Customer Reviews

More Not So Big Solutions for Your Home

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

More Not So Big Solutions for Your Home offers practical solutions for homes of all sizes and consists of articles from author Sarah Susanka, written originally for Inspired Home and Fine Homebuilding magazines. It offers many solutions to common home design challenges, from determining space needed to designing a comfortable guest room and fixing a room that has imperfections built in. Any home design library will find this packed with new ideas.

I bought this book when my hubby and I decided that we would be staying in our townhome for a bit longer rather than moving into a larger place because the market is just so bad. We aren't really hurting for space, but who wouldn't want more room? FWIW, we have what at first glance appears to be a 2 bedroom townhome with a kitchen (no pantry), family room, small nook, laundry and 1.5 bathrooms. However, in that we manage to have a guest room, dressing room, home office with tons of books, dining area, pet area/room, craft/wrapping space, laundry room, a pantry, and we also added an outdoor dining area. Overall, there just wasn't anything in here that I hadn't seen already on a blog site or in a magazine. There was a ton of emphasis on remodeling and building, which just isn't practical for us, or I would imagine, many people in townhomes/condos/apartments and similarly small living situations. I also thought a lot of the designs were kind of bland or boring. All in all, this just wasn't what I was looking for, which were some new or modern ideas that were affordable and clever. Believe it or not, the most useful tools for me were Better Homes & Gardens magazine and the Pottery Barn catalog for inspiration.

This is the most wonderful book! I took many books on design out of the library for a potential project, and this one stood out and I read it cover to cover. I thought "The Not so Big House" was also wonderful, but I like he details in "More Not so Big Solutions for Your Home" even more. In this book she gives the golden nougats to what makes a house look good. It is easy to read and the pictures are fabulous in demonstrating her points. I took two pages of notes. What I learned in this book will help me make something magnificent when the time comes. This book gave me exactly the education in architectural home design I had been longing for. I would highly recommend.

I haven't finished the book but I know that it's a great reference book. Lots of good ideas.

Unlike many of Sarah Susanka's other books, which cover a wide range and go into great depth, this is a collection of short, snappy articles (which originally appeared in Fine Homebuilding magazine). Yet that has its own appeal. It's fun to sit down and quickly scan a chapter like "Where to Put the TV" or "Fixing a Room That Is Too Tall." The quality of writing is so good, and the colored sketches so attractive, that you'll probably find yourself reading all the chapters eventually, even if they don't apply to your home. This is the third Susanka book I've purchased, and I consider it a classic.

This book explains, with clear text and drawings, how to make your home live larger while building smaller. I recommend all the books in this series. I'm more of a fan of traditional colonial architecture, and this shows me ways to create a more open plan while still maintaining some of the character of an older home--for example, a more open plan but with different heights to delineate "rooms".

Many people could afford to downsize from what they currently have--this shows you how.

My wife and I are in the beginning stages of planning for a new home - and only have some general ideas of what we are looking for. I found one of Sarah Susanka's books in a local bookstore and came to Amazon to purchase this one (and others). While there is much I can say about this (and her other books), all I can offer here is that this woman is absolutely AMAZING. Her insights, style, and experience are superior to any other book like this I have found on the market. We now have 6 of her books and I'm devouring every word. If you are building a house, you must buy THIS BOOK (her others are very good too).