wmcduff's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting book; admittedly, this is mostly the way I thought anyway, but the focus on detail and the cost/quantity/quality triangle was nice.
meghan_is_reading's review against another edition
Where the last book I read I couldn't imagine the people who lived in these house - these houses are explicitly tailored to the people who live in them. So, if the idea of buying land and building a house doesn't fill you will millenial bewilderment, this is an interesting way to think about the spaces and homes. It is nearly 25 years after the first publication so maybe the ideas won't seem as surprising as they might have been in 1998 but the way it is illustrated is still neat.
yosafbridg's review
4.0
This is a really helpful book (mostly for those just moving in to a first home and also designing their own home). I used to think i wanted to live in a grand mansion but now i know differently.
This book has many helpful ideas for those of us living in smaller houses and smaller rooms.
This book has many helpful ideas for those of us living in smaller houses and smaller rooms.
rachelmansmckenny's review against another edition
4.0
Inspirational concepts for a new age of design. Key to a home is focusing on the areas of the home you really utilize... Seems obvious but really excellent photographs and examples. Personal note, happened to be the book I just put down when my husband proposed to me.
peckd's review
4.0
Beautiful book, but I could have done without the "isn't it nice to be smart AND rich" attitude the author takes at times. I understand she often worked with wealthy clients but ew.
margardenlady's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent! This was easy to read and thought-provoking at the same time, causing me to consider the way I relate to my house/home. This would be a really good book for someone planning to build, encouraging them to build a comfortable house, not a mcmansion. It is really not about big, but rather about quality of life.
xcdo's review
4.0
Interesting juxtaposition to the still-persistent craze of building more than is residentially necessity, and also speaking for the necessity of architectural design (rather than just building “box houses”). I especially enjoyed the extra chapter in the 10th anniversary edition, and the last part of the book that looks towards the future of home building.
I do wish, however, that there was more about trying to build “not so big” in existing homes, and not just as additions to an older home.
I do wish, however, that there was more about trying to build “not so big” in existing homes, and not just as additions to an older home.
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