Wonder at amazing widths of log that stretch the lengths of walls, and soar to cathedral ceilings amidst exposed timber framing. This is an inspiring book for any would-be homebuilder or interior designer who wants to incorporate the wood look of our ancestral folk architecture in a modern home. Take a tour of more than 35 houses, inside and out, through beautiful color photographs and floor plans. Inside are great ideas for kitchens, great rooms, dens, dining areas, sunrooms, bedrooms, and porches. This is a wonderful resource for anyone trying to decide between timber-frame or log home construction, or a combination of both....

Enjoy an amazing assembly of historic images of half-timbered buildings from across Northern Europe. These striking, two-tone buildings range from humble cottages to turretted estate houses. More than 250 real photo and hand-tinted Victorian-era postcards provide countless opportunities to study the decorative applications of original, exposed woodwork, as well as historically-acurate roof gable angles, jetties, dormers, turrets, windows, doorways, and much more. Detailed drawings help illustrate the framing and decorative details, from mullioned windows to ornate chimneys and wainscoted walls, and some interior photography and illustration has been unearthed. This incredible collection helps to define the beauty of authentic timber-framed structures and personify the architectural traditions that inspired the Tudor Revival and Stick Style movements in the United States, and continues in appeal for today's custom-home builder....

One in a series of books from Schiffer Publishing documenting fashion trends in America. These books are an invaluable resource for costume designers working to recreate an era, for collectors trying to document vintage clothing, and for fashion designers looking to revive and rework retro styles. A visual treasure chest, this book has nearly 400 images, with thousands of items of clothing pictured. Here is a picture encyclopedia of hats and hairstyles, gloves and galoshes. A complete catalog of America's mainstream clothing, with images of everything from collars to pant cuffs....

Today's leading interior designers are absolutely enamored with concrete. Innovators and artisans are enthusiastically exploring the ever-expanding uses for concrete as an artistic medium, and the potential seems endless. New permanent colors for concrete are infinite and the textures limited only by the imagination. Concrete can imitate any surface, from expensive marble and granite to slick glass or worn and faded terracotta and brick. This book takes you on a visual tour of amazing concrete applications indoors, from floors and countertops, to fireplace surrounds. It highlights groundbreaking artistry in concrete that is opening the doors for craftsmen, and even do-it-yourselfers, to create murals on floors, walls, and ceilings. A companion volume explores decorative applications for the home's exterior....

From warm weather climates to properties built on permafrost, homeowners everywhere are discovering anew the allure of fire outdoors. With zoning laws, resources, and proximity often limiting the open bonfire enjoyed by our ancestors, fire is being tamed in a variety of attractive ways by creative landscape architects, designers, builders, and manufacturers. Today's outdoor fires radiate warmth for chilly evenings, add an attractive glow to gathered faces, form focal centers for outdoor gatherings, and provide a means of food preparation al fresco. This book presents a wide variety of ideas of outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, and cook centers. Manufactured outdoor hearth products and custom handmade masterpieces address a huge array of styles to satisfy a broad range of tastes and budgets. A selection of outdoor cook centers is also included, complete with wood burning pizza ovens. Over 200 images of designs by professional landscape architects, contractors, custom homebuilders, kitchen designers, and hearth product manufacturers were compiled to provide inspiration and present the most complete book on the subject ever published....

Historic postcards take you on an eye-candy tour of Cape May's past. Hand-colored images portray bonneted ladies in long dresses treading the boardwalk, and the great Victorian hotels where they stayed. Hand-tinted photography dating back one hundred years opens an keyhole to the past, when the streets were still paved with sand and traversed by horse and carriage. An extensive collection of images portrays the U.S. Naval Training Station. Photo chromes further trace the development of the Washington Street Mall, the restoration of the Emlen Mansion, the sinking of the Atlantus off the point, and the transformation of the Convention Center. Imagery and text trace this wonderful town's story, from nostalgic, sepia-toned past through its renaissance as one of East Coast's most popular, and distinctive historic resort towns....

Enjoy a parade as an era marches by, marking an end of innocence and the dawn of psychedelic style. One in a series of books from Schiffer Publishing documenting fashion trends in America. These books are an invaluable resource for costume designers working to recreate an era, for collectors who want to document vintage clothing, and for fashion designers looking to revive and rework styles. A visual treasure chest, this book has over 400 images, with thousands of items of clothing pictured. Here is a picture encyclopedia of hats and hairstyles, gloves and galoshes. A complete catalog of America's mainstream clothing, with images of everything from collars to pant cuffs....

Finally there is a simple book for do-it-yourselfers who want to undertake a small countertop project. Follow several countertops projects step-by-step through the process of molding, pour, and finishing. Projects include cast-in-place, pre-cast, and hand-packed. Doug Bannister demonstrates time-tested techniques and his break-through formulas for countertops that set up fast and stand up to quick finishing, installation, and long-term use. Years of experience can translate into a weekend project, like the kitchen and bathroom vanity projects illustrated in this wonderful, long-awaited book. The text and captions are presented in both Spanish and English....

From a wonderful circular patio centered around a firepit, to a demonstration walkway that illustrates how to lay basketweave, running brick, and herringbone patterns, this book is the perfect resource for anyone who wants to undertake a great home improvement project. Learn how to lay the groundwork, study details for edging and popular paver designs, and finish up like a pro. A special chapter details the process of laying a permeable paving surface, an increasingly popular alternative in today's eco-conscious world. Clear photos detail every step in the process, and a gallery of more than 100 finished projects will inspire you to get to work. All you need is the muscle....

More than 500 images explore the free-form embroidered creations of the tribal people of India's renown Gujarat Province. Dating back 30 to 100 years, they include original garments, temple offerings, welcome banners, and second-generation quilted works that combine precious remnants for new decorative uses. These items have trickled onto the world market where they are treasured by decorators and collectors. Textile artists, designers, and ethnologists alike will delight in these examples of the boundless imaginations of itinerant tribal women who make much of little in their elaborate, mica and bead-studded creations. Abstract, geometric, floral, and religious imagery celebrates the boundless exuberance of their quest for beauty....

Outdoor living is heating up the marketplace today, and more and more people take their leisure time outdoors. Toward that end, they're bringing the kitchen with them, along with a blazing fire to warm and illuminate their yards into the later hours. This book offers the largest collection of images of landscapes, outdoor kitchens, and fireplaces available on the market today, and with those gorgeous photos come hundreds of ideas. Live vicariously as you leaf through these pages, and then make the dream come true in your own backyard with some of the many inspirations found here....