Suburban Renewal: Transforming Standard Capes, Ranches and Builders Colonials into Classic Homes [Hardcover]

Tom Connor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 23, 2000

A beautiful and inspiring display of humdrum houses across America reborn as colorful one-of-a-kind homes

Many of today's young couples are trapped in a cookie-cutter "starter" house, ready to step up to something more spacious and reflective of their tastes but unable to afford it. Suburban Renewal reveals how--with an architect's help--they can remodel a ranch, reshape a cape, or rebuild a builder's colonial for far less than the cost of a new house. Its before-and-after photographs and instructive text show run-of-the-mill houses without a whiff of individuality transformed into unique dwellings with the personalized ambience of every householder's dreams.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tom Connor writes about houses and home design for The New York Times "Home,""Real Estate,"and "Magazine"sections, and for other publications including House and Garden and Connecticut Magazine. He lives in Southport, Connecticut.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Viking Studio; 1st edition (October 23, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670892173
• ISBN-13: 978-0670892174
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #554,660 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Inspired for the tired, October 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Suburban Renewal: Transforming Standard Capes, Ranches and Builders Colonials into Classic Homes (Hardcover)

This is not an academic dissertation on the downfall of American suburbs - there are plenty of sources for those. This book for most readers is something better. I found it to be a fresh look at what is being done to bring life and inspiration for the tired,neglected, and typically dull field of "ranch house" renovations. As an architect I see this book as a great primer and visual starting point for people who don't believe good design can transform the ordinary (suburban box) into something Special. The Designers and Architects who shared their work with Mr. Connor for the book should be commended for tackling a seemingly simple but actually challenging design problem.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars BIG photos, little substance, October 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Suburban Renewal: Transforming Standard Capes, Ranches and Builders Colonials into Classic Homes (Hardcover)

As an architect who specializes in residential remodelling projects, this book caught my interest. However, when I received the book, what I found was a great big coffee table book. Most of the projects contain a two page spread with a black & white photo of the existing house overlaid and skewed (scrapbook style). Of the thirty six projects in this book, few contain floor plans, some offer no interior views, and many projects only contain one photo. With such little data even the most seasoned contractor or architect is left to wonder how these transformations took place. The real estate section of my Sunday paper has does better justice to remodelling projects!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Suburban renewal - a selection of viable solutions, October 26, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Suburban Renewal: Transforming Standard Capes, Ranches and Builders Colonials into Classic Homes (Hardcover)

As a home owner, I am faced with the usual problem of aesthetic / expense. My wife and are lucky in that we have similar taste in design and decoration - so we sing from the same hymnal - so to speak. But one is always on the prowl for a great look as yet undiscovered, or at least unexploited. This exquisitely produced and artfully written volume opened our eyes to a widely ranging catalog of both classical and neo-millennial architectural "looks" that both inspired us and confirmed our opinion that there is no substitute for good taste. I recommend this wonderful book to anyone who owns a home and wants to improve it.