Roots of Home: Our Journey to a New Old House [Hardcover]

Russell Versaci (Author), Erik Kvalsvik (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 14, 2008

Both an architectural feast and field guide for creating new old houses, "Roots of Home "traces the development of today's traditional homes from the earliest colonial styles in a visually stunning journey. Russell Versaci takes you back to the beginning, when our ancestors built homes that reflected their Old World pasts tempered with the New World realities. As they settled new territories, they carried the homes of their forefathers with them like a touchstone. They sowed farms and towns with houses similar to the ones they left behind, but suited to the new climates and materials surrounding them. Each old-house style showcased, though always decidedly American--New England Colonial, Pennsylvania Dutch, French Creole, Spanish Mission--represents the cumulative history of generations adapting to new places. With Russell Versaci as your guide, you will see how yesterday's houses evolved into the classic homes we love today and you will learn how to create a new old house that evokes ageless character.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Adobe haciendas, Low Country cottages, sturdy Pennsylvania Dutch farmhouses, white-columned neoclassical mansions - these and many other building types contribute to the rich architectural diversity that makes America's streets and roads such a feast for the unhurried eye. In this insightfully written and lavishly illustrated book, Russell Versaci and Erik Kvalsvik offer a guide to the characteristic features of the historic styles that left their mark on our nation's domestic architecture - and in the process, they suggest ways to preserve and adapt these features in the creation of contemporary homes of real distinction." -- Richard Moe, President, National Trust for Historic Preservation

"ROOTS OF HOME teaches us about the history of the houses that shelter our souls. Russell Versaci's insatiable love of old houses shines throughout his brilliant book." -- Alexandra Stoddard, author of THE DECORATION OF HOUSES and LIVING A BEAUTIFUL LIFE

"This book reminds us that good architecture is a blend of craft and artistry - and that practicing one's craft in a given manner, in a contiguous area, over time, is the surest route to mastery. Versaci narrates an engaging journey of architectural discovery which melds the educational value of the Historic American Buildings Survey with the appealing delivery of This Old House. His analysis is in service to the public, his fellow architects, and future patrons. Versaci is at his best when highlighting and explaining discreet building elements or architectural forms from the past. These `telling details' not only inform the veracity of the book, but the authenticity of the new homes he advocates." -- Chase W. Rynd, President and Executive Director, National Building Museum

"This is an important book. When the great challenge in modern life is the creation of the sense of identity of place, Roots of Home opens a door to the architectural history that has made different parts of the United States unique. An antidote to the spread of bland, anonymous places, this will allow the reader to anchor a place into its cultural background, illustrating not only the origins of the local architecture but how it has developed to suit its unique climatic and functional condition. The book is history but much more than history. It's is notable for not only revealing the origins of the particularity of each place but in giving examples of how to carry that character into the modern world. Everyone who cares about the identity of place should have a copy." -- Robert Adam, Principal, Robert Adam Architects; Founder, International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture & Urbanism (INTBAU)

"Russell Versaci's new book, ROOTS OF HOME, makes you want to grab your GPS, fill your gas tank, and take a long leisurely road trip to discover our amazing architectural heritage. ROOTS OF HOME is a must read if you are thinking about building a new house or restoring an old one. In the French, English, or Spanish styles, cottage, plantation, or cabin, you will find thought provoking inspiration to help you make the right decisions."

"This book reminds us that good architecture is a blend of craft and artistry - and that practicing one's craft in a given manner, in a contiguous area, over time, is the surest route to mastery. Versaci narrates an engaging journey of architectural discovery which melds the educational value of the Historic American Buildings Survey with the appealing delivery of This Old House. His analysis is in service to the public, his fellow architects, and future patrons. Versaci is at his best when highlighting and explaining discreet building elements or architectural forms from the past. These `telling details' not only inform the veracity of the book, but the authenticity of the new homes he advocates."

Review

"Russell Versaci's new book, ROOTS OF HOME, makes you want to grab your GPS, fill your gas tank, and take a long leisurely road trip to discover our amazing architectural heritage. ROOTS OF HOME is a must read if you are thinking about building a new house or restoring an old one. In the French, English, or Spanish styles, cottage, plantation, or cabin, you will find thought provoking inspiration to help you make the right decisions."

"This book reminds us that good architecture is a blend of craft and artistry - and that practicing one's craft in a given manner, in a contiguous area, over time, is the surest route to mastery. Versaci narrates an engaging journey of architectural discovery which melds the educational value of the Historic American Buildings Survey with the appealing delivery of This Old House. His analysis is in service to the public, his fellow architects, and future patrons. Versaci is at his best when highlighting and explaining discreet building elements or architectural forms from the past. These `telling details' not only inform the veracity of the book, but the authenticity of the new homes he advocates."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 265 pages
• Publisher: Taunton Press (October 14, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561588679
• ISBN-13: 978-1561588671
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 9.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #564,087 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Do You Love Old Houses?, January 16, 2009

By 

Bill Hirsch (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Roots of Home: Our Journey to a New Old House (Hardcover)

Versaci is a student of all that's right about the rich architectural history we too often take for granted. Instead of rejecting the heritage of forms and styles that have grown from our culture like so many modernists of today, Versaci embraces them and shows us how much there is to learn from them. I have his earlier book, Creating a New Old House: Yesterday's Character for Today's Home (American Institute Architects) on the "suggested reading" list in my book, Designing Your Perfect House. This book is a must read for anyone who sees the beauty in traditional architecture and wants an expert guide to take them by the hand and show them how to add some of that magic into their new house.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Spectacular Book From Russell Versaci, October 15, 2008

By 

S. Daniel - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Roots of Home: Our Journey to a New Old House (Hardcover)

What an amazing book! This book is both an architectural feast and a field guide. Russell Versaci's text and Erik Kvalsvik's photography make this book a treasure that all lovers of traditional architecture and home will want to own. The book is divided into four parts: Our Spanish Heritage, Our French Heritage, Our English Heritage, and our Continental Heritage. In each part, several styles of homes are explored. There is pertinent historical information in each section as well as descriptions of the details of each sort of architecture. There are maps, exterior photographs, interior photographs and detail photographs. Anyone looking for information on restoring or designing a traditional home will find plenty of helpful information in this book. This is not a book that will just sit on your bookshelf or stay on your coffee table. Rather, it is a book you and your entire family will pick up again and again just to read--and to enjoy--long after your building or restoration project has been completed. Versaci deserves a heartfelt thank you from everyone who loves old homes and homes built to look (and feel) like them. Whether you are looking for the correct dormer design or the proper chimney shape for your house--you can find it here. I would encourage anyone to buy this book without fear that they would be disappointed. It's that good!

My favorite chapters? The Swedish Log Cabin chapter and the Texas German Hill Country Ranch chapter. There is just SO much to enjoy in this book. There is everything from the Anglo-Caribbean Plantation to the New Hacienda--and every style of house is explored in detail and photographed in a way that will make it difficult to tear yourself away from this book.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Books to Share, January 14, 2009

By 

C R Gruver - See all my reviews

This review is from: Roots of Home: Our Journey to a New Old House (Hardcover)

This book is an excellent overview of the roots of American architecture. Written well with outstanding photography I use it as a resource and gifts for clients to illustrate how to capture traditional building elements.