Small Houses (Great Houses) [Paperback]

Fine Homebuilding (Author)

Book Description

Series: Great Houses | Publication Date: July 15, 1995

Small houses are less expensive to build, more energy efficient, and easier to maintain than big homes, but they don't have to feel small. In this collection of 37 articles from FINE HOMEBUILDING magazine, you'll find new houses, remodels, urban rowhouses, and guest cottages that double as work studios. A book full of practical design ideas and construction information that will help you realize just how beautiful small can be.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In these economically depressed times, which include a slumping housing market, how does one justify the appearance of another book on building a new home? This volume is the second in a three-book series made up of articles collected from 10 years of Fine Homebuilding . The 37 examples included here are carefully selected as the antidote for an industry in temporary decline. There's more than a hint of a deliberate return to attitudes and concerns of the near past that were so smugly trashed in the '80s: that small is better and that energy efficiency can help lead us to a more environmentally sound future. The shrinking availability and more effective use of space are pointedly addressed. The featured houses fit into modest plots of land, and are geared to suit the empty nesters, small families and singles, as well as the vacation or second home owner. The editors have assembled handsome and interesting design solutions that are stylistically American, from saltbox, barn and Victorian cottage to ranch house, urban studio apartment and cabin.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Taunton Press; First Edition edition (July 15, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561581062
• ISBN-13: 978-1561581061
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #310,219 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #64 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > How-to & Home Improvements > Home Design > House Plans
  • #80 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Small Homes & Cottages

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

111 of 118 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A lot of book for the money., February 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Small Houses (Great Houses) (Paperback)

This book is compilation of articles from the magazine. There are 37 different projects covering a wide variety of styles and locations of houses. The articles are often written by the owner / designer and are quite thorough. Many include presentation style: sections, details, and floor plans.

I found this book to be very interesting to read. There is a lot of content for the size and price of the book. The articles are all from the early 80's to early 90's. Which makes me look forward to the next edition.

Anybody interested in purchasing, renovating, or designing a small house will definitely like this book.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Inspiration, March 24, 2002

By 

david rudakewich - See all my reviews

This review is from: Small Houses (Great Houses) (Paperback)

My wife and i were looking for a new house to accomodate us and our son. We went to a number of open houses of typical contractor built houses and only got sick. The houses were big, inefficient and ill-designed. They lacked character and imagination. Therefore, we are now considering designing and building a house. This book, with its numerous examples of small, well-designed houses, is both helping us find features and designs we like and providing us with inspiration. The houses in this book have character. The book is well-illustrated.

My only critique of this book is that it does not always provide square footage and cost per square foot as Taunton's annual house edition does.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Big Plans for Small Homes, November 23, 2008

By 

Clay Hurtubise "Raven House Publishing" (Portland, Maine United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Small Houses (Great Houses) (Paperback)

I should have paid more attention to this as I built my home! Next home I build will be smaller, greener. This book helps you design a small home that feels big and live-able.