Duo Dickinson is not only a talented architect and author, but also an irrepressible spirit who isn’t afraid to tweak the whiskers of the king or call a spade a spade. This book is not only about a subject that is extremely timely, given the state of both the housing market and the economy, but also an absolute delight to read. How many books do you know that can give you multiple and frequent full-throttle belly laughs while delivering basic and simple advice about how to make friends with, and even come to love, the house that until recently you’d imagined you’d be moving up from sometime in the not-too-distant future? Duo’s latest opus does just that. I loved every page of this fact-filled, practical book. It’s worth your time to read, even if you’re not planning to remodel any time soon. But my guess is that by the time you’re finished, you may be closer to a remodeling than you thought.
--SARAH SUSANKA, FAIA—architect and author of Not So Big Remodeling, and The Not So Big House series
A book whose subject is home renovation but is just as much about common sense as it is about aesthetic sense. Dickinson, whose designs tend toward the traditional and the comfortable, argues that our obsession with the now-burst real estate bubble propelled people to design houses for resale value rather than for livability, and to imagine that by constantly moving up, they’d get the home they always wanted. You may not be so eager (or able) to trade up now, but the architect shows you how a so-so house can become just right. These pages are crammed with good advice (avoid gutters at all costs; add wide eaves instead) and realistic assessments of the way we live now. Straightforward before-and-after photographs fit the mood of this cheerful, no-nonsense book. –PILAR VILADAS, T: The New York Times
Could there be a more perfect book for this American moment? Figuring out how to hunker down happily--replacing unsustainable fantasies of shelter porn with long-term, real-life shelter love--is the new name of the game, and I know of no more expert, charming guide than Duo Dickinson.
--KURT ANDERSEN, host of public radio's Studio 360 and author of Heyday
People used to fix up their houses mainly to impress potential buyers—whose standards, they figured, were higher. But nowadays nobody’s buying, so why not impress yourself? If you follow Duo Dickinson’s excellent advice, you’ll end up with a house you won’t want to leave even to go to the grocery store.
--DAVID OWEN, staff writer for The New Yorker and author of Green Metropolis: Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less are the Keys to Sustainability
Staying Put, by Duo Dickinson, is dedicated to one simple idea: it's cheaper, and often more personally satisfying, to remodel what you've got than to get something new. It's an important message during this, The Great Recession or whatever it's called now. But even in flush times are you averse to saving gobs of money? Didn't think so. That's why you're reading this site and other sites and books dedicated to remodeling...and why this book may be just for you. Dickinson is so qualified as an architect, educator, author, and speaker that his CV extends for several impressive pages. If you just so happen to buttonhole Dickinson at a party, are you going to ask him about something as picayune as his views on the Alside Fairfield 70 Series Replacement Window vs. the Series 80? Of course not. You'll be pumping him for Big Ideas. That's what you get in Staying Put: an exclusive audience with a knowledgeable, witty expert in the field of home building and remodeling...who is willing to spill the beans. --ABOUT.COM
An architect is offering solutions for getting the home you want from the house you buy. The book, Staying Put, by Duo Dickinson examines the shift in mindset about home ownership from that of an investment strategy or status symbol to the pre-1950s values of creating a long-term family home - a place to create memories, a permanent fixture in the family tree if you will. Dickson shares his passion for affordable and beautiful design options, offers practical advice and shares tips that will make your home a place that you never want to leave. --The Calgary Herald
Staying Put is packed with some very practical advice and may make the perfect holiday gift for some folks headed toward retirement age...As a practicing architect Dickinson offers plain-spoken and honest advice. He guides a novice with humor and an easily understood roadmap. Many "before and after" snapshots illustrate perfectly how to improve features without breaking the bank. --The Dallas Morning News
Architect Duo Dickinson’s Staying Put: Remodel Your House to Get the Home You Want provides a painless approach to put the pleasure back into living at home. With today’s limited budget at the focus of every example, he walks you through typical floor plan revisions in simple language, and with an experienced eye to remove irritations (make the hallway less depressing) and improve livability (add big storage in small places). --Fernando Pages Ruiz, Handyman Club of America
There's no need to buy a new home or tear down an existing one to create the home of your dreams. It's possible to remodel and completely change the interior and exterior of a home without sacrificing good design. Architect Duo Dickinson has authored a new book to show practical ways of reworking a house in order to make it more livable and better suited to changing lifestyles. And to do it in an affordable way. Dickinson's sense of humor shows in the book, along with his passion for well-designed architecture. The book provides cost-saving options and smart solutions to help readers turn the home they have into the home they want. The book teaches simple strategies for working with what you already have.--ProudGreenHome.com
Dickinson helps homeowners imagine the possibilities and think through the practicalities of remodeling their homes. He addresses such nuts-and-bolts aspects as dealing with professionals and changing bearing walls, but for the most part his book is devoted to the visioning process. He provides floor plans and before-and-after photos for dozens of projects he’s designed, explaining the reasons for the changes and the challenges involved. The projects he features range from simple changes to extensive additions. --Ohio.com (The Akron-Beacon Journal)
Knocking down walls? Reconfiguring kitchens? Navigating building codes? They’re a little less frightening after perusing this architect-penned book, with its before-and-after illustrations and rudimentary blueprints for inspiration and lively information. Consider the book an antidote to a midlife (home) crisis. --Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette (IN)
“This lengthy first chapter, on its own, makes "Staying Put" an essential resource for every homeowner contemplating a remodel, upside down, house-bound or not. Dickinson puts his years of experience to very effective use, creating decision tools for homeowners to understand the properties of their home and their visions vis-à-vis the most common remodeling disasters, which can involve spiraling costs and unsatisfactory outcomes. He empowers readers to make informed decisions about which projects to take on and whether to remodel at all. And if the dozens and dozens of images in the book are not enough, the companion site stayingput.com offers many more for your inspiration." --Tara-Nicholle Nelson, Inman News
Architect Dickinson (House on a Budget: Making Smart Choices To Build the Home You Want) shares information on remodeling or adding on to an older home to bring it up-to-date for today’s lifestyles. Close to 50 projects for which Dickinson was the architect are shown with nearly 350 photographs, including before-and-after views of the homes and floor plans. Many projects focus on porches and entries, but there are also kitchens, bedrooms, baths, living rooms, and home offices. Throughout, Dickinson provides an abundance of information about what to consider during every phase of the process (e.g., zoning, costs, builders). This volume will give home owners a realistic view of a remodel or addition.
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Library Journal 2012-01-16)
Staying Put: Remodel Your House to Get the Home You Want ($24, The Taunton Press, 2011) is an everyman’s guide to innovative, thoughtful renovations that make the most of what you’ve got....Whether it’s a growing family that needs more space, or an empty-nest couple looking for a “fresh” start, Dickinson has it covered. His passion for visually appealing home improvement, while staying on a budget, results in basic strategies that will allow you to turn the house you have into the house you love.
(Alyssa Lusky
boston.com 2012-01-20)
