Hamptons Havens: The Best of Hamptons Cottages and Gardens (Hamptons Cottages & Gardens)

Book Description

A lavish look at the private homes of the storied Hamptons, with gorgeous photographs and engaging text that discusses the history, decor, and architecture from an insider's perspective. HAMPTONS HAVENS offers readers a glimpse behind the hedgerows of the Hamptons on Long Island, New York. The photographs are drawn from the archives of Hamptons Cottages and Gardens magazine and feature 24 homes and gardens that vary greatly in architecture and interior design. Every home in the book, from cozy cottage to grand estate, is a testament to the enormous breadth and natural beauty of the seaside region.

Customer Reviews:

More cottages than gardens.......2007-09-19

A lovely book with interesting stories but I was after beach gardens and there are very few. The title is misleading as it is from the magazine by this name.

Hamptons Cottages and Gardens.......2007-09-06

This is a beautiful book which is as entertaining to read as it is to gaze at the pictures! I would have appreciated it more had all the houses featured been in a similar style to the one on the cover. There is quite a large spectrum of different designs. I wished they had presented more photographs of each individual home, but overall there is plenty to feast your eyes on.

Hampton Havens Review.......2006-08-27

The book was purchased for an anniversary gift for my daughter who resides on one of the Hamptons. She liked the book and even was familiar with the owner of the garden on the cover.

Average customer rating:

Meat, meat, meat
The River Cottage Meat Book
Highly Recommended
excellent info!
This is more than cooking meat, it is fundamental knowledge

The River Cottage Meat Book
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Manufacturer: Ten Speed Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing
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Pork and Sons

ASIN: 1580088430

Book Description

First published in the United Kingdom, THE RIVER COTTAGE MEAT BOOK quickly became an underground hit among food cognoscenti around the world. Now tailored for American cooks, this loving, authoritative, and galvanizing ode to good meat is one part manifesto on high-quality, local, and sustainable meat production; two parts guide to choosing and storing meats and fowl; and three parts techniques and recipes for roasting, cooking, barbecuing, preserving, and processing meats and getting the most out of leftovers. With this thought-provoking and practical guide, meat eaters can knowledgeably buy and prepare meat for better health and better living, while supporting the environment, vibrant local economies, and respectful treatment of animals.

Customer Reviews:

Meat, meat, meat.......2007-08-09

I am a husband and father who has done most of the family cooking for three decades. I have always roasted meats extremely simply, with very little salt and spices, because that is the quickest and easiest. It also tastes just fine. When I wanted to go to the next level of complexity and sophistication, I bought The River Cottage Meat Book. What a wonderful choice. This cookbook gives clear instructions on basic techniques as de-glazing, and it is exceptionally easy to follow. It also offers clear explanations on WHY to cook in a certain way, and its advice is solidly based on the results of experimentation. Best of all, this book has a number of recipes which are individually worth the price of the book. As an Asian-American immigrant, I can vouch for the authenticity and quality of the few Asian-American recipes. Altogether, this is an exceptional book for the amateur cook who wants to take his cooking of meats to a higher level.

The River Cottage Meat Book.......2007-07-22

It is a great book for everything you'd need to know about meat. How to prepare it, how to cook it, and how it comes to market. There is so much about meat that I now have a greater appreciation for! Great Book!

Highly Recommended.......2007-06-24

This book is awesome. It's very thorough and covers nearly every topic concerning meat that I could ask for. He goes right into the guts and doesn't chicken out like most books out there. It should be a textbook for cooking schools.

excellent info!.......2007-01-18

This book provides a lot of information about cattle, meat etc. that were new to me. well presemted, well written.

This is more than cooking meat, it is fundamental knowledge.......2007-01-12

I have always had a huge respect for Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. His cookery programmes have been amazing as they are more than just programmes. They are all about understanding food and its nature. He has effortlessly translated this into a beautiful and highly readable book.

I was engrossed in it from the start. His introduction about meat is amazing. By understanding the nature of meat, its production, slaughter, hanging and packaging, you can go a long way to understanding the nature of meat itself and how best to buy and raise it.

In fact, it is all about really basic details in preparation - from how to make hams to how to buy the best kidneys and why. Hugh seems to be on a mission to make popular old favourites such as tripe and liver - I don't knwo how much success he will have in that area, but his explanation on why it doesn't necessarily taste too good now is definitely indisputable.

I really enjoy his easy readable style, his disucssion on best raising techniques of pigs for instance was fascinating. He has practised what he writes about, he raises his own meat, slaughters it and then prepares it himself. It is a bit disconcerting having a dead pig head starting a chapter, but then Hugh talks about using all thebits of a beast in his chapter entitled 'thrifty'.

Fro those who don't want to raise and slaughter their own beasts, you will gain much from his other chapters - which meats make the best to fast cook (and why) and which are the best to slow cook. Both have why and how. There are chapters on slow cooking, cooking in wood fired ovens, and much more.

The recipes are delicious and the stories about them interesting reading and all provide depth of background to the recipes themselves. This is one book which will be remaining on my shelf for years to come, It is easy to use, interesting, and provides fundamental knowledge. It has my highest recommendation!

The Hand-Sculpted House: A Philosophical and Practical Guide to Building a Cob Cottage (The Real Goods Solar Living Book)

Average customer rating:

Practical, Comforting, and Fun
great book
Christo
Stunning AND the Absolute Last Word in Cob Info
Simply gorgeous!

The Hand-Sculpted House: A Philosophical and Practical Guide to Building a Cob Cottage (The Real Goods Solar Living Book)
Ianto Evans , Michael G. Smith , and Linda Smiley
Manufacturer: Chelsea Green
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Design & Construction | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Do-It-Yourself | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

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

Home & Garden | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Science | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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The Cob Builders Handbook: You Can Hand-Sculpt Your Own Home
Building With Cob: A Step-by-step Guide
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Art of Natural Building

ASIN: 1890132349

Book Description

Are you ready for the Cob Cottage? This is a building method so old and so simple that it has been all but forgotten in the rush to synthetics. A cob cottage,cobb, however, might be the ultimate expression of ecological design, a structure so attuned to its surroundings that its creators refer to it as "an ecstatic house."
The authors build a house the way others create a natural garden. They use the oldest, most available materials imaginable—earth, clay, sand, straw, and water—and blend them to redefine the future (and past) of building. Cob (the word comes from an Old English root, meaning "lump") is a mixture of non-toxic, recyclable, and often free materials. Building with cob requires no forms, no cement, and no machinery of any kind. Builders actually sculpt their structures by hand.
Building with earth is nothing new to America; the oldest structures on the continent were built with adobe bricks. Adobe, however, has been geographically limited to the Southwest. The limits of cob are defined only by the builder's imagination.
Cob offers answers regarding our role in Nature, family and society, about why we feel the ways that we do, about what's missing in our lives. Cob comes as a revelation, a key to a saner world.
Cob has been a traditional building process for millennia in Europe, even in rainy and windy climates like the British Isles, where many cob buildings still serve as family homes after hundreds of years. The technique is newly arrived to the Americas, and, as with so many social trends, the early adopters are in the Pacific Northwest.
Cob houses (or cottages, since they are always efficiently small by American construction standards) are not only compatible with their surroundings, they ARE their surroundings, literally rising up from the earth. They are full of light, energy-efficient, and cozy, with curved walls and built-in, whimsical touches. They are delightful. They are ecstatic.

Customer Reviews:

Practical, Comforting, and Fun.......2007-01-06

This book gives basic instructions on everything you need to know about cob home construction with many illustrations and a great set of glossy color photos in the middle of the book.

This book is great to read even if you never build a cob home because of the amount of information it contains that can be of use for any kind of house.

Also, the book walks the reader through several excercises that are meant to open up one's own innate creativity.

I really enjoyed the integration of spiritual philosophy into very practical instructions, it makes for a great balance.

I felt that the book was very fun to read and put me into a lighthearted mood.

The book also contains many references to other natural/alternative building techniques that can be employed instead of or in addition to cob.

Enjoy!

great book.......2007-01-04

great work on clay building, includes everything from history to philosophy to detailed practical building guidelines.

Christo.......2006-07-09

If there is one book that you need to read than this is it. Get your feet in the mud and find out who you really are. This book changed my life. Gave me the empowerment to throw off the chains of being dependent on paying alot of money for a basic need: good housing. Now I've embarked on a path of creativity, to build a house that is healthy, and will suit all my needs. My thanks are great!

Stunning AND the Absolute Last Word in Cob Info.......2006-03-23

I spent hours and hours with this beautiful and entertaining book, and I was only barely interested in Cob! This book is absolutely terrific, it is wonderfully and beautifully illustrated, includes color photos of some great cob houses, and is absolutely THE book you need if you want to learn about cob, or build your own cob structure. It is a wonderful balance of fun, personal stories, expertise, and technical info. (And really very inclusive too!) I read both Becky's and then this book. It really made me comfortable with cobbing because it is so well done, so inclusive and informative. A testimonial: Some time after reading this book over and over, we decided that cob was not appropriate for our site, and I STILL recently picked up this book for a good read!

Simply gorgeous!.......2005-09-23

First, it's fun just to browse through the gorgeous homes and creations in this book. Second, cob is well researched and documented here, for instance, did you know there are cob homes in Devonshire England that are over 400 years old? Third, this is a remarkably practical handbook for siting, designing, and building a home from cob.
On a practical note, you might want to start with a cob oven for practice. Kiko Denzer wrote a lovely book on the subject, "Building your own wood fired oven". Cob is incredibly fun to work with, but very, very labor intensive.
I really wish I could give this book six stars, because it's truly a fabulous and peerless manual for building with cob.
Buy it, you won't regret it a bit! It's a book you'll go back to again and again, and dream with on cold winter days.

Average customer rating:

Too much family, not enough romance
I enjoyed it!
Above average romance
Not crazy about this one.
Lakeside Cottage

Lakeside Cottage
Susan Wiggs
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Summer At Willow Lake (Lakeshore Chronicles)
Summer by the Sea
The Winter Lodge (Lakeshore Chronicles)
Passing Through Paradise
Table For Five

ASIN: 0778321908

Book Description

If you trust your heart, you'll always know who you are . . .

Each summer, Kate Livingston returns to her family's lakeside cottage, a place of simple living and happy times -- a place where she now hopes her shy little boy can blossom. But her quiet life gets a bit more interesting with the arrival of an intriguing new neighbor, JD Harris. Although she is a confirmed single mother and knows little of JD's past, Kate is soon drawn into the sweetness of a summer romance and discovers the passion of a lifetime.

JD has good reason for being secretive. In a moment of sheer bravery the Washington, D.C., paramedic prevented a terrible tragedy. Overnight the intensely private man became a national hero. He's hardly able to remember who he was before the media frenzy . . . until he escapes to this lovely, remote part of the Northwest. Now Kate Livingston and her son have rekindled the joy of small pleasures and peace, something he thought he'd never have again. But how long will his blissful anonymity last before reality comes banging at his door?

Customer Reviews:

Too much family, not enough romance.......2007-10-01

JD was sizzlin', Kate was hot, and the potential for one smokin' romance was there, but it fell flat amidst all the family drama. Not my cup of tea. Too much about the son Aaron, too much about the foster runaway Callie, just too much emotional baggage with the kids. And not enough romance or scenes with the two main lovers.

I enjoyed it!.......2007-08-12

LAKESIDE COTTAGE by Susan Wiggs
August 12, 2007

Amazon Rating: 4/5 stars

I had read a Susan Wiggs book a few years ago and had enjoyed her writing, so was looking forward to reading LAKESIDE COTTAGE. She writes about characters I want to get to know better, who live in places that come across to me as peaceful or beautiful, places that are far different from where I live in the city. In LAKESIDE COTTAGE, the story takes place along side Crescent Lake in the state of Washington on the Olympia Peninsula. It's a beautiful place, painted by Wiggs as an ideal spot for summer vacations and families.

Every year, the Livingston's head out to their family cottage, which has been in the family for several generations. But this year is different. Only Kate and her pre-teen son Aaron are coming up this year, and Aaron isn't too thrilled. He sees it as a jail sentence, with no one to play with all summer long. Kate sees it as a getaway, to forget about her worries. She was a writer who had been let go from a job that she felt defined her, and now she didn't know what to do. She was barely making ends meet, but because of the rental properties in Seattle she inherited from her father, she was able to eke out a living and support herself and her son.

The novel, however, starts with a bang. Special Forces Medical Sergeant Jordan Donovan Harris is one of many who are guarding the President of the United States as he visits patients at Walter Reed Medical Center. It happens so quickly that no one sees it coming, but Harris notices that the patient that the President is currently talking to, a man lying on a hospital bed, is not who everyone thinks he is. As the man on the bed throws out an explosive, Harris protects the President with his body, and before he knows it, Harris has lost consciousness.

It is at the lake that Kate meets "JD" Harris, the man that has now become a celebrity to the world. Kate, who lives without a television set, does not recognize the disheveled looking man who appears to be more of a hippie than a military man. But JD is hiding from the world, and hopes that no one recognizes him. Only one person knows about him, and that's his best friend Sam, who also happens to be someone that goes way back in Kate's life. Kate's son is attracted to JD, as he is to any man that comes into Kate's life. Aaron is desperate to find a father, and she's learned that it's better not to break his heart by dating men who will eventually leave.

While LAKESIDE COTTAGE is a love story between Kate and JD, it is also a story of a boy who desperately needs a father's guiding hand as he grows into adulthood. He's got a lot of issues, acts out often, and Kate doesn't know what to do with him half the time. As Aaron and JD bond, however, she notices a miracle is taking place. Aaron responds to JD's words, and for once, a man has not walked out of her life because she has a son.

Another important story line centers on a teenage girl that Kate discovers on the first day at the lake, sleeping in their cottage. Her name is Callie, and she is one of the cleaning ladies for the summer. Kate learns that Callie is a runaway, but she doesn't want to return home and begs Kate for a place to stay while she works for her rent. Kate is touched by this girl and agrees. Callie soon becomes a regular member of the family, and she bonds with Kate and with Aaron. Callie also gets to know JD and learns his secret identity by accident. She promises not to tell a soul about this, a difficult thing to do for someone who could use the money a tabloid would pay her for this newsworthy information. In the meantime, she keeps dropping hints around Kate, pointing out whether someone could love another person if that person constantly lies to her. Callie wants JD to tell everyone the truth, as she does not understand why anyone could run from celebrity and being in the public eye.

The various sub plots come together nicely, and the reader will get to know and love these characters. I was rooting for everyone to have a happy ending. I also felt the characters were well researched, including Callie's medical condition, which is later revealed in the story. All the main characters felt real to me, and I didn't want this book to end. LAKESIDE COTTAGE is another winner by Susan Wiggs, an author that is growing on me with each novel I read.

Above average romance.......2007-05-17

I have never considered myself a fan of the romance genre, but that doesn't mean I have anything against romance novels per se. In fact, I read them almost voraciously during my teen years. Like every other genre, there are good writers and bad writers, good stories and clunkers.

Susan Wiggs and Lakeside Cottage stand out as prime examples of quality on both counts. Wiggs' writing is solid, and the story is engaging. Romance is, of course, at the heart of the tale, but there is so much more going on here.

Our heroine in this case is Kate Livingstone, a feature writer recently fired by her newspaper. As luck would have it, she has the chance to escape her troubles and figure out her future at her family's cottage. This is her first summer at the lake without her brother and his family, a fact that doesn't sit well at first with her troubled young son, Aaron.

Two strangers enter the scene on the first day: runaway teen California "Callie" Evans and the reclusive JD Harris. Both have secrets. Both will change Kate and Aaron's summer--and ultimately their lives.

Wiggs manages to avoid the overdone I-can't-stand-you-but-I-can't-resist-you form of romance in favour of a more natural approach. Kate and JD are a bit leery of each other at first--and both with good reason, given their romantic histories--but the conflict is underplayed.

I found it refreshing to read a romance so grounded in reality--JD's secret notwithstanding. After all, it's not every woman who falls in love with a man who saved the life of the US President. (And, no, that's not a spoiler.) JD's subsequent status as a media celebrity drives his actions throughout the book.

The subplot involving Callie is equally engaging. Her back story--including exposure to a twisted commune leader and too many years shuffled through foster care--comes to light slowly. We can feel empathy for all she's gone through. We also come to understand why she would choose to run away.

Overall, Lakeside Cottage is a well-formed story with intriguing, believable characters. You won't find too many surprises, but you will find an enjoyable read. Wiggs has written a sweet tale that manages to convey positive messages without lapsing into sugary sentiment.

Not crazy about this one........2007-01-20

Jordan Donovan Harris is a Special Forces Medic. On Xmas Eve he sees a threat to the President and saves his life. To J.D. he was just doing his job but to the country he's an American hero. The fame that results from this is overwhelming and painful. An unauthorized movie, an ex-girlfriend's tell-all TV interviews, his estranged mother surfacing, stalkers and a woman who fakes a suicide attempt to get J.D. to rescue her. Reeling from the complete invasion of his privacy he borrows a friend's lake cottage, changes his appearance (he didn't have a mullet) and uses his nickname so he can have some peace.

Kate Livingston is a single mother to a nine year old son. Having been fired from her job she also has come to her family vacation home to regroup.

The first problem I had with this book is that it was at least 100 pages too long. It was filled with repetitive information on the nature aspects, details of making dinner, Kate's obsessive thoughts, etc.

Second is with her son Aaron. Aaron has behavioral problems, misses having a father figure and is terrified of water. Kate does not have a TV. I can appreciate a parent not wanting a child to spend all their time watching mindless TV. However, there are a lot of educational programs on the Discovery, Learning and History channels, not to mention watching a particular show is sometimes part of a homework assignment. Aaron has difficulty already fitting in and his not being able to discuss a show or even an occasional tasteful cartoon with his friends just makes him that much more different. Kids can be cruel and they think he's strange.

Which brings me to third, Kate is pushy. She goes to J.D.'s house, grills him, and asks him intrusive questions, snoops into a private file, then proceeds to tell him exactly what he should do with his life, even though he tells her it's none of her business. At this point she's spent a total of about ten minutes with the guy. Then she gets miffed with him & thinks, "He'd been rude to her just because she'd been nosy." Ya think? The first time they have sex she waits until they're almost naked and then starts grilling him again!

On the other hand, I enjoyed the characters of Callie, Aaron and J.D. & enjoy Susan Wigg's writing. One of my all time favorite books, of any author, is "The Ocean Between Us" which I highly recommend.

Lakeside Cottage.......2007-01-04

I am a new fan of Susan Wiggs, after reading one of her books you want to read them all! She has wonderful descriptions of her settings, and uplifting stories.

Romantic Home Sewing: Cottage-Style Projects to Stitch for the Home

Average customer rating:

Easy sewing and rewarding projects
Romantic Home Sewing
a just OK book
Lovely ideas, but a minor complication-
Romantic Home Sewing made simple

Romantic Home Sewing: Cottage-Style Projects to Stitch for the Home
Christina Strutt
Manufacturer: Potter Craft
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Sewing | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Upholstery & Fabrics | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Creating Vintage Style: Stylish Ideas & Step-by-step Projects
Where Women Create: Inspiring Work Spaces of Extraordinary Women

ASIN: 0307345637
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Book Description

If you long to give your rooms a vintage air and country-cottage appeal, you will love the retro floral prints and timeless designs of Romantic Home Sewing, the perfect guide to creating a handmade, easy elegance in your home. The book offers simple-sew projects to transform every room into the romantic retreat you’ve always wanted.

In this step-by-step guide, Christina Strutt, owner of the popular Cabbages & Roses fabric company, shows readers how to make a wealth of projects for the kitchen and bathroom, sunroom, and bedroom—and for gift giving, as well. A skilled stylist and designer, Strutt demonstrates how to create a look that is personal and unique, but not at all labor intensive. Reusing old fabrics and accessories in new ways allows the vintage and the modern to mingle beautifully—and also saves money and time.

The charming projects highlighted in this delightful illustrated book include crisp linen chair covers, a chic fabric headboard, pretty flower aprons, dreamy voile bed curtains, and soothing scented herbal pillows.

Even if you’ve never sewn a stitch before, Romantic Home Sewing will guide you through each technique for polished results.

If you desire a home filled with hand-finished, personal objects, let Christina Strutt be your guide. The result will be an oasis of comfort, whimsy, and true romanticism.

From the creative talent behind Britain’s beloved Cabbages & Roses vintage-style fabric company, Romantic Home Sewing includes thirty easy-to-sew projects that will transform your home into a warm, lovely tableau of hand-crafted detail. From pillows to aprons, duvet covers to lamp shades, Romantic Home Sewing is the ultimate guide to creating the inviting, charming home you crave—all with your own two hands.

Customer Reviews:

Easy sewing and rewarding projects.......2007-08-09

I really love this book - simple but rewarding projects that most sewers would have no trouble with. lovely photography.

Romantic Home Sewing.......2007-05-30

Excellent book! Christina Strutt had my tastes in mind when she wrote this book. It is for people who don't know much about sewing, love vintage fabrics and want to learn some ideas on how to use them. The pictures are beautiful and the instructions are clear.

a just OK book.......2007-05-13

The pictures are nice , the fabric & the way it presents the instructions too.
That is all to it. Nothing more.

Lovely ideas, but a minor complication-.......2007-05-06

The fabrics and patterns in this book are lovely. Photographic representation of all the projects are clear and wonderfully presented. The instructions seem clear (except I did find an important step for one of the handbags was omitted).

I give it 4 stars instead of 5 mainly because it contains templates that have to be enlarged on a copier instead of full-size patterns. It appears that is typical with sewing books, but it is an inconvenience and requires a trip to a copy store (plus the cost) since they need to be enlarged to such a degree, you cannot do it on a regular copier without great difficulty.

Fortunately there are only a few projects in this book that have templates - most of the crafts are going to be custom sized by you to fit your bed, chair, windows, etc, so templates would not be feasible.

However, I do recommend this book. I am happy to have it and I do not regret purchasing it. Christina Strutt's designs are sweet and warm and this book is a welcome addition to my collection.

Romantic Home Sewing made simple.......2006-12-14

I don't fall in love with books easily, but this one was love at first sight for me. The photos were clear. The ideas and instructions simple and easy to follow. I borrowed a copy from the public library, now I want my own.

Cottages on the Coast: Fair Harbors and Secret Shores

Average customer rating:

peaceful relaxing
Great detail source
Sea Spray and Salt-Crust
Lusting for a Summer Cottage? Pick This Book.

Cottages on the Coast: Fair Harbors and Secret Shores
Linda Leigh Paul
Manufacturer: Universe Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Design & Construction | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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

Household Hints | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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

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Similar Items:

Classic Cottages
A House on the Water: Inspiration for Living at the Water's Edge
Cottage: America's Favorite Home Inside and Out
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ASIN: 0789310708
Release Date: 2004-07-16

Book Description

With her successful books Cottages by the Sea and Coastal Retreats, Linda Leigh Paul has beautifully captured the dream home in an ideal setting. Now she broadens her scope by visiting the most picturesque and private seaside cottages on all three coasts of the United States, from the cliffs of Big Sur to the dunes of Nantucket to Florida's sandy beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. The most charming cottages in the country are here, including a 1924 stone cottage in Carmel, a weathered clapboard cottage on the Isle of Hope, Georgia, and Tennessee Williams's Key West cottage.

Seaside cottages are intrepid structures. They hold onto the earth as a brace against heavy seas, furious flood tides, and stormforce winds. The names themselves conjure departures and returns, danger and escape: Destruction Island, Peril Strait, and Wrath Cape describe one arc of shoreline. Another coastline offers Fair Harbor, Port Protection, and Safety Harbor. Still another speaks of lost encounters: Dogs Keys Pass, Tortugas Harbor, and Alligator Reef. But the interiors of these cottages evoke only warmth and beauty, providing comfort for those eternally drawn to the sea. Many display artifacts of life on the water: nautical objects and treasures found on the beach, as well as journals, letters, postcards, and books that reflect the long, rich history of seaside living.

Customer Reviews:

peaceful relaxing.......2006-05-18

I love to read and I love houses on the water. When I need to relax I grab this book. It has also given me some ideas to use in my own home to give it that cottage look. Very inspirational and easy to read.

Great detail source.......2006-03-10

Great source of architectural interior details and inspiration for small residential structures.

Sea Spray and Salt-Crust.......2004-07-20

When I picked up this book I was surprised to find it so filled with a wonderful variety of cottages. Cottages on the Coast is a small and wonderful glimpse of styles around the coasts of the United States. A small "photo album" near the beginning shows early pictures of some of the cottages that are featured later and as those same cottages appear today. A great selection of cottage styles, representing different regions of the country, are fascinating with their accompanying stories. This is a book I will go back to over and over again, to look up something I remember, to find something new and to just plop down with it in my lap for pure beach imaginings. I love this book!

Lusting for a Summer Cottage? Pick This Book........2004-07-15

Wherever they are located, seaside dwellings share several common traits. These hearty homes are crafted from tried and true materials that age gracefully in the sea air and reflect local building traditions and styles. They balance the storms of winter with the peaceful days of summer and maximize beautiful views whatever the season.

Cottages on the Coast presents an extensive variety of homes from sea to shining sea. Linda Leigh Paul selected more than 25 examples from Bainbridge Island, to Big Sur, from the Florida Keys, to Tybee Island, and north to Maine. You will be captivated by hundreds of beautiful photographs of vernacular exteriors and very personal interiors.

Cottages on the Coast stands out because the interiors and exteriors exude a lot of personality, and they seem authentic and attainable. New England is well represented with houses in Maine, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. The tranquil cover image, Treasure Cottage on Key West is truly a cottage at a mere 500 square feet. Treasure Cottage is filled with the owners carefully arranged antique collection, which does not clutter the small space but gives the home so much personality. Other examples, a modernist cottage designed by a Frank Lloyd Wright pupil in Carmel, complete with loads of natural light, and built-in furnishings. Or a cottage recently built on a private island in the Puget Sound, built on a solid rock foundation, with enormous interior beams to withstand the fiercest storms, decorated in a simple manner re-using found materials such as driftwood for a mantel and stair case railing.

Cottages on the Coast will be a source of inspiration for readers who are considering rehabbing, designing, or decorating a seaside dwelling. Or if you are an avid armchair traveler Cottages on the Coast will fill you with travel ideas for your next coastal break.

The New Cottage Home: A Tour of Unique American Dwellings
Average customer rating:

straight into the garage sale

Cottages

Worth the price....

More than just another coffee table book!

Get Cozy!

The New Cottage Home: A Tour of Unique American Dwellings
Jim Tolpin
Manufacturer: Taunton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Residential | Building Types & Styles | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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Similar Items:

Cottage: America's Favorite Home Inside and Out

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ASIN: 1561583553
Release Date: 2000-04-01

Amazon.com

It takes only a drive through any typical American subdivision to confirm that in recent decades the average house has grown in size, narrowed in style, and shrunk in vision. Jim Tolpin's The New Cottage Home represents a return to a previous school of thought about living space: that it should be no larger than is needed, conservative of resources, rich in detail-- in short, that it should pay homage to honest architecture and fine craftsmanship, not to conspicuous consumption. The 30 cottage homes pictured, all recently built, have the slightly unfair advantage of almost magically beautiful locations, but each has a unique character and many cottage-style nooks and crannies: the converted island pump house with sod roof, the 600-square-foot woodland temple, the salvage-built house on the Kansas prairie, the off-the-grid shingled hilltop house built to take advantage of natural light. Tolpin does an excellent job of pulling together the elements of each that make it a cottage and make it appealing. In his own words, "These houses seem to call as much to the heart as to the head, enriching us more with the highs of nature than with the highs of technology. These are the new American cottages that embody the ancient storybook dream, and the kind of homes that many of us have always dreamed of living in."

Book Description

The New Cottage Home taps into today's move toward lifestyle simplicity and the idea that living space should be rich in details, conservative of resources, and no larger than necessary. Jim Tolpin celebrates the diversity and charm of 30 sample cottages, from a Pacific Northwest cottage modeled after a French hunting lodge to a "salvage yard vernacular cottage" built with junkyard materials. Each featured home reflects individual personality, priorities, and lifestyle. Whether by the water, on a mountain, or in a forest, field, or town, these homes emphasize quality of place over quantity of space.

Customer Reviews:

straight into the garage sale.......2007-09-17

the used bookstore wouldn't even want this rubbish- about 5 pages of decent information. it's all coffee table fluff and I don't drink coffee- Boo

Cottages.......2007-07-12

This book is great if you want gables and a structure with more character but more expensive. I am looking for simple structures. I do like the book a lot.

Worth the price...........2006-02-23

As an avid cottage fan, and living in one while designing a new one to build for myself which is even more zen and simple, I found this book to be one of the best books on cottages around. Although I also admit what was considered a cottage when my place was built someone hundred years ago and what is considered a cottage in 2006 is around five square feet more in size.

Of course I am a purest and go by what my dictionary says a cottage is which is 1 : the dwelling of a farm laborer or small farmer 2 : a usually small frame one-family house. Small being reduced in size. So I was surprised that on page 112 they show a French Hunting Lodge from the Pacific Northwest. Not a cottage at all.

What does make this good sized book useful for anyone looking for ideas on cottage styles is the vast array of examples given. From the coastline of Maine to the San Juan Island of Washington State, to rural Kansas to Massachusetts to favorite areas here in California.

And wonderful examples of simple to elaborate. One of my favorites because of its really simple zen style is the Pumphouse on pages 52-59 on San Juan Island in Washington State that was made into a smooth lined, all in one cottage which I and other minimalists would love to own. Or the wonderful Salvage Yard cottage in Franklin County, Kansas on page 156-161 that would fit in just about anywhere where clean lines and environmental desires are important.

There is even an off the grid cottage and some communities of nothing but cottages like those on Lopez Island in Washington State beginning on page 196, where the cottages are part of a land trust that was set up to allow people on moderate incomes to build small abodes with common greenbelt areas in and area where expensive homes were/are the norm. Heck, this made the book worth the price in itself.

Each cottage is shown inside and out complete with basic blueprints of each cottage so one can see how the space sits and works. The photography and text meld well and makes this a book that is hard to put down.

More than just another coffee table book!.......2001-12-07

You WILL find inspiration here.

Get Cozy!.......2001-11-17

This book hails a return to the smaller house. We have overlooked the value of coziness for too long.
Delightful! I must confess, my copy is quite dog-earred.

The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood (Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter Mysteries)

Average customer rating:

The trouble with cats...and rats...
Like being there---again
So cute!
Great book
She Does It Again!

The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood (Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter Mysteries)
Susan Wittig Albert
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

The Tale of Holly How
The Tale of Hill Top Farm (The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter)
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The Tale of Hill Top Farm: The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter (Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter Mysteries)

ASIN: 0425215067

Book Description

Miss Potter's new hometown of Holly How is having its share of troubles, and three children, favorites of Beatrix, are counting on the help of the fairies of Cuckoo Brow Wood. Now, with her signature tact, Beatrix must work with her friends-human and animal-to set things right.

Customer Reviews:

The trouble with cats...and rats..........2007-09-05

The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood covering 24th of April 1907 to May 1st, is the third of the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter by Susan Wittig Albert. Miss Felicia Frummety is not keeping the rat population down at Hill Top Farm and the village cats have issued an ultimatum. Ridley Rattail has had it with the rowdy rats that have moved into the attic so he posts an ad for cats to rid himself of these undesirables. Of course the humans have their share of problems, Major Kittridge has returned to Sawrey with a wife, dashing the hope of Dimity Woodcock. The village is invited to meet the new lady of the manor but rumors are rampant when it's learned she was an actress. There's also the rumor that the Major is planning to develop his shoreline property. The Vicar's cousin and his wife have moved in and the Vicar is far too kind to toss them even after they've outstayed his patience. Jeremy Crosfield, who is an excellent student, has to leave school and start his apprenticeship since he can't afford to continue his schooling -- the animals and humans are concerned about this event. And Beatrice arrives once again to spend some time at her farm.

Okay, up front I have to say I'm really enjoying these books. The interweaving of the various threads balancing the point of view of the humans and the animals is seamless. With each book, I gain more respect for Albert's ability to slip her stories into the undocumented bits of the Beatrix Potter timeline. She also maintains that playful seriousness that I also found in the Potter's little books. The characters are fully developed and while the mysteries are light they are ones that would have serious impact on the people of the story and their environment.

In this story, the small folk of the woods, fairies play a part. Are they real? Well I think that's for each of us to decide, and the author plays the story with a light hand to give us all a chance to believe as we will. After all if you can accept talking animals then are fairies that much of a stretch?

These are perfect books for when you are feeling a bit down. They are just the thing to help restore your believe in the inherent goodness of humankind and to help you see the world around in a different light. No, I don't think the author has a message to hit us with; she just tells a good story with a light touch that leaves us feeling more upbeat and in this summer's heat that's a wonder in itself.

Like being there---again.......2007-06-28

This third book in the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter is just as much fun and as charming as the first two. It makes you want to find the Potter illustrations from her "little books," so that the faces and personalities of the people involved in the stories become even more familiar.
With the world as it is now, it's a joy (and a relief) to immerse oneself in the world of a century ago with the friends one met in childhood.

So cute!.......2007-06-13

These are just wonderful stories - for children, for fans of Beatix Potter, for anyone who enjoys mystery and fantasy. I picked up these books quite by accident, and found them reminiscent of my old favorite classics like "A Secret Garden." Very interesting stories - both as stand alone books and as part of the series.

Great book.......2007-06-09

My wife read it from cover to cover in two days, what more can I say. Too bad I'm not a murder mystery fan...

She Does It Again!.......2007-05-15

Once again Susan Wittig Albert delights us with the third novel in The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter. The heroine in this novel solves another crime and befriends and assists three young people in the village who are in need of help from the "wee folk". This novel speaks of love and compassion in both the human and animal world. The characters are evolving wonderfully and the animal ones have become more realistic, if that's possible. People and animals alike work together to make the world of Near and Far Sawrey a better place. I anxiously await the next novel in this series.

Cottage: America's Favorite Home Inside and Out

Average customer rating:

Love this book too much!
Large ego statements; only a few cottages
Boring, boring
Inspirational
Cottage: America's Favorite Home Inside and Out

Cottage: America's Favorite Home Inside and Out
M. Caren Connolly , and Louis Wasserman
Manufacturer: Taunton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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

Small Homes & Cottages | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1561587311
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Book Description

Cottage: America's Favorite Home Inside and Out celebrates the romance and simplicity that give cottage homes their endless appeal. With inspiring locations, colorful gardens, cozy interiors, and intriguing nooks and crannies, the 24 cottages featured in this unique collection are sure to delight with equal measures of charm and diversity. Illustrated with spectacular photographs and watercolor drawings, the cottages span the country from Florida to the Pacific Northwest, with stops along the way at a converted schoolhouse in Missouri, a prefab cottage in Wisconsin, a straw-bale cottage in California, and a cottage community in Washington state.
Whether new or remodeled, permanent home or weekend getaway, each of the cottages is intimately scaled, seamlessly linked to the landscape, and brimming with personal detail...all good reasons why the cottage remains America's favorite home, inside and out.
"Cottages delight our eyes, warm our hearts, and soothe our souls. The fact is, at some point in our lives we all need them. If there's a cottage in your future, you'll find an abundance of inspiration and information in this book. No way will you get to the last page without have sketched out plans for your own 'someday' cottage!"
--Jim Tolpin, Author of The New Cottage Home, contributing editor, Cottage Living magazine

Customer Reviews:

Love this book too much!.......2007-01-26

Book in excellent condition...I guess I like this book a lot (after I received it, I noticed I already owned it!

Large ego statements; only a few cottages.......2006-11-03

If you are looking for small scale, cozy cottages you will be disappointed. For example, at page 37 there is a very comtemporary box style, three story structure, perhaps 2,800 square feet; the facade is deceptively board and batten, painted barn red. The living/dining/kitchen is one big open room, perhaps 36' by 14' with a 16' high ceiling. One outside wall, 36 by 16, is glass, which is impressive, but not conducive to an intimate, cozy milieu.

At page 77 there is a three story prefab 'art moderne' structure that makes an impressive architectural statement, but it is by no stretch a "cottage".

At page 187 is a remodeled barn: it's three stories, all open inside, ceilings 16 feet or more high, with a wall of glass. It's certainly not a cottage. It doesn't even look much like a barn anymore.

The book cover suggests "each of the cottages is intimately scaled, seamlessly linked to the landscape...", which is just merchandising, promotional nonsense. For the most part these structures are just large houses, ego statements for the owner and architect. The authors are revisionists, changing the meaning of 'cottage' to include whatever they wished to put in their book.

Boring, boring.......2006-06-06

I love cottage style and have a nice collection of books. Based on consumer reviews I bought it and boy was I disappointed. It was, to say the least, a snooze as far as the photos go. Since I cannot afford to buy a home presently, I love to get lost in the photos of a wonderfully photographed book. This is NOT one of them.

Inspirational.......2006-05-18

A sampling of cottages from across the country - backgrounds on the owners of the cottages, beautiful interior and exterior pictures and floor plans. I thoroughly enjoyed reading and looking at the pictures - very inspirational.

Cottage: America's Favorite Home Inside and Out.......2006-02-24

Excellent book, great ideas for people that have lake homes and are looking for ideas for building and decorating. Highly recommend it.

Country Living Cottage Gardens (Country Living)

Average customer rating:

Cottage Gardens Review

Country Living Cottage Gardens (Country Living)
Toby Musgrave
Manufacturer: Hearst
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Garden Design | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Landscape | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Small Homes & Cottages | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1588163121

Book Description

Illustrations galore, plans, plants, and expert advice for creating dream gardens.

There’s no garden more evocative than a cottage garden, and no experts more knowledgeable about how to devise the perfect design than leading horticulture authority Toby Musgrave and the editors at Country Living. Musgrave reveals, with the help of outstanding images by award-winning photographer Jerry Harpur, that cottage gardening actually encompasses a wide range of approaches. Almost any gardener will find the answer to his or her dreams, whether it’s a sweetly scented romantic garden, complete with a gentle fountain and secluded bower, or one that’s formal with tightly clipped yews and precise plantings. Eight designs focus on particular themes and climates, and all include a detailed plan and plant list, making it easy to re-create or adapt Toby Musgrave’s beautiful arrangements.
A Main Selection of the Homestyle Book Club.

• Advertising in Country Living magazine

Customer Reviews:

Cottage Gardens Review.......2005-01-22

When Country Living puts its name on a book, it is usually chock full of pretty pictures. The new book Cottage Gardens by Toby Musgrave is no exception. Anyone who isn't sure exactly what they want in a garden, but leans toward an informal style, will enjoy flipping through the book for ideas. Also, the garden plans are nicely done. The book is well written, but it is hard to write yet another book on cottage style gardens and come up with much new and exciting information.

One of the things I liked most about Cottage Gardens is the way it is laid out. The first section discusses "designing by theme." It goes into a bit of history for each type of garden and talks about how to achieve each look. In this section, you will find traditional, tapestry, potager, romantic, rural, formal, painterly and modern garden pictures and plans. The "designing by use" section covers aromatic, wildlife, herbal, harvest, cut flower, all year round, easy care, and dry gardens. Again, there are many photos and there is a design for each type of garden. Finally, there is a "plants for cottage gardens" section. Frankly, I was not impressed with this section, as it is quite small and has few photos.

If you are a new gardener who enjoys the cottage garden style, the book is definitely worth a look, but advanced gardeners will probably be a bit disappointed.

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