Living the Country Dream: Stories from Harrowsmith Country Life Review

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(More customer reviews)You'll want to sell your condo in the city and run away to the country.
This book is actually a collection of articles previously published in a magazine in Canada called Harrowsmith. I had not heard of it before but after reading this book, I'm definitely going to look into it.
Articles cover things such as how to lay out your homestead for optimum results (whether you have 5 acres or 40), step-by-step directions for making maple syrup, energy efficient home design, etc. It's a fun, informative book packed with full-color pictures and a relaxed/informative feeling reminiscent of Mother Earth News. The authors keep things simple without talking down to the reader.
It's a good beginner book for people just beginning to think about life in the country, yet there's also something there for those who have lived it for years.


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Celebrate the best of the country lifestyle.

Harrowsmith Country Life magazine has been celebrating the country lifestyle in all of its forms for more than 30 years. In Living the Country Dream, editor Tom Cruickshank selects some of the most memorable articles and stories from the magazine's last 10 years.

Living the Country Dream includes selections on:

Gardening -- rotating vegetable crops effectively and growing heritage vegetables and flowers
Do-it-yourself projects -- building nesting boxes to attract birds, building a dry stone fence
Alternative energy -- getting off the (electricity) grid
Moving to the country -- pleasures, pitfalls and tips from those who've done it
Recipes -- delectable seasonal dishes to tempt the appetite
Country home-building and restoration
Livestock, working dogs and fall fairs

The 200 color images are an inspiration for those who live in the country... and those who would love to.
(20071202)

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Architect's Pocket Book of Kitchen Design Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great little book with lots of useful information packed into a clear and concise format. Note to American buyers: The book is published in Britain and contains metric units, EU energy efficiency ratings, and a bit of regional information about the UK.

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A Complete Guide to Kitchen Design with Cooking in Mind Review

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(More customer reviews)Don Silver's book was a well anticipated arrival, but alas much of a disappointment. As one who is designing a kitchen at present for a house to be built in the next few months, I was a let down by the book's content.
Let's start with the good stuff. The first chapter on design basics is great, though Silver's makes a big deal about "breaking free of the kitchen triangle". As one who has lived for the past seven years with an island in the way of the refrigerator, I would have welcomed the "kitchen triangle"! While there are other workable solutions--and he introduces them--the old triangle has survived for a good reason and it is not as bad as he indicates, and is certainly necessary in some cases particularly where kitchen size is an issue or limitation.
Silver introduces some great concepts such as the 30" deep counter, two sinks, etc. but spends far too much time on silly mundane issues like a cursory review of cabinets (visit a Home Depot and or pick up a few cabinet catalogs and you'll get much better and more detailed info) and a tired review of pots and pans (!) which should be very old hat for anyone going so far as to buy this book.
More annoyingly, Silver consciously avoids mention of any brand names! It would be worthwhile to review some, particularly when he has such a penchant for separate "char-grills" (which I have yet to see in ANY appliance store). For example, I'd like to see a review of issues like flame spread and cleanability. My own homework revealed that while a Dacor gas cooktop looked great, the flame spread was too big for normal pots and pans; Viking's non-sealed burners looked "cheap", made out of stamped stainless and would be difficult to clean.
Lastly, the illustrations for the most part looked amateur.

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This book is the first guide to kitchen design from a cooking perspective.As the only book for the homeowner who wants a kitchen that is beautiful and that cooks beautifully, it takes the most complex room in the home and addresses its function as well as its form. With forty years of experience in the design and cooking fields, Don Silvers has discovered that most people have no idea of the pleasure that can be added to cooking in the right kitchen. This book will add new joy to cooking for every reader, even those who have previously disliked cooking.

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Kitchens & Baths for Today & Tomorrow: Ideas for Fabulous New Kitchens and Baths Review

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(More customer reviews)I am a Kitchen & Bath Designer and own my own Showroom. I have put together one of the best reference libraries, for my clients. I preordered this book and received it today. I generally give them a look thru and see if any pictures jump out. I must say that I found myself reading this book. It has great information for anyone wanting to redo their kitchen or bath. It educates in very clear language but not so elemetary to bore the design professional. It is peppered with little nuggets of wisdom from designers and the author .....things that even us "old" designers can learn from. It covers everything from floor to ceiling and everything in between. They have included sections on Universal design, which we are all always looking for new ideas to incorporate accessibility in an attractive manner. I would highly recommend this book to both the homeowner or designer.

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The heart & soul of kitchens & baths
This inspirational book allows readers to dream about their ideal bathroom and kitchen, but it doesn't stop there: Kitchens & Baths for Today & Tomorrow also helps readers transform their dreams into reality. From simply practical to fabulously luxurious, this book is written specifically for do-it-yourselfers. Photographs of beautiful rooms are right alongside insider tips, detailed instructions on how to plan and design kitchens and bathrooms, as well as money-saving ideas that can be adapted to personal plans, clever do-it-yourself projects for each topic, hints and tips from professional designers, a glossary of terms, and a valuable resource guide for DIYers.
The book gives bathrooms and kitchens equal attention in their own sections. Both sections open with an introductory planning and design chapter specific to the room, and then move into detailed chapters discussing key elements of the room, including: walls, floors, ceilings, storage and display, lighting, fixtures and fittings, and ventilation. The kitchen sections also offers ideas to aid in food preparation and cleanup, and dining and hospitality. The photos, descriptions, facts, and details from Kitchens & Baths for Today & Tomorrow will help readers plan kitchen and bathroom projects wisely.

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Transforming Fabric: Thirty Creative Ways to Paint, Dye and Pattern Cloth Review

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(More customer reviews)I have read many "how to books" that are advertisments for their
products or books bragging about their wonderful artwork but this book tells all! It is very easy to understand and tells
exactly how to get the results wanted. What a refreshing change!

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Early textile dyers signed oaths that they would not reveal any of the process. Fortunately, author Carolyn Dahl openly shares the secrets of dyeing, painting, and patterning beautiful cloth she has gleaned in art schools. This guide is the next best thing to having a master artist in the studio. Entertaining stories awaken memories of childhood colouring books, leaf prints, ironon designs and the tie-dyed T-shirts most of us experienced at some point in our lives. Readers will be inspired as they follow step-by-step photographs and instructions full of hints and secrets for using luminous colour to transform white cloth into artistic masterpieces. Connoisseurs of the decorative arts and those who are merely curious about the fabrics they wear and use in everyday life will find much to interest them.

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