, acquaintances and design colleagues, very few have the unlimited funds to jet off to Europe, Asia or Africa whenever the urge strikes to bring back antiques, furniture and furnishings to transform their homes into the "romantic style" as most of the homes showcased have described. With a unlimited gold card and frequent access to jet around the world I, too, could create rooms to rival the ones in this book - but, in the real world, it would have been more beneficial if the book had shown a wider range of ideas for achieving the looks -- from budget-conscious - to - carte blanche.

Product Description

Learn how to use the magic of paint to create texture, detail, illusion, and drama in your home. If you are looking for an exciting way to decorate, Mastering Fine Decorative Paint Techniques will show you how with beautiful painted effects that are not just for skilled artists or homeowners who can afford to hire them. With a little patience, practice, and the simple advice offered in this book, anyone can transform an ordinary surface into a delight for the eye. Easy-to-follow techniques include sponging, ragging, stippling, color washing, spattering, combing, creating a sky effect, stenciling, marbling, and wood graining.

Complete step-by-step instructions with color photos of each technique

Over 300 full-color photographs and illustrations

Stunning step-by-step photos and beautiful shots of complete rooms will inspire you to try the elegant effects in your home

Easy-to-read reference format

Comprehensive guide for achieving professional-looking results

Written in a clear and concise manner

Shows even the most inexperienced amateur how to successfully complete a decorative painting project

The book's serious approach to paint techniques appeals to professionals looking for instruction on a specific technique

Softcover, 272 pages

Customer Reviews:

Well worth the money........2006-07-12

The techniques in this book are so painstakingly explained with text and photos that it's almost as if the authors are looking over your shoulder as you work. The reader will notice many extra tips and suggestions along the way in margins, charts, stylized boxes or picture captions. One feature called "Masterstroke" contains ideas for one a bit more advanced or ambitious.

Mastering Fine Decorative Paint Techniques might be a bit overwhelming for someone who's never tried any of the techniques. It's probably better suited for someone who's done some experimentation with these techniques previously. This is not a book for someone who just wants to sponge a jewelry box or closet wall. At the other end of the spectrum, even an advanced painter should find things of interest here to help him/her fine-tune some techniques.

great for all skill levels!.......2006-02-04

I bought this book as a just in case my other book didn't have all the information I needed but I ended up using this book as my main book to do my house. Great illustrations and explanations.

A Great Resource!.......2001-08-02

I bought this book in preparation for painting rooms in our first home. Having always rented, I didn't know what all was required in preparing your surface or how to choose the proper application tools. This book started from the beginning and included these topics. The examples throughout the book are marvelous and the directions for achieving such great effects, as stenciling, colorwashing, stippling, sponging, ragging, etc. are easy to understand. The instructions also include applying the these techniques to not only walls, but objects like picture frames, candlesticks and furniture if appropriate. A must have for anyone who is redocorating their home and wants to stretch their budget a little further by using paint techniques.

Great book for any skill level!.......2001-01-12

I am a professional faux finisher/muralist, and I really enjoyed this book. I have literally dozens of books on decorative painting techniques, and this is one of my favorites. It's like an encyclopedia- lots of different techniques explained very clearly, with good general info. If you're not sure what type of finish you're looking for, this would be a good book to invest in. Also has a good color reference for help on mixing your own paint colors. Another nice feature is that there are finishes in both water and oil based paints. Some Faux books only deal with oils, which i personally don't like to work with because of the smell and clean-up, etc... If you're looking for a more advanced book, I'd suggest "The Art of Faux" by Pierre Finkelstein.

An excellant start for a beginner or a expert..........2000-03-29

I am currently reading this book as I prepare to redecorate my home using painting techiques. This book is excellant in the volume of information it contains from a discussion of colors, paints, glazes, brushes, and tools to specific techniques such as sponging, ragging, stippling, color washing, etc. I found the contents to be very specific yet simple enough for a beginner like me. The best feature however is the variety of color pictures that accompany each topic. Once I have mastered the simpler techniques, this book will allow me to move on to the more advanced techniques which are also included. Happy painting!

New Remodeling Book: Your complete guide to planning a dream project (Better Homes & Gardens)

Average customer rating:

Informative and visually stunning
A good buy for everyone
remodeling project basics plus allowance for "youness"

New Remodeling Book: Your complete guide to planning a dream project (Better Homes & Gardens)
Better Homes and Gardens Books
Manufacturer: Better Homes and Gardens
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Do-It-Yourself | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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

Decoration & Ornament | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0696207400

Book Description

The new cornerstone of MeredithÂ's remodeling and home improvement category.

Two books in one: A dream book filled with lush photos of remodelings big and small and a workbook that leads readers through the process of planning their own beautiful home improvement projects.

Provides an inspirational starting point for readers who may hire a contractor, but want to do the dreaming and design work themselves.

Tips for increasing the beauty, livability, and even the resale value of any home.

Helps readers assess their own personal needs and evaluate their home and its market potential.

Leads readers through the process of planning major room additions, as well as smaller improvements, such as opening up existing spaces by removing walls.

Tips on financing.

Illustrations show readers some common remodeling mistakes to avoid.

Advice from some of the top remodeling experts in the country.

Approximately 450 full-color photos show whole-house redos, single-room makeovers, and dramatic exterior facelifts.

Customer Reviews:

Informative and visually stunning.......2006-02-04

The photos in this book are enough to attract any aspiring homeowner to read through this wonderful book about remodeling.

Tastefully done, and covering all angles of remodeling, I found this book very informative as well. It covers additions, interior improvements, facelifts, curb appeal, enhancing your space, and much more; and all sections are aided by beautiful, breathtaking photos that will surely make you dream of having something similar to wake up to every day. It inspired me to go through my house, room by room, and reassessing everything.

Well done!

A good buy for everyone.......2002-12-14

I'm not planning on remodeling my home in the near future, but after looking through this book, I had to buy it. The information is useful to both people who are and who are not planning on remodeling.

Benefits for those who are going to remodel:
This book is jammed backed with information! It shows you how to evaluate your house and neighborhood before you remodel, how to "finesse" a floorplan and what is involved with remodeling (e.g. the section on working with contractors), it discusses potential problems and pitfalls to avoid when remodeling, it has case studies (the problem, "the program," the cure), it has information on both interior and exterior remodeling with special sections on bathrooms and kitchens. It discusses different materials and many different types of changes you can make to your house.

Benefits for both interior design junkies and those who are just starting out:
This book is a good primer on both interior and exterior design. It cotains general information on house types and exterior color combinations. This book has a section on how to enhance existing interior space, and the pictures throughout the book can be used as inspiration for redecorating projects, in addition to remodeling projects.

Minuses: There is only one interior style represented here, a mix of traditional and country. The exteriors are primarily arts & crafts and traditional styles. I'm sure the style was created to appeal to the broadest range of people, which is a plus for the publishers, but a drawback to those who have a more individual style. However, I think that the information on remodeling can be applied to many styles.

Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to anyone!

remodeling project basics plus allowance for "youness".......2000-05-29

Lots of "need-to-know" information about basics of structural remodeling and personality remodeling for each and every room / each and every nook and cranny of your home. Ideas given are able to be adapted to your own style, desires or needs. Lots of GREAT pictures add much to what this book is all about! 1

Average customer rating:

Zillions of Pictures
More pictures than you can shake a stick at!
Excellent Buy

Pool Idea Book
Lee Anne White
Manufacturer: The Taunton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Swimming Pools | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Decks & Patios | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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

Pools & Spas: Ideas for Planning, Designing, and Landscaping
Poolscaping: Gardening and Landscaping Around Your Swimming Pool and Spa
Pool & Spa Planner (Better Homes & Gardens)
Swimming Pools And Spas
Backyard Idea Book: Outdoor Kitchens Fireplaces Sheds & Storage Play Spaces Pools & Spa (Idea Books)

ASIN: 156158665X
Release Date: 2004-05-01

Book Description

Swimming pools aren't what they used to be. No longer just rectangular blue holes surrounded by concrete aprons, today's pools come in myriad shapes and sizes - from square wading pools, long lap pools, round spas, and teardrop-shaped jet pools to elaborate naturalistic pools complete with boulders, vanishing edges, waterfalls and lush landscaping. Pool houses, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces and patios for entertaining may accompany them. The Pool Idea Book showcases the latest innovations in pool and spa design; offers creative design ideas for decks, outbuildings, and landscaping; and addresses practical issues such as screening, security, and storage. It includes chapters on pool design, pool surrounds, landscaping, outdoor rooms and structures, and enclosures. This visual handbook features many color photographs and illustrations, and dozens of useful sidebars to help homeowners design the ultimate pool for any lifestyle or budget.

Customer Reviews:

Zillions of Pictures.......2007-06-08

This is a great book for pool ideas. It contains ideas for just about every kind of pool and there are lots (350, at least) of photographs. This is just what I was looking for since we are planning to put a pool in our yard and it's a blank slate. This books is great for those without a lot of imagination, like me.

More pictures than you can shake a stick at!.......2006-05-02

I looked through lots of pool idea books in my local book store and none of them had as many pictures as this book. There are a few pages of text in each chapter, but the bulk of this book is 4 (or so) pictures per page which is exactly what I wanted in an idea book. I recommend highly.

Excellent Buy.......2004-06-15

This book has a great variety of pool designs from contemporary to rustic designs. Fabulous book with alot of great pictures.

Sunset Building Barbecues & Outdoor Kitchens

Average customer rating:

NEVER RECEIVED THE BOOK
Building bbqs
Gotta get started!!
Gives all the details
Absolutely Inspiring

Sunset Building Barbecues & Outdoor Kitchens

Manufacturer: Sunset Books Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Garden Design | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Outdoor & Recreational Areas | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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

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

Outdoor Kitchens: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Design and Construction (Better Homes & Gardens)
Sunset Barbecues & Outdoor Kitchens
Outdoor Kitchens: Designs for Outdoor Kitchens, Bars, and Dinning Areas (Quarry Book)
Backyard Idea Book: Outdoor Kitchens Fireplaces Sheds & Storage Play Spaces Pools & Spa (Idea Books)
Outdoor Rooms: Designs for Porches, Terraces, Decks, Gazebos

ASIN: 0376010436

Book Description

Advice and techniques to create the perfect outdoor cooking center for your home and lifestyle-from a simple grill to an elaborate outdoor kitchen. The meat of the book is fifteen complete barbecue building plans, including simple surrounds for portable grills, smokers, and even fire pits. Whether planning to build-your-own or hire a professional, Building Barbecues has the recipe for a successful project.

Customer Reviews:

NEVER RECEIVED THE BOOK.......2007-10-13

NEVER RECEIVED THE BOOK - COMPLAINTS DID NOTHING BUT WAISTE MY TIME AND MY TIME IS WORTH MORE THAN A $10 BOOK

Building bbqs.......2007-07-23

There were not too many books on the market when I decided to build my own barbque. This book helped me understand what I was getting myself into, but it fell short of giving me all the information I needed for my project. But it was a good resource. 3 out of 5 stars!

Gotta get started!!.......2007-01-17

There are some really great ideas in this book...want ot start building them all!

If you are looking for outdoor kitchen ideas, grill plans, Barbeque (the real wood burniung smokehouse style, not propane grill) outdoor fireplaces, etc. This is the best book to buy and start building!

Gives all the details.......2007-01-16

This gives details from the concrete support to tiling the countertops. It even shows how to brick a patio or walkway for an outdoor grilling area. The only problem is picking out a design from the many listed.

Absolutely Inspiring.......2003-01-20

I bought this book about a year ago and was immediately captured by the possibilities of different types of barbeques. I would have never been able to dream up these types of structures. The stucco ones that you can purchase preassembled are a joke compared to these. Aside from the design ideas, this book only gives a brief description of different building techniques for masonry, electrical and plumbing. The reason I did not give this book 5 stars is because it is not thorough enough with the "how to" aspect, the depth of experience that you need to complete each project or the costs involved (some of them would easily be ten grand). The book should be called "Backyard Barbeque Ideas for Your Contractor". You will have to be experienced in several trades or do a TON of research in order to do these projects yourself (I learned the true meaning of the term "learning curve"). I had zero experience, so being tenacious (stubborn), as usual, I figured I would give it a shot. I looked through the book several times to decide which style I liked the most and then began drawing plans based on a space in my back patio. After working on and off for nine months...yada, yada, yada...I have a beautiful brick and slate summer kitchen (covering a forty sq ft area), fully accessorized with sink, fridge and stainless grill. I used a concrete block structure covered with facebrick, which may have been overkill. But, I live in Florida and am fully convinced that this will be the only structure left standing if a category 5 hurricane ever goes through my backyard. One last word of advice...if you decide to take on one of these projects yourself, be patient, work slow and do it right the first time. It was a great learning experience and I owe it all to the inspiration of this book.

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