Almost 10 years after The Not So Big House came out, it's reassuring to see that houses really are starting to get smaller. Over the past year I've been interviewed time and again for articles describing a growing backlash against the mega-houses that have been built across the country in recent decades.
Houses aren't only getting smaller, they're also becoming less formal, a trend picked up by my good friend and coauthor (of Inside the Not So Big House) Marc Vassallo in his new book, The Barefoot Home. Marc hits the nail on the head when he says that we no longer need formal living and dining rooms--it just doesn't fit the way we live anymore. And we're spending just as much time enjoying the outside of our homes as we are the inside. In a barefoot home, you can feel like you're on vacation 365 days a year, a lifestyle that's much more in tune with the way we REALLY live today--at least when we're not at work.
I was lucky enough to be one of the very first readers to receive a copy of The Barefoot Home and as I leafed through it, I could almost feel the sand between my toes. Marc has assembled and described, in his inimitable style, 20 excellent examples of houses that are both Not So Big in form, and decidedly Not So Formal in function. As Marc recommends in his "barefoot manifesto," it's time to kick off your shoes, open up, embrace the sun, live outside as well as in, and adopt a barefoot state of mind. The lessons these homes have to offer are much needed by all who are disenchanted with "too bigness" in house design; and best of all, they're easy to implement, and often less expensive to boot. Anyone who is a fan of the Not So Big House series will almost certainly enjoy this book as well.
Book Description
As our personal and professional lives become more demanding and hectic, people have reacted with a more casual, relaxed, and open way of living at home. Kitchens are no longer just for cooking but serve as entertainment hubs; barbeques on the grill have replaced formal dinners. As our lives at home have become increasingly informal, the “barefoot living” lifestyle has emerged and there is increased demand to carry this attitude over into home design.
Relaxed, open, filled with light, and intimately connected to the outdoors, barefoot houses make living at home feel like being on vacation 365 days a year. The 24 houses featured in The Barefoot Home reflect today’s barefoot times. From a long, low house on the Kansas prairie to an adobe home in New Mexico and a New England cottage by the sea, these homes capture the essence of barefoot living.
Customer Reviews:
Surprised and delighted.......2007-09-27
We live in temperate Australia and hesitated long before buying this book. We have shelves of excellent architecture reference books from around the world and have been owner builders. Was it going to be just glam coffee table eye candy? The architect has worked with Sarah Susanka (Not So Big House etc), so we decided to take the plunge. This is a very good book. There is so much to look at, contemplate, re-visit. Brilliant resolution of details, houses that flow, small exquisite spaces, sound materials. We have had hours of enjoyment from this book and have been happy to share it with others to extend their knowledge of good architecture. Enjoy!
Barefoot -- informal style, for an informal life........2007-05-16
On first glance I agreed with many of the other reviewers: 'the book was slick', 'it was disingenuous', 'sure, if you live in a sunny climate, most, if not all, of the time'.
Then I went back and looked at the book again, and read the opening passage: he does not strive to be disingenuous, he tells us he himself doesn't live in a barefoot home, nor a barefoot neighborhood, but he is trying and the manifesto of the book is to entreat all of us to be more informal in our primary living space -- our homes.
Open the house up as soon as you can, get rid of all the stuff you don't need, make your home as casual as you can, and then enjoy it.
Think informal thoughts, and live in all the spaces available to you: the patio, the deck and never forget how good it feels to have sand between your toes!
He provides blue prints to the homes and he even lists the architects. Enjoy and live well!
Great Book!.......2007-03-26
This book is great for conversation and ideas. I leave mine on the coffee table for periodic inspiration...that of myself..and of others!
Barefoot, if it's summertime.......2007-03-11
I don't exactly get the barefoot concept. If the author had seen these homes in the wintertime, would he still consider them barefoot homes? Barefoot seems far-fetched and contrived in this book.
This book is a nice compilation of casual homes mostly in the country or at the beach. It's similar to other books on getaway homes. Beyond that, I didn't see anything particularly new or inspiring. It almost seems like the author (or Taunton?) was more interested in pushing the barefoot concept than providing new ideas.
Designed for wilder, more remote locations.......2007-02-15
This book is beautiful, the writing lyric and inviting.
But in looking for ideas for building our coastal home, I found that the windows and outdoor living areas were meant for homes in secluded or tree-sheltered locations, not on a city lot as our will be.
I highly recommend this book for those with more remote building sites.
Book Description
Step-by-step, fully photographed projects for all styles of furniture slipcovers, from the simple wrap to a custom-fitted cover.
The Complete Photo Guide to Slipcovers is a step-by-step guide to sewing decorator covers for upholstered chairs, sofas, ottomans, and dining chairs. The projects range from quick wraps to fitted slipcovers that stay firmly in place and create a new piece of furniture. Over 250 how-to photographs show the way to professional quality. Every step is clearly explained and shown, from measuring and cutting to adding designer details and trims. People who have been shocked by the cost of custom-made covers and disappointed with the fit and fabric choices of off-the-shelf products will find in this book everything they need to know to create slipcovers themselves.
Average customer rating:
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California Casual: Fashions, 1930s-1970s
Maureen Reilly
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Similar Items:
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California Fashion : From the Old West to New Hollywood
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California Couture
ASIN: 0764312464 |
Book Description
Casual clothing, swimwear in particular, is strongly associated with the California lifestyle, and the design and manufacture of casual clothing has long been the foundation of Californias garment industry. This book explores that industry as it developed in California from the 1930s through the 1970s, with emphasis on clothing and textile designs suffused with the sunshine spirit. Included are fashions from major swimwear companies such as Catalina, Cole, and Rose Marie Reid; sportswear from leaders like Koret and Alice of California; and a wonderful chapter paying tribute to that most western of fabrics, blue denim. More than 330 photographs and advertisements illustrate the colorful, cheerful, and charming nature of vintage casual clothing. Collectors, designers, and fashion historians will appreciate the profiles of California artisans and their influence on fabric technology. Includes price guide and a helpful glossary of fashion and fabric terminology.
Product Description
Know a girl who's a designing diva with a passion for fashion? The Do-It-Yourself Designs Casual Chic kit is what every young fashionista needs--whether she's walking the red carpet, strutting the catwalk, or even cruising the hallways at school. Filled with fresh inspiration and lots of ideas, this all-inclusive kit comes with everything kids need--from stencils, patterned papers, fabric swatches, stickers, and models--to create lots of chic outfits for all kinds of casual occasions. Using the 32-page illustrated book as a guide, they can design the perfect pajamas for a slumber party, get babed-out for the beach, and create a really cool back-to-school collection. Young designers learn how to combine function with fashion, use color for impact, and how to select accessories. Lots of superstar style for kids ages 7 and up!
Customer Reviews:
One word: Fun!.......2007-09-23
This is funner and teaches better then Klutz Papper Fashions! The only way to have fun with this kit is if you read the book and do it's step to step projects in order.This amazing kit includes:
#1: A 32 page book with 9 step to step projects that let you add lots of creativity. Also, one page is full of accesory ideas!
#2: 8 cool mix and match clothes stencils, 1 accesory stencil, and 3 model pose stencils.
#3 Thick high-quality pages for you to jot down your designs
#4 Stickers like belts, sunglasses, and jewerly to help you with your designs
#5 Papers with flowers, jeans, and other patterns to add to your designs
#6 Some sequins and pieces of cloth to put on your cool designs
Later, create a cat walk for your paper doll's fashions!(It shows you how to create a cat walk in the 32 page book.) I suggest this product for ages 10 to 16.
Poor, Not Worth it........2007-06-27
This book seems like a lot of fun because it is so big and bulky, but it is not worth it. The stencils are very complicated to use for kids, not many fabrics, and not many ideas in the idea book. A good thing is that it comes with two small fragments of real fabric material. Overall, not very good at all, I would much more reccomend Paper Fashions by Klutz.
Customer Reviews:
Not very pretty .......2007-09-25
I am not a picky person,I like lots of bags in all sizes and colors but this book is just terrible! The bags are not pretty at all!I can't even comment on the directions because there wasn't a singe purse in this book that interested me enough to even read the directions.This is one of those books that will sit on my shelf until I do a clean out and then it will be gone.
Another Great Find.......2005-08-15
This book was another good find if you're into making purses for yourself or family, or just like making purses. More great designs and patterns to chose from. Very well done and explained.
Dont bother to order!.......2005-03-15
This book is not that great. It is the same purse pattern (fold over flap sack type bag) just has differant designs. Many are for people that crochet... I dont!! And it doesnt' even show how to crochet. What a waste of money... I sent it back!! I did read all the reviews and orederd it any way. Take heed... don't buy it!!
Sewing Terific Totes & Carryalls is better........2003-03-06
These are a bit, um, avant garde for my taste.
Buy only if you like ugly.......2003-01-29
I didn't look into this purchase enough and if I was smart I would have returned it. I HATED IT! It is out of date and most of the bags looks like something that only a butch lesbian would carry arround. Nothing pretty or fashionable.
Think twice before going for this one. They did a great job at marketing, however the product stinks.
Customer Reviews:
An excellent resource.......2006-05-02
I flipped through a couple different editions of this book recently and I must get one for myself. I have books that focus on men's suits and tailoring, but this one addresses sportswear and casual wear, as well as some ethnic styles, like African and Middle Eastern. It focuses more on the design angle than construction, which is desparately needed since commercial pattern companies only carry about 5 different patterns in the men's wear category. At the moment there are more men's costume patterns, but when was the last time you saw Henry the VIII or the Music Man walking down the street?
Customer Reviews:
Style Manual for Work Wardrobe.......2007-05-04
With its easy to understand hierarchy of "classic," "smart," and "relaxed" levels of dress and illustrated examples, Ilene Amiel's guide to business casual would be a handy tool for many workers. What makes it an essential reference for managers and HR directors is the fact that these recommendations are empirically based. Acceptability matches and suggestions were drafted from surveys of insdustry leaders in a variety of fields, suggesting that this book is more than a mere attempt to pawn off personal style on the masses. While the majority of the businesses that made up the original sample were American, and the survey results are now a bit dated; most pointers will hold true both across cultures and for a long time to come: e.g., it will always be a good idea to scan your appointment book before selecting your wardrobe for the day. Dressing for the day's activities is always going to be "in style."
Excellent Resource!.......2007-01-25
This is an excellent book! I found it very useful. It gives detailed guidelines for different levels of "casual". Most importantly, it shows how to put together a basic wardrobe, then mix and match the pieces. Everyone can use that information, not just those in the business world! Highly recommended.
Defending the Slobs.......2004-02-22
In other words, dress like a slob! A foolish book that attempts to apologize for and defend the "causal" look.
Very Helpful.......2000-05-23
I would recommend this book to all HR managers and those who write policies. When it comes to dress code you have to spell it out. This book helps you do that and help define what dress code is good for your environment. Its a great reference!
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Books Index
Books Home
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