Architect's Essentials of Starting a Design Firm (The Architect's Essentials of Professional Practice)

Book Description

Written by two leading experts in the field this essential volume offers a step-by-step guide to understanding and evaluating the goals, risks and the rewards of starting a firm.

Covers the basics of firm organisation, personnel requirements, legal considerations, fee setting, marketing issues and the essentials of strategic and business plans
Addresses how to get started including how to create your first business plan, evaluate initial needs and costs, create a budget and a produce a list of action items to get started
This volume is practical, applied, concise, portable, affordable and user-friendly

Download Description

Written by two leading experts in the field this essential volume offers a step-by-step guide to understanding and evaluating the goals, risks and the rewards of starting a firm.
* Covers the basics of firm organisation, personnel requirements, legal considerations, fee setting, marketing issues and the essentials of strategic and business plans
* Addresses how to get started including how to create your first business plan, evaluate initial needs and costs, create a budget and a produce a list of action items to get started
* This volume is practical, applied, concise, portable, affordable and user-friendly

Customer Reviews:

If you're even thinking about it, read this book!.......2004-06-01

Starting your own design firm is a scary proposition. Having a trusted advisor can help make the transition from employee to being your own boss a little less intimidating. Piven and Perkins do just that in this well written book, which covers the essentials--hey, that's what they called it--of starting a firm without getting bogged down in minutiae.
You'll get some solid advice on planning, financing, and how to handle some of the more delicate issues of starting your own firm--such as how to represent work you did for others when marketing your new business. The book also includes model business plans and a basic (very basic) overview of accounting principles that even an architect can understand. Worth reading if you're entertaining any notions about starting your own shop.

Average customer rating:

Overpriced
Alright - not very meaty though
PHP Security is a HUGE topic
VERY VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
Essential for the Beginner or Advanced PHP developer

Essential PHP Security
Chris Shiflett
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Privacy | Business & Culture | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Hacking | Business & Culture | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Security | Business & Culture | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Network Security | Networking | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Programming | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Web Programming | Programming | O'Reilly | By Publisher | Books

General | Programming | O'Reilly | By Publisher | Books

Web Authoring & Design | Web Development | O'Reilly | By Publisher | Books

Internet Security | O'Reilly | By Publisher | Books
Similar Items:

PHP Hacks: Tips & Tools For Creating Dynamic Websites (Hacks)
Pro PHP Security
php|architect's Guide to PHP Security|
PHP 5 Objects, Patterns, and Practice
PHP Cookbook (Cookbooks (O'Reilly))

ASIN: 059600656X

Book Description

Being highly flexible in building dynamic, database-driven web applications makes the PHP programming language one of the most popular web development tools in use today. It also works beautifully with other open source tools, such as the MySQL database and the Apache web server. However, as more web sites are developed in PHP, they become targets for malicious attackers, and developers need to prepare for the attacks.

Security is an issue that demands attention, given the growing frequency of attacks on web sites. Essential PHP Security explains the most common types of attacks and how to write code that isn't susceptible to them. By examining specific attacks and the techniques used to protect against them, you will have a deeper understanding and appreciation of the safeguards you are about to learn in this book.

In the much-needed (and highly-requested) Essential PHP Security, each chapter covers an aspect of a web application (such as form processing, database programming, session management, and authentication). Chapters describe potential attacks with examples and then explain techniques to help you prevent those attacks.

Topics covered include:

Preventing cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities
Protecting against SQL injection attacks
Complicating session hijacking attempts

You are in good hands with author Chris Shiflett, an internationally-recognized expert in the field of PHP security. Shiflett is also the founder and President of Brain Bulb, a PHP consultancy that offers a variety of services to clients around the world.

Customer Reviews:

Overpriced.......2007-01-03

Of the 103 pages in the book there are probably only 13 of unique information and 90 pages of saying the same exact thing over and over again. Worse yet, I found the author had already released the 13 pages of useful information online for free.

Definitely wish I had browsed this one in a store before I blew $30.

Alright - not very meaty though.......2006-12-26

Alright - not very meaty. Overall I'm glad I read it though, as I picked up some useful nuggets.

==========
Update 2006-12-30 - I'd like to bump this up to four stars. The book came in handy today - I used some code in it regarding session variables.

PHP Security is a HUGE topic.......2006-09-27

This book is essential for anyone starting out in PHP, but not only for them. It offers tips for almost any skill level, maybe you know some of the ways to keep your site secure but Chris really goes in depth on some of them.

The code snippets are short, simple, but convey the point exactly as intended... and I also like Chris's method for validating tainted data, similar to a fisherman. If the fish is bad throw it back and the same goes for user input.

I still have this book for reference and have lent it to a few people which resulted in them picking their own copies... all around a great resource.

VERY VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!.......2006-06-12

Are you a developer who is writing insecure PHP code? If you are, then this book is for you! Author Chris Shiflett, has done an outstanding job of writing a practical book that will help you improve your PHP application-level security.

Shiflett, begins by giving an overview of security principles and best practices. Then, the author covers form processing and attacks such as cross-site scripting and cross-site request forgeries. He continues by focusing on using databases and attacks such as SQL injection. Then, the author explains PHP's session support and shows you how to protect your applications from attacks such as session fixation and session hijacking. Then, he covers the risks associated with the use of includes, such as backdoor URLs and code injection. Next, the author discusses attacks such as filesystem traversal and command injection. Then, he shows you how to create secure authentication and authorization mechanisms and how to protect your applications from things like brute force attacks and replay attacks. Finally, the author explains the inherent risks associated with a shared hosting environment.

This most excellent book brings long-needed security guidelines to PHP developers everywhere. More importantly, the content of this book will be an asset to your development teams.

Essential for the Beginner or Advanced PHP developer.......2006-04-11

As a very security conscious developer, I found this book to be a GREAT resource to my library. Though the book is short in length, it is very rich in content. Chris does a GREAT job of presenting the problem (citing specific examples of the exploits), showing the pitfalls, and then presenting the solutions.

He is very thorough in his descriptions, and his easy to understand writing and use of analogies made this a very simple concept to grasp. If you are a seasoned PHP developer, or just beginning programming PHP - his writing style helps you to understand the underlying attack, visuals to see it in action, and how to prevent being attacked - it is very simple, yet deep.

Reading this book has helped me to see where my applications may fall short, and what I can do to protect them. Especially in the realm of PHP developers, there are MANY Open Source options out there, and many of them lack the security that is mentioned in the chapters of this book. Don't let yourself get caught!

I recommend this book, and performing an audit of your own work. Excellent book!

Digital Photography Essentials: Point, Shoot, Enhance, Share

Average customer rating:

Anyone can edit photos with this book
Use your digital camera in ways you never thought about

Digital Photography Essentials: Point, Shoot, Enhance, Share
Erica Sadun
Manufacturer: Sybex
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Digital Photography | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Equipment | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Digital Photography | Digital Photography & Video | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Design | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Digital Photography: 99 Easy Tips To Make You Look Like A Pro!
Shooting & Sharing Digital Photos for Dummies
50 Fast Digital Camera Techniques (50 Fast Techniques Series)
202 Digital Photography Solutions : Solve Any Digital Camera Problem in Ten Minutes or Less
The Art of Digital Photography: Step Guide to Creating and Manipulating Great Images

ASIN: 0782141773

Book Description

The Perfect Companion for Your Digital Camera
Digital cameras are more than just cameras with electronic chips inside--they've revolutionized how we take pictures and what we do with them. If you're new to digital photography, Digital Photography Essentials offers everything you need to get up to speed fast. You'll find essential information about your camera and equipment, techniques for editing and enhancing your pictures, expert advice on sharing your images with others, and a wealth of digital photography tips, tricks, and project ideas.

A Complete Solution
The companion CD includes all the software you need, including a full version of Adobe PhotoDeluxe 4.1 for Windows (a $49 U.S. value) and a fully functional tryout of Adobe Photoshop Elements for both Windows and Mac. In the book, you'll find step-by-step instructions that show how to repair, enhance, and just have fun with your images. There's nothing more to buy.

Packed with information, software, and the insights of best-selling author Erica Sadun, Digital Photography Essentials is the perfect guide for digital photographers. Topics covered include:
* Composing shots, lighting scenes, and posing subjects
* Managing your digital camera's batteries, memory cards, and more
* Enhancing your images and fixing picture flaws
* Discovering imaginative and creative uses for digital photos
* Sharing photos via e-mail and the World Wide Web
* Making DVDs, picture CDs, and video CD slide shows

Customer Reviews:

Anyone can edit photos with this book.......2003-01-18

Overview.

This book is definitely a book for beginners in the world of digital photography, and is for those with a low-end, point and click type of camera. Not everyone wants, or needs, a top-end expensive complicated camera.

Features.

This soft cover book has 249 pages printed on high quality paper, with clear images and a CDROM containing Adobe PhotoDeluxe 4.1, a full program with no limitations which can be registered.

PhotoDeluxe will enable image enhancement and manipulation and is a very good way to get the most from your snaps. It is a very simplified, but not a simple program, and is a major reason for getting the book.

Along with this program come a variety of time-limited demos that you can use to see if they will make your photography experience better.

Book Description.

Digital Photography Essentials is a book which is aimed at the new user to a new way of photography. It contains a colour section covering all the black and white images scattered throughout the book.

Chapter 1 is taken up with descriptions of how to go about taking the best shots getting the light right, and positioning either yourself or your subject.

Chapter 2 delves into which camera you should get, and more importantly, why. It also explains how and why things work, such as batteries and how to care for them, memory management etc.

Chapter 3 is the section on using the free Adobe PhotoDeluxe program supplied with the book, which you will use for all the exercises in the rest of the book.

The program gives great image enhancement and manipulation abilities to the photographer, so if the image is not quite how you wanted it to look, you can change everything about it.

This program is not complicated, but has many features of high-end photo retouching programs without having to learn industrial strength features that you may never use.

You learn to do things like swapping faces or backgrounds, and, more importantly, how to use layers. This feature allows images to be altered without destroying the original image if your selection does not suit.

Chapter 4 once again delves into the world of photo correction techniques. This is not as daunting as it may sound as PhotoDeluxe can fix things automatically. This leaves you free to dabble with settings once you know what each feature does. Sometimes automatic settings are not quite what you had in mind.

Here you start using filters to add impact, or remove unwanted parts from an image. Learn to remove red-eye, which is often a feature of images taken with a flash.

Chapter 5 teaches you to create panoramas, 3D images, and enlarge your images.

From this point on the book introduces the demo and time-limited plugins and filters, which can be experimented with.

Panoramas are used often, but what is not stressed is that panorama photos need to overlap by at least 25%, or more. This gives a much better chance of lining up features when joining the images. Use a tripod for getting good panorama shots. Tripods can be cheap but they do keep your photos level.

Chapter 6 is all about printing, printers and paper, and presenting your images for someone else to print them for you.

The resolution of an image is important when printing, or sending to the web. Both use opposite ends of the spectrum for their purposes, and you need to know which to use, luckily this is not complicated.

Chapter 7 is about presenting your images on CD and DVD, and on interactive photo albums and slide shows. A lot of this chapter is about different commercial programs for the burning and display of your images.

Chapter 8 is about sharing images over the web, and introduces the ideas of screen size etc, but resolution is also important as monitors only show at 72 dpi.

Chapter 9 introduces a lot of different ideas for using your new digital camera remember photos cost nothing, so there is plenty of scope here.

It is possible to use your digital camera to make a slide show presentation, document your belongings, or the contents of a box, or an accident. You can even photograph documents instead of using a scanner.

Chapter 10 is dedicated to craft ideas that you can create with your camera. The list here is really extensive.

Chapter 11 teaches how to transform images and create new and exciting things that you hadn't considered, check magazines and see how ads are manipulated for inspiration.

Using PhotoDeluxe you can make slide shows and share them with friends. You can even make a colouring book from your photos using the filters in the program, make calendars, or animate images.

Chapter 12 is spent introducing you to third-party programs so you can see what is available.

Bottom Line.

Not a book for an advanced photographer, as it is aimed at the beginner, which it does admirably, like a text book.

The inclusion of Adobe PhotoDeluxe is a compelling reason for purchase, but the book opens up many exciting possibilities that you may not discover by yourself.

The lessons are simple to follow, you don't have to learn new skills. Non computer-literate people can cope with the fun things that they will find to do. This book is like a text book on the use of PhotoDeluxe.

Learn to correct faults in photographs and create something new. All you have to do, as the author stresses, is to take as many photos as you can. It will cost no more and you have more choices to play with later.

Too much emphasis on commercial programs has reduced the rating, but the book is good, and the bundled software is great to start with. You may find you never need to get another program anyway.

Use your digital camera in ways you never thought about.......2002-11-21

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY ESSENTIALS
AUTHOR: Erica Sadun
PUBLISHER: Sybex
REVIEWED BY: Barbara Rhoades

BOOK REVIEW: The CD was the first thing I looked at. It contains 18 programs! WOW! Most are trials but some are shareware and the biggest plus is that PhotoDeluxe from Adobe is FREE! Yes sir! The whole program on the CD - no cost whatsoever and the programs are as follows: PhotoDeluxe, Photo Elements, Funhouse, Flip Album, Thumbs Up, CompUpick Pro, DVD PictureShow, GIF Animator, Genuine Fractuals PrintPro,HotText, Still Motion Creator, PhotoPrinter, PhotoImpact, PhotoVista Link, PaintShop Pro, Orasee Link, Nero Burning ROM, and JPEG Compress.

For the ability to try before you buy any of these programs, except, of course, PhotoDeluxe, this makes the book worth its price. Yet, by using these programs and using the tips and ideas from the book, you can create pictures that are worth a thousand words.

The best place to start is at the beginning and that is exactly what Ms. Sadun has done. Chapter one talks about the best way to get a good picture such as lighting and backgrounds. If you don't know which camera to buy in the first place, the next chapter will give you some good advice. Also, think your camera is only for picture taking? WRONG again. Ever go into the mall only to come out and you can't remember where you parked? Had you had your digital camera alone, you could have taken a picture of the locator markings and all you would need to do is look at the "review pictures" on the camera. Of course we all know the camera can be used for insurance purposes of accidents and the damage done but what about witnesses or even what was said if your camera has a sound-recording feature?

What else is your camera good for? Need stickers or how about a jigsaw puzzle to keep a child busy? Remember "Shrinky Dinks"? This can be used to make charms for a bracelet from photos you have taken. What grandmother wouldn't want one of a monthly recording of their newest grandchild? This list can be endless - just use your imagination.

Now that you have PhotoDeluxe installed on your computer, do you know how to use it? If not, check out Chapter 3 and 4. When a particular photo effect is discussed, there are pictures of before and after of how they should look. Don't forget to get motion into your photos with the Gif Animator.

Have I touched on the whole book? Not even close but you can by getting your own copy of Digital Photography Essentials today and see what I didn't tell you about.

What is Packaging Design? (Essential Design Handbooks)
Average customer rating:

A lovely book

eye candy!

What is Packaging Design? (Essential Design Handbooks)
Giles Calver
Manufacturer: Rotovision
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Commercial | Graphic Design | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Graphic Arts | Graphic Design | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Industrial Design | Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Design Secrets: Packaging: 50 Real-Life Projects Uncovered (Design Secrets)

Packaging Design: Successful Product Branding from Concept to Shelf

This End Up: Original Approaches to Packaging Design

Designing Brand Identity: A Complete Guide to Creating, Building, and Maintaining Strong Brands

Exploring Package Design: The Art and Techniques of Designing Exceptional Packaging (Design Exploration Series)

ASIN: 2880466180

Book Description

"A thoughtful and thorough book with some inspiring work -- great for students and anyone taking their first steps into the world of packaging."
Grafik

This is a highly visual, compact-format sourcebook, packed with top international packaging designers' contemporary work, accompanied by essays on the surrounding issues.

What Is Packaging Design? lays the foundations and professional guidelines for best practice when designing contemporary packaging. It opens with several short essays which define good packaging design and the issues faced by designers in this field. Design basics such as format, layout and typography are explored within the context of packaging design, taking into account genre-specific elements such as product information, branding, marketing and legislation.

Customer Reviews:

A lovely book.......2007-01-18

This is a relatively thick, small-sized book that's a joy to hold in your hands. It's compact, the bright hard-cover is silky and the inner layout is clear and glossy. The book is so easy to handle that I'd take it with me everywhere if I had a good reason to do so! It's a joy to hold, to read and to look at.

The book is divided into small chapters, covering most topics related to the universe of packaging design: market considerations, legislation, structural design and packaging types, surface graphics, typography and more. But each chapter is but a mere synopsis; this is not a book that expands much on these key topics, and it ends up not being very useful if you're trying to learn the specifics of each topic. The book also doesn't cover specific packaging materials at all, like other packaging books do. This is a great introduction to packaging design, but that's all. It's also a wonderful source of eye-candy, as each chapter features full page reproductions of original and innovative packages. Each image is commented and generally mentions the designer of each package, but there is no note on the materials, which leaves you wondering in a lot of cases. The last portion of the book is devoted to (very) brief case studies, which, once again, are mostly for show. But that said, it's a great show! Most of the featured packaging designs are truly original and beautiful.

"What is packaging design?" focuses mostly on theory and not on practical aspects, and that's simultaneously its strength and its downfall. In the end, you will know what packaging design is, but you won't know much about the process behind packaging design. If you're looking for the latter, try a different book.

eye candy!.......2004-02-25

Well organized and concise with lots of photos of good packaging design. A great book to turn to for inspiration.

What Is Graphic Design? (Essential Design Handbooks)

Average customer rating:

Absolutely essential graphic design book !!
Great for amateurs looking to improve their skills
a reasonably harsh review

What Is Graphic Design? (Essential Design Handbooks)
Quentin Newark
Manufacturer: Rotovision
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Reference | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Programming | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Arts & Photography | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Computers & Internet | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Design Basics for Creative Results
Design Language (Jewelry Crafts)
Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students (Design Briefs)
Meggs' History of Graphic Design
The Complete Graphic Designer: A Guide to Understanding Graphics and Visual Communication

ASIN: 2880465397

Book Description

The purpose of this book is to explain what graphic design is and how it works.

What is Graphic Design? starts by exploring the complex issues that shape design: economics, ethics, technology, theory and developments in other arts. It looks at how design has evolved over the centuries, from its origins in the Renaissance with the development of book printing, to the present day, where it includes areas such as magazines, corporate branding, television titles, film and websites.

Quentin Newark breaks design down into its elements, looking at what typography is, how text and pictures combine, and shows how the process of reproduction underpins every aspect of design and its practice.

Diverse work from leading designers from around the world illustrates how broad and rich the profession can be.

What is Graphic Design? is essential reading for students, teachers … anyone interested involved in graphic design.

Anyone interested in this book should also take a look at Quentin Newark's follow-up, What is Graphic Design For?.

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely essential graphic design book !!.......2005-02-04

As a graphic designer, this is a recent discovery (and a very welcome addition) to my collection. Quentin Newark is a member of Atelier Works, one of the leading design studios in the UK. I haven't heard of it/him before, but i gladly found that he took a big gamble writing a book with the "definitive" title "What is graphic design" and won.

Newark's writings are sincere, humorous and concrete. This is a very intelligent and complex reading. Much more complex than it seems. The book shows that Newark did a lot of research since he mentions a lot of books and author's, putting design in an anthropological, ethical and cultural context(mentioning for example works by Rand, Sagmeister, Sontag, Lupton, Miller, McLuhan, Poynor -I guess that if you don't know who they are, you may not enjoy this book properly, so go back to your Macromedia Freehand!!-).

It doesn't matter if you are beginning your career as a student, or if you are a seasoned designer... "What is graphic design" will definitely contribute in a form or another to increase your overall perception about graphic design as a profession, a social medium or even a way of life. Highly recommended. I read it again, and again, and again... and again. If you like intelligent reading about graphic design (not the "How-to-make-a-80-layer-photoshop-composition" book)I'm sure you WILL enjoy it. Trust me.

Great for amateurs looking to improve their skills.......2004-04-05

The first thing I'll say is that if you want to learn techniques, look for books that expressly teach you techniques, usually specializing on how to do graphic design in Quark or Photoshop. If you want to know how to interpose photos X, Y, and Z with a semi-translucent orange overlay in the shape of a kitten... this is not your book.

This book answers the question "What is Graphic Design?" I'd always had this grandiose notion that it was billboards, posters, web sites... complex things. But it's as simple as the business cards and stationery for a two-person start-up who need a professional look. It's the side of a cereal box. It's the traffic signs at the airport. It's the tray-liner at McDonalds.

I didn't learn all that much about how to do graphic design, but I learned more about what it is and how much more often I did it, and encountered it, than I thought.

As I went on to other books, I could better identify what I did and did not like about certain designs and why I didn't like it. Nothing so powerful as Harry S. Truman's (attributed) "if that's art, I'm a Hottentot," but enough to make me able to look at what I do with a more educated eye.

In essence, if I had to sum up what I learned from the book. The answer to "What Is Graphic Design" is: "understanding how type, colors, lines, shapes, images, and empty space interact, then imposing some sort of order upon all that to create an effect and/or a message."

Will it help me with my ultimate goal making my web designs slicker and cooler? A little. I'll have a better critical eye. I'm following up with books on technique that might help a little more.

All in all, I walked away with four product/design ideas and I like the way it built a foundation for me. In my opinion, the book was very worthwhile.

a reasonably harsh review.......2003-01-14

if you enjoy reading, then re-reading paragraphs and then entire books, by all mean buy this. At times the author is quite insightful, though mostly seems to be voicing (in language no longer used) an external opinion on what the graphic design world is about. I wish I had done more research about this book and it's author before shelling out for it.

The Essential House Book: Getting Back to Basics

Average customer rating:

Essential gift book
THE ESSENTIAL HOUSE BOOK lives up to its name
the very best of its kind
Good inspiration
The Book I turn to for ideas again & and again.

The Essential House Book: Getting Back to Basics
Terence Conran
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Decoration & Ornament | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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

Terence Conran | Expert Advice | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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

The Ultimate House Book: For Home Design in the Twenty-First Century
Bathrooms: Just Add Water
Terence Conran Kitchens: The Hub of the Home
Terence Conran Small Spaces : Inspiring Ideas and Creative Solutions
Storage: Get Organized

ASIN: 0517882310
Release Date: 1994-10-18

Book Description

Marrying practical living with attractive home design ideas, Sir Terence Conran offers a big, beautiful compendium of expert solutions for today's house or apartment dweller. His vision is an all-new, commonsense approach to making the place you call home a place where you can feel both comfortable and in style. Includes complete instructions and practical information.

Customer Reviews:

Essential gift book.......2006-03-30

We have had this book for years and it is still such a pleasure to go through it! The Essential House Book is a wellspring of ideas on how to make your house a home....with taste, humor and a grounded, down to earth approach. We have given it so many times as a present and are about to do so again. It's an easy choice for a great gift.

THE ESSENTIAL HOUSE BOOK lives up to its name.......2001-12-02

The Essential House Book: Getting Back to Basics is a must have for anyone that ever wanted to live in a home and make it all your own. Once again, the reigning champion of good design and master of style, Sir Terence Conran delivers the crème de la crème of home décor books.

Page per page, this book is the most prized in my home design/decorating collection (believe me, I've got a few hundred). Conran offers so many helpful tips and tidbits of information, it's hard not to pull this one off the shelf and reread chapters over again. Chock full of practical solutions and helpful content, amazing photographs (the kind that make you dream for hours) and easy to follow guidance for better living, The Essential House Book lives up to its name. The book is vast with knowledge offering information for all things from flooring to lighting to painting and much more.

The pure simple design and thoughtful information has made this book a staple in this genre of books. With so many books out there to choose from, time and again this will surface as the best available regardless of price.

the very best of its kind.......2000-11-19

This is the best design book in existence. Conran's ideas come off as modern/contemporary, but without the usual coldness or starkness. Think of his designs as simply functional, and without airs or pretense. This is the way we live today. And it's fun!

Good inspiration.......1999-12-09

This book is full of unusual details such as-drawers in staircases and wall niches. Many of the details focused on are what give a house character. I'm designing my own house and it helped me to think above issues rarely addressed in the "how to books". Conran addresses light and space in a very compelling format. There are tons of photos. My only complaint is that with all the photos its hard to go back and find things again.

The Book I turn to for ideas again & and again........1999-07-10

This book is a must for those that wish to create a living space with style. ideas abound as well as practical advice and information.

What is Product Design? (Essential Design Handbooks)

Average customer rating:

What is Product Design? (Essential Design Handbooks)
Laura Slack
Manufacturer: RotoVision
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Reference | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Product Design Now
Materials for Inspirational Design
Design Secrets: Products (Design Secrets Series)
Materials and Design: The Art and Science of Material Selection in Product Design
Making It: Manufacturing Techniques for Product Design

ASIN: 294036124X

Book Description

This unrivalled handbook is a guide to the world of industrial design, exploring what constitutes successful design, how it works, and how product design creates a market for itself. It explores the multifarious role of product designers, as new technology and materials present new possibilities for both form and function. What is Product Design? looks at issues of longevity and life cycles, multifunctionalism, concept generation and product development, prototyping, naming, and product placement.

What is Product Design? is not just an in-depth exploration of successful design, it is also a stunning, diverse portfolio of cutting-edge work from designers and studios throughout the globe, showcasing world-beating design that exceeds the brief, and demands attention. Like the other titles in the Essential Design Handbooks series, this will be necessary reading for all professional graphic designers and students.

Pocket Decorator: An Illustrated A to Z Handbook to the Essential Language of Interior Design
Average customer rating:

This is what it seems--and that's good!

A Pocket Dictionary for Those Who Know Nothing

Decorating made simple!

Sharpened my decorating skills....

Great Design Tool!!

Pocket Decorator: An Illustrated A to Z Handbook to the Essential Language of Interior Design
Pamela Banker , and Leslie Banker
Manufacturer: Universe Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Interior Design | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Pocket Renovator: Kitchens, Bathrooms, and Home Renovation

Jeffrey Bilhuber's Design Basics: Expert Solutions for Designing the House of Your Dreams

Mary Gilliatts Dictionary of Architecture and Interior Design

Rooms: Creating Luxurious, Livable Spaces

Buy, Keep or Sell?

ASIN: 0789310570
Release Date: 2004-06-26

Book Description

This portable, fully illustrated encyclopedia of decorating is destined to become an instant classic.

Decorating a house or apartment should be a fun and creative project, but almost everyone finds the number of decisions to make overwhelming. Cut pile or loop pile carpet? Trace lighting or wall sconces? Chintz, velvet, or linen for the upholstery? There are so many choices to consider and questions that are difficult to answer.

The Pocket Decorator is the solution: a unique visual primer of interior design that is small enough to slip into your pocket. Uniquely complete and portable, this accessible volume includes everything from big-picture topics like architectural styles throughout the ages to nitty-gritty details such as curtain treatments. With chapters on Architectural Elements, Decorative Motifs, Fabrics, Floor Treatments, Furniture, Hardware, Lighting, Trimmings, Upholstery, Walls, and Windows, the book also features sidebars on such topics as standard bed sizes, how to buy a lampshade, how to decorate in the country style, and more. It's like having your own personal decorator in your pocket wherever you go.

Endlessly useful, practical in its organization, and portable in size, with elegant illustrations throughout, The Pocket Decorator will find a place in every home decorator's library.

Customer Reviews:

This is what it seems--and that's good!.......2005-01-13

To all the people on here who are complaining this book is "not what it seems," did you not read the product description? This is an encylcopedia, it says so itself. And it is a good one at that. It's got all the terms, many illustrations, and is a great tool to refer to for quick answers. It's very helpful when learning about the basics. No, it's not going to show you how to decorate your living room--it gives you information for you to do that yourself.
There are many many decorating books that have full page glossy pictures of other people's designs. This is not one, nor does it claim to be. This is something to help individuals make educated choices about their OWN styles.
It's an extremely good book and shouldn't be judged against things that are not in the same category.

A Pocket Dictionary for Those Who Know Nothing.......2004-10-01

This book is nothing more than definitions of basic items. I mean basic. The part of the book on ceilings gives short ( a couple sentences) definitions for 4 different types of ceilings - cathedral, tin, tray, and wood-beam. The rest of the book is equally basic. A better title for the book would be "A Pocket Dictionary for Those Who Know Nothing about Decorating". And don't let the "illustrated" part mislead you. Only half the items in the book are illustrated. The chapter on fabric has not a single illustration!! Don't let the other positive reviews fool you like they did me.

Decorating made simple!.......2004-08-27

What extraordinary and superhuman amount of work was put into the Pocket Decorator to make very complicated matters appear very simple! This fine nifty book is informative and indispensable for all students, professionals and any homemaker who do not want their home to look like an Ikea catalogue.

Sharpened my decorating skills.... .......2004-07-23

This little book has been a really great asset. The Pocket Decorator is a clear reference book of interior design terms, especially helpful for a decorating hack like myself. It shows things like the difference between styles of windows, which if you're renovating or building OR want to impress your home depot guy, is very useful information to have! There are smart design tips here too. For example, wall mounted lamps should be mounted 42 inches off the floor (Who knew?) and it also tells you how much clearance to allow for ceiling light fixtures over a table. (Like I ever would have even thought to think of this?) Because of this book I now have pink light bulbs in my boudoir. What more could a girl ask for? This book rocks.

Great Design Tool!!.......2004-07-14

I already have a few books that show different ideas, glossy photos of dream houses. But I needed a tool to help me put together MY dream house-- and this is it. It helped me locate the exact finish for the floor, and find the title for the chairs that I saw in one of the other books. Its to help you make your own house exactly how you want it.

What is Publication Design? (Essential Design Handbooks)

Average customer rating:

What is Publication Design? (Essential Design Handbooks)
Lakshmi Bhaskaran
Manufacturer: RotoVision
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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

The Anatomy of Design: Uncovering the Influences and Inspirations in Modern Graphic Design
What is Typography? (Essential Design Handbooks)
Little Book of Big Promotions
1,000 Retail Graphics: From Signage to Logos and Everything for In-Store (1000 Series)
Making and Breaking the Grid: A Graphic Design Layout Workshop

ASIN: 2940361460

Book Description

The comprehensive guide to all forms of printed publication

Publication design is a wide and diverse area, covering everything from magazines, newspapers, and books to annual reports, brochures, product catalogs, newsletters, and journals.

What is Publication Design? Is the comprehensive guide to all forms of printed publication. Aimed at a wide audience, covering consumer, corporate, and trade markets, it explores everything from transport and display to issues of sustainability and advances in technology.

The book contains an international portfolio of design. Among other things, it explores printing and finishing techniques, the feel of the publication in hand, and graphic design, making it a comprehensive and essential guide to a complex and fascinating subject area.

The Home Design Handbook: The Essential Planning Guide for Building, Buying, or Remodeling a Home
Average customer rating:

Great Book - Don't Plan Your Home Without It.

Mostly lists - a workbook

Excellent reference for home buyers!

thinks of everything - very personalized!

The Home Design Handbook: The Essential Planning Guide for Building, Buying, or Remodeling a Home
June Cotner , and Steve Myrvang
Manufacturer: Holt Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Residential | Building Types & Styles | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
General | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Remodeling & Renovation | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Patterns of Home: The Ten Essentials of Enduring Design

The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live

The Brand-New House Book: Everything You Need to Know About Planning, Designing, and Building a Custom, Semi-Custom, or Production-Built House

The Well-Built House

Home by Design: Transforming Your House into Home (Susanka)

ASIN: 0805018336

Book Description

This uniquely practical guide will help guarantee that the home you build, buy, or renovate will perfectly suit your needs, desires, and lifestyle.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book - Don't Plan Your Home Without It........2005-06-20

This book is an excellent guide to help navigate the hundreds of practical details involved in planning a home.
Every chapter is well-written, and well- organized, with an extremely useful checklist at the end. For example, what about the selection of your vanity in the bathroom? Would you like it to be the age old standard height of 34"? Or would you prefer it to be shorter, or higher? This is a very useful question as the standard height of 34" for the bathroom vanity is not really a comfortable height for most people. My counters, both kitchen and bathrooms, are a height of 37# (I'm 5'5)which is a more comfortable height for me. The depth of my counters are 28" not the standard 24". If you notice your kitchen, once you have the toaster, blender, etc. out, there's little room left for much of anything else. So those extra 4 " in depth really give you a lot more space. Builders want everything to be standard because it's easier for them, but it's your house they are building, and better to get it the way you want it. Another useful question is "do you read in the bathtub"? I do, and that means when designing the bathroom I want a good reading light above the tub at the end where my head lays. Every chapter in this book ends with a great checklist of things you will want to take into account, and prepares you for the highly detailed process of planning a home. It's one of the best on the market, and I think one of most underated ones.

Mostly lists - a workbook.......2004-01-31

Most of the book is literally pages filled with questions about what you want in a home, with blank space to write in your answers. There are a few suggestions that all somehow end up pointing at similar designs. The filled out book would be given to an architect to start a design. Very good for someone who needs a formal structure to decide what is needed. If you've already throught seriously about what you want, this book will waste your time.

Excellent reference for home buyers!.......1999-09-26

We found The Home Design Handbook to be an excellent resource as we searched for our home. The questions and exercises helped us narrow down and prioritize what we wanted (and did not want) in our home. Even the information intended for those who plan to build or renovate a house, covered issues that we found important considerations for anyone buying an existing home. For example, we learned alot about what to watch for to ensure the house was more energy efficient, inside and out. We felt we were better educated buyers with this great book!

thinks of everything - very personalized!.......1999-08-10

This book looks at home design from a wholistic approach as well as up close and personal. It focuses on your hopes and dreams and the soul of your home to give you true satisfaction with your design. It includes such things as site, energy considerations, family's lifestyle, outdoors and indoors, and budget. With the guidance of this book you can plan to build a house from scratch or remodel an existing house to your taste and needs. Each room in the house is taken into consideration in detail, right down to the storage space, with photos and floor plans. Useful addresses and an extensive bibliography are given for your further exploration. This book is fantastic, especially because it gives you the freedom to custom design your dream house. Much of it is in the form of a workbook, with blanks to fill in. After going through all the forms, it will become clear to you what you need to do to achieve your goals.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books