Renovation

We have a couple of new books on the shelf for anyone planning to spice up their home with a little remodeling.
Affordable Remodel: how to get custom results on any budget is by Fernando Pagés Ruiz. A builder who is also a frequent contributor to the magazine Fine Homebuilding, Ruiz explains a variety of ways you can give your home some beautiful customized features without spending a huge amount of money. If you are a DIY kind of person, you can accomplish most of these projects yourself. He covers planning your remodel, removing existing features, doors & windows, trim, kitchens, baths and exteriors. Of particular interest in this time of high fuel prices, he also devotes an entire chapter to making your home more energy-efficient by replacing aging heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical and ducting systems. If you want to have a warmer, more efficient home this winter, now is the time to do your refit. And this is a great way to start.
A more narrowly focused book for remodelers is The Sourcebook of Decorative Stone: an illustrated identification guide by Monica T. Price. Showcasing page after page of beautiful marble, granite, quartz and slate, this book is not for someone who is doing a little DIY on the cheap. Nobody on a strict budget is going to be importing sheets of marble from Greece for their ballroom. But if you're thinking about a new vanity for the bathroom, or a kitchen countertop, or a little splash of accent color somewhere, this book is perfect. The pictures are gorgeous - who knew there were so many types of stone? - and the examples of how the stone has been used in various European sites (the author is a geologist for the Oxford University Museum of Natural History) are very inspiring.