Customer Reviews

The house in my head

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Many years ago (1967)I discovered this fascinating "journal" of the "concept to realization" of Dorothy Rodger's dream home in Connecticut (she was the wife of Richard Rodgers's of Rodgers and Hammerstein fame). It is a heartwarming personal story of her quest to find the "perfect" home in the country for herself, her family and friends. It is filled with thoughtful anecdotes of her experience of making her dream become a reality. It is personal,sophisticated and reflective of a woman of great charm and style. Dorothy Rodgers had the genius of combining contemporary and tradition elements successfully quite ahead of her time.

In 1976 I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this book as a gift from her when I wrote to ask her if she had any copies I could purchase as it was out of print. It is one of my prized possessions. It has formed some of the core concepts of my personal architectural and decorating "life" for the past 30 years! It is THAT classic in my view. Since then I found a copy at a garage sale and have given it as a gift. I would value other copies to do the same!

After many years of running across this book in used bookstores, I finally purchased a copy thinking it was a college textbook. I was pleasantly surprized that it was one woman's thought process on how to make life better for her family. Finally, after looking at the black and white photos and reading most of the book, I was able to pick up that this was the wife of one of that famous duo.

It's a bit dated, but if 1950's to 1960's is your thing, then it's well captured.It would be nice to see a recent photo of this house as it stands today with landscaping grown up; to see if it was stood the time as a good piece of architecture. As for me it was the whole process she went through that was the most important; the design was secondary.

And for the good hostess, there are some menus and recipes tucked into the back for the ultimate in American-Continental cuisine from Dorothy's own cookbooks. It's a slice of history!

This was the very first book I ever read on interior design, and what a fascination it was! I checked it out of the library and renewed and renewed it for as long as the law and the library allowed. I thought about it again recently and wondered if I would have the same enthusiasm 35 years later.

A short answer is "yes!" Mrs. Rodgers built a country house to her specifications in 1965. "The House in My Head" is an informal diary of her thoughts and the construction of this "perfect house." The author recounts her lists, her "must-haves," and the triumphs and failures of that tumultuous year.

The reader must keep in mind that Mrs. Rodgers (wife of composer Richard) had some very specific needs that might not include everyone. She was accustomed to lavish entertaining and frequent houseguests. Is it "dated"? Yes and no. Her taste in furnishings is classic so the decoration is never faddish. However, a few things look a little stodgy, and I doubt if she were building today, she would put so much emphasis on a swimming pool. Perhaps they were more of a novelty in the Northeast then. Her floor plan is model of well-planned use, and she has many tips that are invaluable. It is daunting to learn that a perfectionist such as Dorothy Rogers could run into foul ups and disasters just like the average human when building her own home.

An excellent addition to any library and a must for those interested in the history of interior design.

-sweetmolly-Amazon Reviewer

The previous reviews written here on The House In My Head are thoroughly correct and beautifully written. I would like to add a few thoughts of my own, beginning with the books' timelessness. As one of the reviews here asks if some aspects of it are dated-- yes. A few are moderately not of our current era. However, perhaps its most important use today would be as a guide for anyone building a fine custom home. The goal should not be to build a trophy house that so many of today's McMansions are, but a significant design specific to an individual's or family's needs and lifestyle. A house shouldn't be designed for anyone else but the inhabitants and their circle of family and friends. Yes, Dorothy didn't really have to think of resale when she designed and built this exceptional and personal house, however these days maybe that doesn't matter as much anymore. The House In My Head, in my opinion, is a must read for anyone building a house today. Rodgers' underlying philosophy is as germain now as it was in 1965. As someone who has visited this house several times, as it's my favorite residence in the world, I've written an article about it on my blog which you may find entertaining: [...]

Happy reading, designing, building, entertaining and living!

I am fascinated with houses that enhance living and have compiled my own notes on what facilitates people spending time together. Dorothy Rodgers not only built her dream house but takes us along for the entire journey. While her lifestyle is of a different time, one that includes help and bold prints, her message is very educational and timeless. This gracious lady was "Martha Stewart" before the current version.

"The House in my Head", by Dorothy Rogers, is a compelling book to read. Even though it was written in the mid-60's, it is as fresh and relevant today as it was then. This is a must-have for anyone interested in the interior design field!

I first found THE HOUSE IN MY HEAD when it first came out (1967; ([long]pre-Amazon) and I was a young teenager. Okay, maybe I was a weird teenager, but I had loved the book then. My mother, however, had hated it when I gave it to her to read.

I cherished my copy but, about ten years ago, I had a basement flood and many treasured volumes were lost and, eventually, forgotten. Then, just recently, I saw a photo of it in TOWN-&-COUNTRY magazine and recalled how it had influenced me. Through Amazon's excellent links, I was able to order a used copy in good condition.

THE HOUSE IN MY HEAD was written by Dorothy Rodgers, wife of Broadway composer Richard Rodgers of Rodgers-&-Hammerstein fame.

Apparently, she was raised in upper class gentility and she and her husband had...well, they had money.

In this non-fiction book about the country house that she and her husband had custom-built for themselves, she shares her theories of home design and entertaining.

More than forty years later, the theories hold up, though some are obviously dated. Much of what was amazing in 1967, such as an electric dishwasher, has become ordinary now.

So, too, do many of the recipes she shares pass the tests of time. Yet again, some of them are dated but, culinarily, she was way ahead of her moment. And she obviously was a damn good cook herself.

Re-reading this book as a now-older woman, I can see how thoroughly Mrs. Rodgers influenced the thoughts I have about entertaining, theories which now have served me well for decades -- albeit scaled down considerably to suit my own lifestyle. There came that shock of recognition as I just re-read the book.

Similarly, re-reading this book as a now-older woman, I understand why mother had found it so annoying.

The things that Mrs. Rodgers took for granted, such as a staff of servants, a live-in couple who stayed at the house plus two maids who traveled with the Rodgers between city and country, were then the entitlements only of the very rich, as these remain today. Her prattling on about how their Picasso coincidentally perfectly matched her color scheme seems a bit much. Many of her suggestions had relatively little practical application at the time this book first was published, and even less application today.

And I must say that, in parts, a smug, condescending and elitist tone sneaks into Mrs. Rodgers' report, such as when she spoofs -- however gently -- the lack of good grammar as spoken by the average reader.

Also, there is much name-dropping, less significant today than when this book first came out, as most of those whose names were dropped are long dead. It is obvious that their entire clique had had lots of fun. Still, juxtaposed against the history of the era in which this memoir was written, with its escalation of the Vietnam conflict, the Civil Rights movement, the assassinations, the Cold War... inescapably, Mrs. Rodgers' nattering ends up sounding self-absorbed and self-indulgent to modern ears.

There is no question, however, that Dorothy Rodgers was a visionary; hindsight proves this fact. Even now, anyone custom-building a vacation home would do well to read THE HOUSE IN MY HEAD before the planning begins. Her underlying ideas remain as fresh and as worthwhile today as when she had written the book in 1967.

I saw this book in Town and Country magazine and looked it up on Amazon and bought it. I also found (at a thrift store) her other book "My Favorite Things" I just LOVED them both. As a home lover I can't get enough of books that are truly passionate about the homes we live in. Imo, a house is NOT a home unless you put your heart and soul into it and Ms. Rogers did. Her style is admirable and her views are timeless. These 2 books are to be devoured...lol...not just read. Enjoy!

Personally, I LOVE late fifties, early sixties domestic architecture. Stuff that was considered "modern" back then. And which, in retrospect, still seems more modern than the prefab crap people put up with now. This book is extremely interesting for those of us who wish we could go back in time to that period. The house that Dorothy Rodgers ultimately built in Connecticut is both well-designed and well-furnished. Take a look at the photos and see how many paintings you can find by famous painters. Good book.