Reviews (1)

Buyer Beware!
I ordered the book from Amazon, the book pictured is NOT the one I recieved. That photo is no where in my copy. I do have a book titled Ultimate Treehouses by David Clark but it isn't the same one pictured. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Design & Construction    2. Home Improvement / Construction    3. House & Home    4. Nature/Ecology    5. Outdoor & Recreational Areas - General    6. Outdoor Structure Construction    7. Tree houses    8. Trees & Forests - General    9. Sale Books   

Reviews (9)

Not very good or inspiring
This book is not for anyone who wants to build there own log home. It is clearly written from someone who wants to continually sell log home kits. There is a wonderful book called Home from the Woods that is much better and describes the details of building a log home from an everyday persons perspective.

Biased but good
This is a very good book if your intention is to be your own general contractor, or even hire a general contractor to build your log home. The author (as noted in many other reviews) shows a bias towards milled kit homes since that's what he sells. Best book on the subject (but milled kit bias)
This is the best book currently available on the subject of log home construction planning. It is well-organized, clearly written, and offers helpful information to anyone who is planning on building a log home. The reason it gets four stars instead of five is that some statements in the book must be read with your thinking cap on...The author is a milled log kit seller, so he shows a subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) bias against handcrafted homes, build-it-yourselfers, and the like. Of course, every salesman believes that his own product is the best- so who can fault him...just take in the book with a "grain of salt" and remember to think for yourself. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Construction - Contracting    2. Contractors    3. Design & Construction    4. Design and construction    5. Do-It-Yourself    6. Home Improvement / Construction    7. House Plans    8. Log cabins    9. Reference    10. Building construction & materials    11. DIY   

Reviews (7)

Ultimate Treehouses
Looking at this book is perfect for day dreamers like me.It shows the most amazing possibilities for many types of treehouses.I haven't gotten to the point of reading the practical information but it is there for when I need it.

Treehouses of the World
A great coffee table book. Amazing structures built by creative,fun-loving people (some with more money than sense). Made me want to build another tree house, and I am 76 years old.

Treehouses of the World
There's a serious caveat to this review. The book I got was NOT translated from Japanese. I don't read Japanese.
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Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Design & Construction    3. Domestic    4. Photography    5. Subjects & Themes - General    6. Tree houses    7. Architecture / Domestic    8. Residential buildings, domestic buildings   

Reviews (4)

great book - a woodworkers essential
Alot of philosphy, mostly biographical, has a few quotes that stick:
Gorgeous and inspiring book
Like the books of James Krenov, "The Soul of a Tree" is as much a book about philosophy as it is about wood. And it's a good philosophy:slow down, take your time, play with the wood, and enjoy it. The book is really about the soul of Nakashima. He outlines some of his own personal history and how he developed his ideas about craft. There's not really much on technique here - you can certainly find better books for that - but you won't find many more inspiring.
Pure Style.
The author omit needless wood and carve great pieces of furniture. It is like zen on wood. You will not regret the money you spent on this title. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Cabinet work    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. Furniture making    5. General    6. House & Home    7. Trees    8. Woodwork    9. Woodwork - General    10. Woodworking    11. Furniture & cabinetmaking   

Editorial Review

The craze for "getting away from it all" in buildings of log, stone, and unpainted lumber has been a part of American life since the 1800s. From the Gilded Age retreats of the Catskills and Adirondacks to the rugged Wild West lodges of Yellowstone and Yosemite, Read more

Reviews (19)

Outstanding photographs
I have been searching for books for months now that would give me real life examples of cabin type homes to use in designing my country home.While there are a lot of books out there on small cabins, I was looking for a book that showed examples that I could incorporate into a larger home.This book is exactly what I was looking for!The photographs are beautiful and truly capture some of the key elements that make these homes special.The author has managed to find some of the best examples out there of truly beautiful, well designed log/natural material homes. Cabin Fever
Excellent book with great pirctures of rustic rooms and homes. Great decorating ideas!

See the log cabin of your dreams....
A great coffee table book for your house or mountain cabin! Most of these "vacation homes" are nicer than our regular houses. Great to curl up with this book in front of the fire. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Camps    3. Decoration and ornament, Rusti    4. Domestic    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. Interior Design - General    7. Interior Design - Style Books    8. Log cabins    9. United States    10. Vernacular architecture    11. Architecture / Interior Design   

Editorial Review

The title of this book could not be more explicit or apt. With 40 actual wood specimens in popular use, descriptions of grain, color and texture, how to identify trees by their leaves, fruit, and bark, and much more, this is a small encyclopedia for woodworkers, carpenters, hobbyists, dealers, architects, craftsmen, nature lovers, teachers, or anyone with the urge to learn about wood. With small, aromatic samples of 40 varieties of wood, from afrormosia to zebrawood, this book even smells good! --Read more

Reviews (4)

Focus On European Not USA Species
This book is of little value for the woodworker trying to identify woods commonly used on the American continent.When the species are described (with wood samples provided) the European varieties are given to the exclusion of woods from this continent.Species vary enough from the Euopean continent to make the book of very little use in identifying American woods and can even be misleading. The grain pattern on Birch is a classic example and Birch is used a great deal on funiture. Quiet and straightforward
This is a very friendly and straightforward book. It starts with veneer samples (quite small, but big enough) of 40 woods and finishes with descriptions of the trees that yield these 40 woods. Great samples. Great book.
If your working on a project involving exotic woods, then this book should be added to your library. The REAL wood samples are great. The book also has very useful information about many types of wood. I find this book tobe a handy reference tool and am glad to have added it to my collection. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Forests and forestry    2. General    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House & Home    5. Identification    6. Reference    7. Trees    8. Wood    9. Woodwork - General    10. Woodworking    11. Reference / Handbooks & Manuals   

Reviews (4)

Dream Cabins
Everyone dreams of a getaway cabin - a place of rest and refuge. ~pg. 1
Finally, a good one
I've been looking for a book like this for ages. There are lots of great looking design books, very few offer real help. I found this book to be excellently organized with in-depth information on every aspect of kitchen and bathroom design.The writing is intelligent, without being overly technical, and good-humored while also giving practical solutions to a variety of design and structural challenges. Cabin Kitchens & Baths
If you subscribe to, or even buy some of the log cabin magazines from the news stand, this book is a repeat for the most part. Most of the pictures have already been published over and over again. If you haven't gotten any log or timber home magazines lately this is a good book. Although, I liked Inside Log Homes: The Art and Spirit of Home Decor much better. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bathrooms    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Domestic    4. General    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. House & Home    7. Interior decoration    8. Kitchens    9. Log cabins    10. Remodeling & Renovation - Bathrooms    11. Remodeling & Renovation - Kitchens    12. House & Home / Remodeling & Renovation   

Reviews (3)

Good But Incomplete
I built a log cabin in the 1980's using this book and two others. The cabin is still dry and clean and will probably stand for another 100 years, especially after adding a steel roof 8 years ago.
great book
great book for beginners easy to read information lots of step by step details

Natural, rustic and simple
This 'older' book shows you in simple diagrams how to build rustic log structures and furniture the original way. I have used the methods to build a fantastic fence from trees harvested from my own property. I have also built most of the birdhouses.This book is not really for building a log cabin. It is the greatest book of folk art for rustic log furniture and structures I've ever seen. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Construction - General    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House & Home    5. House Plans    6. Log cabins    7. Residential Construction    8. Rustic woodwork    9. DIY    10. House & Home / House Plans   

Reviews (2)

Extremely disappointing
This sounded like a cool book idea, and I love cabins and log homes, so I ordered it. The photos are very disappointing. The homes are not the quality I expected. The book has a very regional, western look to it, which is a shame considering the fact that interesting and varied log homes can be found from coast to coast. They should have called this WESTERN LOG HOMES.

Great fun to simply page through
The Not So Log Cabin: Log-Element Building & Design by log construction expert Robbin Obomsawin (Construction Manager and General Contactor for Beaver Creek Log Homes) is a grand and unique presentation of techniques and results for detailing log-element homes exhibiting an extra flair for creativity, originality, modern flair, and more. Suggestions for adding extra eye-catching touches to a log home and full-color photographs fill the pages of this superbly presented compendium, which is so vibrant and lavish that it is great fun to simply page through. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Construction - General    3. Decorating    4. Design & Construction    5. General    6. House & Home    7. Log cabins    8. Log cabins and houses    9. Real Estate - General    10. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles    11. House & Home / Design & Construction    12. Residential buildings, domestic buildings   

Reviews (4)

Just pictures and a few undetailed floor plans
The pictures are beautiful, and there are a few floorplans at the back. The text however is useless, unless you need to be told that putting in lots of options will raise the price, create the floorplan based on your family's interests and that you shouldn't spend more than you can afford. It really isn't anything more than you could get with a 10 minutes trip to the website of a log home manufacturer, except that it has much less info! Concise, to the point
A good, usable well-illustrated book for the everyday person..the middle class "dreamer". Not focused on millionare showplaces, but homes for the average family, homes under 2500 sq ft. Cozy photos and a nice selection of floor plans. A good working tool if you are considering a log home in your future.

Log Cabin Storybook
This book is aptly second titled a "storybook" - it is the stuff of fantasies - far removed from today's "cut and stack" modern log cabin building.The pictures and design ideas are beautiful.Well worth the time and money.A must read for small log cabin would-be owners. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Designs and plans    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House Plans    5. Interior Design - General    6. Log cabins    7. Home furnishing & decoration    8. House & Home / Design & Construction    9. Housing & property for the individual    10. Residential buildings, domestic buildings   

Reviews (5)

what are you looking for?
This is NOT a how to book any way,shape,or form. It IS a beautiful wish book that will give ideas and inspiration for your project, but thats where the help stops. Rate it a 1 star for the how to crowd and a 4 star for the wish list/coffee table crowd.

What a nice reference this book is!
I'm a Japanese reader and living in Log Cabin. This book provides me with many decoration ideas. I wish to reccomend this book to my friend who are living in Log cabins.

Beautifully done, inventive, resourceful and entertaining!
Hands-on Log Homes is our third, full-color, idea design book on the subject of log home architecture. As such, it was also my third opportunity to loop America - cameras in hand - seeking out unique log homes and meeting the people who build them.In this case, those people happened tobe mostly involved owner-builders.That is, creative, resourceful peoplewho used sweat equity to help build their dream. Similar to our secondbook, "The Log Home Book", there is a virtual photo-feast inside.The only difference is that the scale of these homes tends to be moremoderate, and the owners themselves share their own unique and entertainingbuilding stories along with practical bits of advice gleaned along the way.Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Conservation and restoration    3. Construction - General    4. Design & Construction    5. Design and construction    6. Do-It-Yourself - General    7. Home Improvement / Construction    8. Interior Design - Style Books    9. Log cabins    10. Log cabins and houses    11. Popular works    12. Residential Construction    13. Technology    14. United States    15. Wood Construction    16. House & Home / Design & Construction    17. Houses, apartments, flats, etc    18. Interior design    19. USA   

Reviews (3)

Great pictures
My favorite part of the book were the pictures. Nice selection of both the interior and exterior elements of a wide range of cottages. Not an idea book, but an inspiring and relaxing read.

Great photographs of cottage exteriors
If you love driving or walking through towns with charming cottages, then you'll probably love this book. However, I was disappointed that the book is 90-percent exteriors and very, very few interior photographs. This is NOT a book on how to decorate in the "cottage style" but rather how to identify and possibly re-create the cottage look in the shape, form and garden of the house. Many of the homes featured are more unusual examples, such as the storybook or "gnome" style houses.
Romantic & Fascinating Homes
Simple picturesque bungalows, quaint thatched stone and stucco huts, or elaborate marble and plaster palaces - all types of homes have been called a cottage. ~pg. 8
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Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Bungalows    3. Cottages    4. Do-It-Yourself    5. Domestic    6. House & Home    7. Interior Design - General    8. Reference    9. Small houses    10. Home & House Maintenance    11. House & Home / Decorating   

Reviews (1)

Not your kids Tree House
There are an awful lot of 'pretty house' books out there. Some of them offering quite unusual house designs. But nothing I've ever seen compares with the designs in this book. ==I've seen houses built on poles because they are located in a flood plain. Of course the Swiss Family Robinson and the Ewoks of StarWars fame lived in tree houses. I had one as a kid, and when my daughter came along, she had one (she could pull up the ladder and keep her brother out).
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Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Domestic    3. Interior Design - General    4. Landscape    5. Methods & Materials    6. Outdoor & Recreational Areas - General    7. Tree houses    8. Trees    9. Architecture / General    10. Houses, apartments, flats, etc   

Reviews (2)

What a wonderful book!
This book is a must-have for anybody interested in building treehouses, sheds or small out-buildings of any kind!It is filled with all the information an amateur would need with step-by-step instructions on the building process, tools and materials and inspirational photographs of projects by other amateur builders that will inspire and motivate anybody interested in trying a building project in their backyard.The authors have provided clear, concise instructions and have taken the intimidation out of building.The authors are clearly interested in the reader having a joyful, successful building experience.Our own building projects have all been inspired by Jeanie and David Stiles' encouraging books.Thank you!

The latest and best book by Stiles
Happy to see that David and jeanie Stiles have written yet another book on treehouses and playhouses.We have built 3 structures based on designs and ideas from two of their other books and this new one may inspire us to build yet another treehouse!It looks terrific.More ideas and tips!Can't wait!!! Randy and Jheanelle ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Carpentry    2. Children's playhouses    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. Do-It-Yourself - Carpentry    5. House & Home    6. Outdoor & Recreational Areas - General    7. Outdoor Structure Construction    8. Tree houses    9. Architecture    10. House & Home / Do-It-Yourself   

Reviews (5)

not so good
This book, written in a so-called 'laid back style', is even hard to read for a foreigner like myself. Quoting from memory, a typical sentence might read like this: 'Put lotsa goop all over and a coupla nails here and there and you're alright'. In another place the author says he 'saw a list of the good woods for building log cabins once, but he lost it'. That's a little too laid back for my liking. The pictures on the cover are good, but on the inside they are ugly black-and-white photos with maybe two shades of gray. The author says he will 'cover notching in depth later', but that chapter must be missing in my copy. All I could find about notching could be summarized by 'scoop out the wood with the chainsaw'. He guides you through the mistakes he made in building the cabin (which weren't few). That may be helpful to avoid pitfalls, but a better idea would probably be to buy a book written by someone who really knows how to build a log cabin. "If I can build a log cabin, you can too" says the author, and I believe him.

A Helpful Guide for Those with Serious Ambition
I get a kick out of John McPherson's books. ECONOMICAL LOG HOMES
THIS BOOK WAS VERY HELPFUL, ESPECIALLY FOR FIRST HOME BUIDING PROJECTS. HAD EASY TO READ INFORMATION, GOOD INSTRUCTION AND HELPFULL HINTS THROUGH OUT THE BUIDING PROCESS. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Do-It-Yourself    2. General    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House & Home / Design & Construction    5. Amateurs' manuals    6. Carpentry    7. Construction & Construction Trades    8. Design and construction    9. House construction    10. How-To    11. Log cabins    12. Log cabins and houses   

Reviews (1)

Comprehensive look
This book offered a historical view of cottages across several countries explaining why they were built the way they were.He then writes about the classic entrance to the cottage home.Following that he discusses theinterior broken down by areas of the house.He covers furniture, paint,kithchens, bathrooms and bedrooms.He finishes the book with a discriptionof the cottage garden and conservatories.The pictures are great.I hopeyou enjoy it as much as I did. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Cottages    3. Country homes    4. Decoration and ornament, Rusti    5. Design & Construction    6. Domestic    7. Interior Design - Style Books    8. Interior decoration    9. Residential Interior Design   

Reviews (3)

A beautifully presented softcover coffee-table book
Midwest Cottage Gardens is a beautifully presented softcover coffee-table book featuring full-color photographs and practical instructions for raising an organic garden in the Midwest climate. Author Frances Manos draws upon 20 years of gardening experience, lists some of the most popular garden plants that thrive here in the Midwest, while walking the reader through the basic elements of planting, and more. Midwest Cottage Gardens is a captivating delight simply to page through, as well as a useful resource resurce to work from.
A Great Advice Giver
Even though this book is classified as a how-to, it felt like more like a reader to me. It is almost as though Frances Manos was my neighbor, having her impart her garden experience over the fence or a cup of coffee.
If you like to garden you will love this book
I have only recently become interested in gardening and I'm telling you, this book is by far the most interesting and best-written book I have seen.This is not just a book about gardening it is a book about what is important in life.Really, you should check this out for its superb combination of practical gardening advice and wise thoughts about the environment. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cottage gardening    2. Cottage gardens    3. Flowers - General    4. Gardening    5. Gardening / Horticulture    6. Gardening/Plants    7. Middle West    8. Regional - General    9. Regional - Midwest (Ia, Il, In, KS, Mi, MN, Mo , ND, Ne, Oh,   

Reviews (1)

Crystal Cove Cottages: Islands in Time on the CA Coast
From the dust cover of this beautiful book to the last pages, readers are treated to beautiful photography, copies of lovely paintings, and a narrative about the history of this unique place on the CA coast.The book is divided into time frames starting in 1917 and continuing to 2001.Each segment gives the reader a glimpse into the recent past, of simplier times and the quest for life on the CA seashore.This book is very readable, a feast for the eyes and one that will join my permanent collection of very special books.Suitable for display as a prized coffee table book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th Century Architecture    2. Architecture    3. California    4. California - Local History    5. Cottages    6. Crystal Cove Historic District    7. Crystal Cove State Park    8. Domestic    9. General    10. History - General    11. History - Specific Styles    12. Seaside resorts    13. Subjects & Themes - Travel - General    14. U.S. Architecture - General    15. Vernacular architecture    16. Architecture / General    17. Social history   

Reviews (1)

Log Cabin Dreams
We often romanticize about the small cabin in the woods, by the lake, or atop a mountain- the home that is in tune with nature. ~Robbin Obomsawin
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Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Architecture, Domestic    3. Designs and plans    4. Domestic    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. House Plans    7. Interior Design - General    8. Log cabins    9. House & Home / Design & Construction    10. Houses, apartments, flats, etc    11. Interior design   

Reviews (1)

Excellent!!
Eating at the Cottage in La Jolla is a real treat and I'm just so happy with this cookbook!!So far everything I've made from it has turned out to be top notch.I had guys begging me for the brownie recipe.My personal favorite is the french toast! You won't be disappointed with this book.It's one of the few cookbooks I actually use on a regular basis! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. California style    2. Cookery, American    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Cottage (Restaurant)    6. General    7. Regional & Ethnic - American - California Style    8. Cooking / General