New Home Wish List

If you or someone you know is thinking about building a new house, or renovating an existing home, then we have a new book that is a fabulous resource: Architectural Inspiration: styles, details & sources by Richard Skinulis and Peter Christopher. Whether you are just starting the building process and are still in the conceptual phase, or if you are picking out knobs for the kitchen cabinets, this book is a cornucopia of ideas and possibilities. Beautiful color photography and instructive, well-written text make this book a pleasure to read. Each chapter covers a different aspect of the house and gives you a broad overview of popular styles and historical trends, and also presents a photo gallery of designs: weathervanes, brickwork, bathtubs, ceiling panels, fireplaces, and decorative moldings. The authors even explain the relative merits of different types of light bulbs and exhaust hoods. You can see what appeals to you and what styles are available on the market. If you are remotely interested in interior design, then looking through the pages of this book will be like a 6-year-old with a toy catalog; you'll want one of everything. Even if you are just planning your dream house, this is still a fun book to read. A word of warning, though: the items and ideas that are presented are not cheap. If your idea of home design is buying whatever's on sale, then this book won't be of much use to you. But you could always look for more economical look-alikes, build your own, or pick one or two features (tile, lighting, moldings) on which to splurge. There's a world of possibilities out there.