The House to Ourselves: Reinventing Home Once the Kids Are Grown [Paperback]

Todd Lawson (Author), Tom Connor (Author), Rob Karosis (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2005

When the kids leave the nest, many couples are suddenly free of many of the constraints that tied them to a particular house or neighborhood. It's a time of new opportunities, an exciting time to rethink the very concept of home to suit changing needs and interests. "The House to Ourselves" takes you on a tour of 20 homes designed for this joyous and liberating phase in life, when couples can have the home they've always dreamed of. These homes reflect the many opportunities available for empty-nesters, whether renovating an existing home, staying in a beloved neighborhood but building a new house, or creating a new home in an entirely new community.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The glossy photographs in this beautiful book suggest a life of activity, comfort and pleasure for empty-nesters—who make up one of the fastest growing demographics in the U.S. today. The authors argue that "design-savvy baby boomers are using their life experiences and knowledge of their deep-seated desires to rewrite the book on architecture after having their children and careers," and certainly, the book suggests that for boomers who have saved enough money, the possibilities are limitless. Image after image shows spectacular remodelings and new constructions. The apartment featured in "A Hip Retirement Haven" looks more like a New York artist’s loft than a typical retirement-community pad. And the river valley home built by 11 friends who decided that they wanted to retire together resembles nothing more than a woody resort: it contains a main lodge, a bedroom wing, a library, an enormous kitchen and a pavilion. Other chapters feature homes designed to be private retreats, family compounds and workshops or offices. The authors preface their many examples with an opening essay that highlights the six design "essentials" for late-stage homes: single-level living, an open floor plan, flexible space, specialty rooms, low-maintenance exterior landscape and quality craftsmanship. Throughout the book they use floor plans, sidebars and photo captions to clearly explain how these principles have been applied in each home. A stimulating and inspiring book for couples who are looking forward to or already living alone, this book also contains many original and practical innovations.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Quick, before your grown-up children decide they're going to fly back into the nest, refeather it. Todd Lawson and Tom Connor examine 20 different post-parting residential overhauls that will give you much to mull over, now or later." --"House and Garden" magazine

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Product Details

• Paperback: 217 pages
• Publisher: Taunton Press (November 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561587931
• ISBN-13: 978-1561587933
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 9.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,492,058 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous book, somewhat mis-titled!, June 20, 2004

By 

Book Lover "linda12470" (Stillwater, OK USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The House to Ourselves: Reinventing Home Once the Kids Are Grown (Hardcover)

When I picked up this book, I thought it was for empty nesters and retirees who wanted to downsize or "undecorate" the kids out of their former rooms. Not so! These homes are for people who have lots of living and big plans for themselves. There are only a couple of places I would call "retirement" homes. The rest include homes with offices to make work life go along with home life,homes with studios for the fulfillment of dreams and even homes with guest wings and guest houses to welcome whole troops of extended family. Absolutely brimming with ideas.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Your High-End Dream House, December 24, 2006

By 

W. Harwood "willyl" (Burlington, VT USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The House to Ourselves: Reinventing Home Once the Kids Are Grown (Hardcover)

Typical of its kind with lots of great photos of fabulous makeovers, requiring extensive remodeling and an architect. But it does have some concrete ideas that push it up a notch over the competition.

12 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Wiggins, March 31, 2004

By 

Bill Wiggins (Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The House to Ourselves: Reinventing Home Once the Kids Are Grown (Hardcover)

We purchased this book hoping to find new ideas to fit our needs. It was obvious the authors researched the material at length and offered a variety of solutions that could be adaptable to any lifestyle. Lots of illustrations which helps visualization. We are able to incorporate many of the suggestions in this book to our remodeling projects. Now the hard part - tackling the hammer and nails.