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Ranches: Design Ideas for Renovating, Remodeling, and Building New (Hardcover)

by M. Caren Connolly (Author) "RANCH HOUSES ARE EVERYWHERE, from Maine to California, in small towns, in the suburbs of large cities, and in the distant countryside..." (more)
Key Phrases: Frank Lloyd Wright, Cliff May, World War (more...)

3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The ranch can be found everywhere on both coasts and in America's heartland, too. The ranch is simple, functional, and unassuming. But it can look dated. What homeowners are rediscovering about ranches is just how affordable and flexible they can be. This book provides a fresh set of eyes with which to look at the ranches we live in — and the ones we're thinking of buying (or building). It's rich with ideas and inspiration, featuring over 250 color photos and drawings, and more than 20 examples of updated homes and ranches built from scratch.

About the Author
M. Caren Connolly is a landscape architect, and Louis Wasserman, AIA, is an architect whose work, including research funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, has been nationally recognized. They have taught art, architecture, and landscape architecture nationwide. They are the authors of Bungalows, published by The Taunton Press. They live in Milwaukee, Wisc.

Landscape architect M. Caren Connolly and architect Louis Wasserman, both graduates of Harvard's School of Design, share a passion for American design and an architectural studio in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Their previous books include two volumes in the "Updating Classic America" series: "Bungalows" and "Ranches.
" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

Hardcover: 208 pages
Publisher: Taunton (October 15, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1561584371
ISBN-13: 978-1561584376
Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.7 x 0.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds

Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #466,608 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
"RANCH HOUSES ARE EVERYWHERE, from Maine to California, in small towns, in the suburbs of large cities, and in the distant countryside." Read the first page

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Frank Lloyd Wright, Cliff May, World War, United States, International Style, Midwestern Ranch, North Carolina

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 4 books:

Construction Illustrated by Francis D. Ching in Back Matter
A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction (Center for Environmental Structure Series) by Christopher Alexander in Back Matter
Building Construction Illustrated by Francis D. K. Ching in Back Matter
Frank Lloyd Wright by Naomi Stungo in Back Matter

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	60% buy the item featured on this page: Ranches: Design Ideas for Renovating, Remodeling, and Building New 3.0 out of 5 stars (22)
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	7% buy Mid-Century Modern: Interiors, Furniture, Design Details (Conran Octopus Interiors) 4.3 out of 5 stars (10) $19.77
	6% buy Ranch House Style 4.6 out of 5 stars (66)

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Customer Reviews

22 Reviews

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Average Customer Review

3.0 out of 5 stars (22 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, informative, inspiring., May 2, 2005

By	Ruth Henriquez Lyon (Duluth, Minnesota USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

After having lived for years in a boring, utilitarian ranch home, I had no idea that a ranch house could be as elegant as the homes in this book. Even though the authors present some very high-end renovations, with some imagination many of the basic ideas can be translated into more economical ways of updating your home.

The first thing you notice when flipping through the book is the sheer number and beauty of the color photographs. There is a color photo on just about every page. When there's not, then there is a diagram, such as "Fireplace Options," which shows you several ways to design an updated fireplace. Other diagrams show "before and after" floor plans, and a plan showing the early roots of the original ranch homes. Thus, it's not just pretty pictures presented here--there's a lot of nuts and bolts information.

The authors start off with a history of the ranch style, since it helps when updating to keep within the original concepts that the style evolved with. I learned that the current ranch design was originally popularized by designer Cliff May in California. But May drew inspiration from the traditional ranchos of the southwest. These ranchos in turn had evolved over the millenia from the atrium houses of the Romans. These ancient houses were "closed off" from the streets, whilst providing a private outdoor space for family living, the same as many ranches today.

The authors discuss how in ranch houses form follows function. For instance, typical ranch houses have been built with large windows to allow for passive solar heating--thus these were the some of the first energy efficient houses. Also, there were often more large windows and glass doors in the back of the house than the front. This is because ranches were built for privacy on the street side, with openness to the back yard in order to integrate indoor and outdoor living. Thus in ranches, windows are designed with energy use, privacy, and enjoyment of nature in mind. When remodeling an older ranch this information can be valuable in improving the look and functioning of the house.

The ranch home doesn't have to be boring and ugly. As the authors state, many ranch neighborhoods are becoming attractive to buyers again. That's because they have shady trees, and attractive back yards with an abundance of natural beauty which can be enjoyed from the house. The ranch design was built with adding on and remodeling in mind, so removing walls or tinkering with floor plans is often easier than with other styles of houses. This lovely book shows you how, and will inspire you to dream of ways to do it in a more modest fashion if your budget requires economizing.

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57 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fake reviews abound on this book, September 25, 2005

By	Lori (Oregon Coast) - See all my reviews

I haven't read this book, just wanted to point out that there are a suspicious 7 reviews in 5 days, 2 from 'Joshua,' 2 from 'Jeann,' and three others that were all apparently submitted by the same person with a grudge to throw off the rating. I checked a couple of them and this book is the only one 'they' have reviewed.

I have no connection to this book or the author, but it bugs me when I'm trying to decide whether to get a book, based on the ratings, to have them intentionally weighted like this.

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53 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A nice alternative in a "Trading Spaces" world, October 15, 2003

By A Customer

Despite what some other reviewers have said, I think this book can serve as a great inspiration for owners of all sizes of ranch homes. My own ranch home, in need of some updating and built in 1970, is on the small side but I found more than a few ideas in this book.

A note: This book is not for someone looking to DIY a project on the weekend, and there are other books that are more appropriate for those who can live with particle board and $5 "oops" paint from Home Depot as their "home renovation." The updates in this book are beautiful and of architectural quality, ideal for someone who wants to make a solid investment in their home.

I recommend this book - easy and interesting to read and lovely photographs.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Not for Ranch Home Enthusiasts
Updating Ranches would be better titled Transforming Your Ranch to Look like Anything but a Ranch. Updates in this book transformed ranch homes into, Bungalows, Capes, Colonials,... Read more

Published 11 days ago by Retro Ranch

1.0 out of 5 stars Updating Ranches
If you are fan of midcentury American ranches, this book teaches you how to ruin these examples of classic American architecture. Read more

Published 10 months ago by M. Kennard

2.0 out of 5 stars not what you might expect
Writing a book is a huge undertaking so hats off to the authors. I can't give this book a favorable review however. This is not a book about mid-century architecture. Read more

Published 15 months ago by C. Davis

3.0 out of 5 stars Best for those who would rather live elsewhere
The title implied that this book would be ideal for me; I like ranches, I feel that they are undervalued, and I see many that are ripe for renovation after years of benign... Read more

Published on May 28, 2007 by Pennsylvania Reader

3.0 out of 5 stars The Not So Modernist House
Before buying, I was offended by the spate of terse, one-star reviews of this book (which may or may not have been written by the same person) and took the advice of others who... Read more

Published on March 19, 2007 by a reader

5.0 out of 5 stars This book shows why to save the Ranches
I sent this book to my brother who is restoring a 40-year-old Ranch house. He's really found it inspirational and I've enjoyed looking through it too. Read more

Published on November 9, 2006 by C. A. Willey

5.0 out of 5 stars Shows Ideas of What Can be Done
The common ranch house was developed shortly after World War II. The design fit the needs and desires of the returning servicemen and the workers leaving the wartime industries... Read more

Published on May 31, 2006 by John Matlock

5.0 out of 5 stars Ranch Lover Delight
Most of older surban neighborhoods are filled with older ranch houses. This books will give you an outline (Handbook) of the problems you will encounter fixing your older ranch... Read more

Published on January 25, 2006 by Marie Tachau

5.0 out of 5 stars A superbly showcased sourcebook of design ideas
The collaborative effort of landscape architect M. Caren Connolly and professional architect Louis Wasserman, Updating Classic America Ranches: Design Ideas For Renovating,... Read more

Published on January 14, 2004 by Midwest Book Review

1.0 out of 5 stars You get what you pay for
Spent the money for both of us to enjoy. Bought the cheaper book. And got cheap information. It was a waste of money.

Published on January 11, 2004 by Giovanni

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