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43 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Nothing New Here, April 27, 2010
This review is from: More Not So Big Solutions for Your Home (Paperback)
This 2010 offering from Susanka is exactly the same book as 2009's Not So Big Remodeling: Tailoring Your Home for the Way You Really Live. I bought them both. I loved "Remodeling," and studied it closely. After finishing it, I picked up this book and began to read. Imagine my disappointment when I discovered that this is the same book with a new cover and title. Well, maybe there are a few differences in the text - I wasn't going to waste time reading every word to find those few that were changed. "Remodeling" had more photographs, making it a better book, in my opinion. This one has drawings by the author, but in flipping through I did not see any I did not recognize from having read "Remodeling." I suspect some of them are drawings that copy photos from the other book. She had a co-author on "Remodeling," and his name has been dropped from this book - I cannot imagine under what rationale. If it were possible to give a book zero stars, I would have, because that is the value you will get out of this book if you have already read Susanka's other publications.
I am revising my review to respond to a comment that was left, which appears below. I did not at all base my review of this book solely on its cover. In fact, most if not all of the text is word-for-word the same as in the earlier-published book, "Remodeling." This book is not "more" not-so-big solutions, as it claims -- it is simply a rehash, in an inferior format, of the same solutions that were in "Not So Big Remodeling." I might add that another of Susanka's books on Amazon received the same criticism from another reviewer, as the one I have articulated here -- although that reviewer placed the blame primarily on Taunton Press. I only wish I had seen that review before I bought the books -- then I would have been forewarned to purchase only one of them. Don't get me wrong, I think Susanka has done some great work, in "Not So Big Remodeling," and as a thought leader. I would happily purchase another Susanka book, the next time she writes up some new ideas, or at least illustrates the "not so big" set of ideas by applying them to a new set of houses. This present book is more like she took her early drafts of "Remodeling" and bound them into a book. I regret having wasted my money on it. Others can "look inside the book" here on Amazon, read the Table of Contents, and judge for themselves.
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Useful, February 24, 2010
This review is from: More Not So Big Solutions for Your Home (Paperback)
I was recently sent More Not SO Big Solutions for Your Home to review and I must say - I'm pleasantly surprised! As I typically review fiction, this was something new for me to read. Author Susanka knows what she's talking about, and has great suggestions for most people. Granted, since I don't own my small apartment, I can't heed some advice (such as adding windows, creating space and garage tips), but overall it offered some decent advice I'll try to use within my apartment.
The first chapter, By Design, gives the basics of designing a house for those who actually own a house. Since I don't, we'll skip to section two. Room by Room gives new ideas for many basic rooms - such as rethinking a formal feel and designing the, so called, heart of the home. Attention to Detail again didn't help me much, as it focused on rooms that are too tall (apartments don't have that problem usually), fireplaces and more. Make it Personal was more my style, which featured color hints and how to make a house feel welcoming. Practical Matters answers a lot of my questions, such as how to deal with small bathrooms, where to put a TV, and getting creative with a small amount of space. The last chapter, Living in the Real World, gives hints of living with others, meeting neighbors and more.
As mentioned, a lot of the advice I can't use, but I could see it being great for those who really wish to remodel a house. A lot of the advice is pricey, but more than likely worth it in the long run. Along with a load of advice, the book offers neat drawings and visuals for each technique. More Not So Big Solutions for Your Home is great for new home owners who wish to make the house their own.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Useful book, March 25, 2010
This review is from: More Not So Big Solutions for Your Home (Paperback)
I love all the books by Sarah Susanka. This one was particularly nice in that it shows how already owned houses can be remodeled in relatively small ways to create much more livable and useful spaces.
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