Creating the Inspired House: Discovering Your Place Called Home

From Publishers Weekly
Vermont architect Connell has long been interested in the relationships among homeowners, architects and builders; he started the Yestermorrow Design/Build School in 1980 precisely to bring these three groups together. So it’s no surprise that his second book (after Homing Instinct) aims to "devote…attention to the human drama that goes along with the making of a house." However, there are no accounts of irritable fights or disappointing compromises in this photo-rich volume. Instead, Connell focuses on the way that friendly collaboration and open-ended discussions can lead to the creation of beautiful, individualistic homes. "Personality, lifestyle and human values," he writes, "are essential fuel for good design," and these traits are best discovered when the chemistry between architect, owner and builder are just right. Certainly, the 21 "inspired" remodels and new constructions that he details are pretty impressive. One team transforms the dim interior of a 1960s tract house into a streamlined symphony of glass, light and color. Another builds, then expands, a small country home that feels as cozy as a secret treehouse. Connell includes a few brief sections on such topics as "outdoor rooms" and "television and media centers." But, though his rich photos and careful explanations of design decisions make this a great place to troll for new design solutions, overall the book feels a little unfocused. The chemistry that Connell celebrates is an uncommon and intangible experience, and he gives no real practical tips on how readers can create it themselves. 300 color photos.Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


Book Description
Where we choose to settle, how and what we build, and how our homes feel inside and out-all are reflections of who we are. The best houses are about people, and Creating the Inspired House is full of stories of memorable characters immersed in the discovery of a place they call home. With 300 color photographs, this book takes readers on walk-throughs of over 20 inspired homes across the country-large and small, new and remodeled-with the very homeowners, architects, and builders who collaborated on their creation. Each of the houses is shaped by the homeowners' personal passions, and it is those passions that breathe life into the design of their homes, creating an "inspired house." The inspirations for these houses are as varied as the people who live in them. In this collection of fascinating house stories, readers will find the encouragement to believe and act on their own personal dreams-and build accordingly.


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A Vermont-based architect, author of Homing Instinct: Using Your Lifestyle to Design & Build Your Home (McGraw-Hill, 1998), further examines recurring psychological themes as well as design aspects of housing. Chapters with color photographs and floor plans feature 20 homes from Atlanta to Los Angeles, both new and remodels, which reflect owner's self-expression. The book concludes with a list of architects and designers. Connell is the founder of Yestermorrow Design/Build School, which brings together architects, builders, and homeowners. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR


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