Reviews (2)

Not Stickley, but popular for a reason
Yes, I'm partial to Stickley's designs, but these are the four-squares and bungalows I see more of on both coasts.
You say Montgomery Wards, I say Gordon Van Tine...
I'm a bit surprised to see that Dover chose the 1925 Montgomery Ward catalog to reprint, as they also did the 1923 Gordon Van Tine catalog and these companies were closely linked.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Architecture    3. Architecture, Domestic    4. Catalogs    5. Designs and plans    6. Domestic    7. Home Improvement / Construction    8. House Plans    9. Prefabricated houses    10. United States   

Editorial Review

Storey Communicationssponsored an international competition for the best home designs under 1,250 square feet, and this exciting book contains theresults. Inan age of dwindling resources and energy conservation concerns, the benefits of small houses are many. But the real challenge of small- home design is to create a space that doesn't feel tiny, cramped, or confining. The book contains 34 individual designs, including traditionallystyled homes that would fit nicely in older, established neighborhoods, unusual homes built into hillsides, a visually stunning urban row house, small homes for the backwoods that appear to float in the air like tree houses, and many more. All are designed with an eye to energy conservation and the use of alternative energy, such as passive solar energy and photovoltaic power. The drawings and floor plans can easily be adapted for site and personal tastes. These are some of the biggest small houses you will ever see. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

We loved SMALL HOUSE DESIGNS!
We loved SMALL HOUSE DESIGNS. Since we don't expect to get something for nothing, and know that we will have to have an design drawn up anyway, we got a lot of great ideas on what we would like to see in our home design from this wonderful book. My spouse and I think it is well worth the money spent on this book to help us articulate to designing and building professionals what we want in our ideal house.

Not worth the paper it was printed on.
If you want a book with better house plans just go to your local grocery store and buy any of the plan books there.It should only cost you a few bucks and you will find hundreds of better ideas than this book contains.

Out of Sync
I believe that bigger is not necessarily better.I was hoping to find good solutions and ideas (modernist or traditional is not an issue) to help bring a bungalow into the 21st century. The main problem with the book is that it seems 15-20 years out of date.For example, the bathroom square footage and storage areas in the plans are not generous (but this is ok for vacation or second homes).In this respect, the plans in the home have a lot in common with bungalows from the 1920s! The book does not give examples of forward thinking design for the year 2000. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Awards    3. Design & Construction    4. Designs and plans    5. Domestic    6. Home Improvement / Construction    7. House Plans    8. Small houses    9. Residential buildings, domestic buildings   

Subjects:  1. Do-It-Yourself    2. Home Improvement / Construction    3. House & Home    4. House Plans    5. Residential buildings, domestic buildings   

Subjects:  1. Design & Construction    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Domestic    4. General    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. House & Home    7. House Plans    8. House & Home / General    9. Houses, apartments, flats, etc   

Reviews (1)

The Ultimate House Book by Conran et al.
This book is an excellent reference for decorating a private
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Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Design & Construction    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House Plans    5. Real Estate - Buying/Selling Homes    6. COMPUTERS - WEB DESIGN TRD PB    7. Home furnishing & decoration    8. House & Home / Design & Construction   

Reviews (2)

Great Book
A classic from the a master log builder.Lots and lots of color pictures and great easy to read diagrams.For those who really want to build there own log cabin themselves.Deals mostly with hand scribed round log construction.A+

From the original log home do it yourself guy!
A great book! From the guy that started the whole log buildingRead more

Subjects:  1. Construction - General    2. Design & Construction    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. Do-It-Yourself - General    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. House & Home    7. House Plans    8. Architectural structure & design    9. Building construction & materials    10. Building skills    11. Home & House Maintenance    12. House & Home / Design & Construction    13. House construction - Amateur's manuals    14. Log cabins - Design and construction    15. Wooden-frame houses - Design and construction   

Subjects:  1. Construction - General    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House & Home    5. House Plans    6. Remodeling & Renovation - Energy Efficient    7. Residential Construction    8. Solar Heating   

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Architecture, Domestic    3. Design & Construction    4. Design & Drafting    5. Designs and plans    6. Home Improvement / Construction    7. House & Home    8. House Plans    9. Single story houses    10. United States    11. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles    12. Houses, apartments, flats, etc   

Reviews (1)

500 Best Selling Home Plans by Sunset Books is a great book.
This catalog of home plans is a wonderful book, very informative lots of choices.My husband is a custom home builder and so far we have ordered 2 plans from Sunset in about 2 Months and we are very satisfied with thequality of the plans.We will continue to order from them.The plans weredelivered when they said, one overnight and the other regular. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Design & Construction    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House Plans    5. Housing & property for the individual    6. Residential buildings, domestic buildings   

Subjects:  1. Architectural Drawing    2. Architectural design    3. Architecture    4. Architecture, Domestic    5. Design & Drafting    6. Designs and plans    7. House Plans    8. Public, Commercial, or Industrial Buildings    9. Residential Buildings Architecture    10. Technical & Manufacturing Trades    11. Technique    12. Architectural structure & design    13. Public buildings: civic, commercial, industrial, etc    14. Residential buildings, domestic buildings    15. Technology / Technical & Manufacturing Industries & Trades   

Subjects:  1. Design & Construction    2. Home Improvement / Construction    3. House Plans   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Architecture    3. Architecture, Domestic    4. Design & Construction    5. Designs and plans    6. Home Improvement / Construction    7. House & Home    8. House Plans    9. United States    10. Housing & property for the individual    11. Interior design    12. Residential buildings, domestic buildings   

Reviews (1)

An inexpensive, 559-page compendium of more than 650 architectural house plans
Compiled and organized by the editorial staff of Creative Homeowner, The House Plans Bible is an inexpensive, 559-page compendium of more than 650 architectural house plans for houses in all manner of styles from Contemporary, Southwestern, Country and Farmhouse, to Craftsman, Vacation Homes and Ranches. Enhanced with 350 photographs and 400 color renderings, readers can browse with confidence to find the home plan most suitable for their tastes and needs. Plans are supplemented with "Smart Tips" and special sections on safety for kitchens and bathrooms, decorating tips, and guidance on creating a beautiful landscape for their selected home. Showcasing the work of top architects and designers from all parts of the country, The House Plans Bible is a welcome addition to professional, academic, and community library Architectural Studies reference collections. Also very highly recommended are two other Creative Homeowner architectural home design collections: Vacation Home Plans (1580113087, $11.95) and Brick Home Plans (1580113028, $11.95).
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Subjects:  1. Do-It-Yourself    2. Home Improvement / Construction    3. House & Home    4. House Plans    5. House & Home / House Plans    6. Housing & property for the individual   

Reviews (1)

Loved the pictures
The pictures are beautiful and the reading is both enjoyable and informative.The book profiles many homes on the water - lakes, oceans.There are both interior and exterior pictures as well as floor plans.Full of inspiration and ideas. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Design & Construction    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. Domestic    5. House & Home    6. House Plans    7. House & Home / Design & Construction    8. House & Home / General    9. Residential buildings, domestic buildings   

Subjects:  1. Construction - General    2. Design & Construction    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. Home Improvement / Construction    5. House & Home    6. House Plans   

Reviews (1)

Packed with color photos of both interior and exteriors
For tract home transformations which turn an ordinary tract model into something special, the adventurous homeowner should consult Michelle Kodis' Blueprint Remodel: Tract Home Transformations That Turn Everyday To Extraordinary which is packed with color photos of both interior and exteriors. Blueprint Remodel includes remodel costs of each project, remodel observations and intentions, blueprints, and notes on special approaches which translated to savings.
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Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Design & Construction    3. Domestic    4. Home Improvement / Construction    5. Interior Design - General    6. Planning    7. Remodeling    8. Remodeling & Renovation - General    9. Suburban homes    10. United States    11. House & Home / House Plans   

Reviews (4)

Might better have been titled Craftsman-Like Houses
Ok, I'll break from the pack and say I really like this book.As previously mentioned, it's actually a collection of older articles from Fine HomeBuilding.I bought the book many years back, when I first started to develop an interest in architecture.My architectural library has now outgrown a medium-sized bookcase, and I've even designed and built several houses.Nonetheless, I still find myself coming back to the articles in this modest book. Craftsman-Style Houses by Fine Homebuilding
At best, this book is mis-titled.With a few exceptions, it takes a smattering of abstract interpretations and applications of the Craftsman Style and incorporates them into new homes.Maybe it was my fault for literally interpreting the title, but this is not a reference for Craftsman/Arts & Crafts/Bungalow style architectural elements nor design.I am a Taunton Publishing fan, but this was a real disappointment and a waste of my money.

Mildly disappointing
While the houses featured are not the finest examples of the style, the diagrams of construction details are good. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Architecture    3. Arts and crafts movement    4. Do-It-Yourself    5. Domestic    6. Home Improvement / Construction    7. House & Home    8. House Plans    9. Influence    10. Small houses    11. United States    12. House & Home / General    13. House maintenance    14. Residential buildings, domestic buildings   

Subjects:  1. Architecture, Domestic    2. Designs and plans    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. Farmhouses    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. House & Home    7. House Plans    8. United States    9. Houses, apartments, flats, etc    10. USA   

Reviews (5)

What You Really Need to Know About Building Your House
AS a construction project manager and author, myself, of a book on that subject ("Get Paid for a Change", subtitled, "The Contractor's Blueprint for turning Extra Work into Extra Money--through Change Orders", I was very interested in this book.I live constructionproject management every day, and really am aware of what happens on virtually every building project:changes to the original design and unanticipated site conditions.In fact, this is so prevalent that my columns "Full Contact Project Management" are carried in four trade magazines.
For anyone who's thinking about a residential project!

Read this book before you start!
J.M. Gore is a realtor & William Null a builder, and together they have written a very helpful book.From the introduction--where you learn the importance of gathering information to make decisions, staying in your budget, and avoiding delays--to the comprehensive workbook (plenty of room for schedules, materials, subcontractors, etc.) and index, this is a useful book; and it also includes samples of the various forms you'll work with. The authors cover the basics of surveys, soil testing, easements, architects, house plans/blueprints, construction loans, liens, hard & soft costs, the importance ofthe value of houses in your neighborhood, resale and upgrades values, etc.; and they list and discuss the things that add to your construction cost: roof pitch, gables, plumbing and wiring, ceilings, fixtures, cabinetry, flooring, and change orders!
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Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Design & Construction    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. General    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. House & Home    7. House construction    8. House & Home / House Plans    9. Housing & property for the individual   

Reviews (3)

Great book!
This book is great for garden ideas. Plenty of interesting designs shown in graphic form, plus an artist's illustration.Lists of plant material have to be ordered.Some may find this a shortcoming.In our case, it's great as most of those lists contain plant material that is inappropriate for our region.

Some good ideas
While this book does not have comprehensive information on each plan, it still provides some interesting ideas.Additional information such as comprehensive blueprints as well as plant and material lists customized to your region is available for purchase, but I found this useful without having to order the additional material.The different plans provide a wealth of ideas and act as a catalyst in designing your own landscape.You won't get substantial information on the plant life itself, in fact in most cases you don't get anything but a picture, but this allows you to substitute a more appropriate item suited to your tastes and region.This is by no means a "how-to design a landscape" book, but if you are looking for some ideas and basic landscape plans then this book delivers.

This book is a rip-off!
I bought this book expecting the 50+ garden design plans they promised.Well, they had 50+ garden designs, all right.You got six for free and you had to pay at least $10.00 apiece for the remaining plans.It is essentially a catalog of plans and you buy the ones you want.Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Design & Construction    3. Designs and plans    4. Do-It-Yourself    5. House & Home    6. House Plans    7. Landscape    8. Landscape gardening