|
|
|
The Healing Home: Creating the Perfect
Place to Live With Colour, Aroma, Light and Other Natural
Elements by Suzy Chiazzari "Create a Tranquil
Home... This book is inspiring. The pictures are
beautiful and serve as a motivation to create a haven of
healing and peace within the home. Suzi Chiazzari writes
in a clear, personal style and lends credibility to how
the home can influence our physical, mental and emotional
well-being. The suggestions presented are practical and
make sense without confusing "new age" rhetoric. Topics
presented in THE HEALING HOME include the use of color and
texture, aroma, the importance of light, how decor can
de-stress one's life, and bringing nature into the home.
Reviewed by "justcindy" from United States. |
|
Holistic Home: Creating an Environment for
Spiritual and Physical Well-Being by Joanna Trevelyan
"comforting and inspiring... This book makes me want to
toss out all my junk and surround myself with fresh light
and air and color. As a lifelong packrat, anything
that makes me feel like clearing the crap out of my house
is pure magic in my book! The photos alone are gorgeous
and I felt like I'd gone on a mini-vacation. As a person
who is living with a chronic illness, that's a wonderful
thing - being able to feel refreshed and rejuvenated
simply by opening a book. "Holistic Home" makes me very
aware that while my life might not be perfect, there are
certainly things I can do to make it BETTER and more
pleasant. Combine this with Karen Kingston's books and
create a brighter, healthier, more joyous environment.
Life is too short not to surround ourselves with beauty. "
Reviewed by violetxoxox from Berkeley, CA |
|
The Healing House: How Living in the Right
House Can Heal You Spiritually, Emotionally, and
Physically by Barbara Bannon Harwood "A wonderful
guide for anyone buying or designing a new home. "The
Healing House provides an excellent overview of how the
places where we live can affect the way we live. I would
recommend this book to anyone who is considering buying or
designing a new home. The most important section of the
book contains the "Healing House Design Principles" which
explain both what features to look for in a new home and
why they are important. Harwood talks about home building
from hands-on experience as a builder, yet she has the
gift of being able to explain important building concepts
in terms that are easy to understand. For people who are
more technically minded, there is a technical appendix in
the back of the book. Barbara Harwood not only knows what
she is talking about, but she strongly believes in what
she is saying. Her knowledge, warmth and enthusiasm are
likely to change the way many people think about houses."
Reviewed by William Young from Arlington, VA |
|
Contemporary Natural by Phyllis Richardson, Solvi dos Santos "A sculptor's Manhattan loft apartment in a former button
factory, a Russian artist's Normandy barn conversion, a
furniture designer's Paris apartment, a jewelry designer's
Spanish house...the Norwegian photographer Solvi dos
Santos has roamed the globe seeking out artists and
designers who surround themselves with natural materials
and organic forms. The result is a unique style book that
will never go out of fashion: these interiors are in
harmony with today's tastes and preoccupations but are as
timeless as nature itself. For anyone dedicated to
the use of natural materials, the boundaries between art
and everyday existence blur. Wood becomes a table, a
chair, or a sculpture in celebration of the warmth and
solidity of the material itself. Stone becomes an essay in
subtle hues. Clay speaks of the earth and hand-worked
forms, whether as decorative object or kitchen vessel.
There is something fascinating about the home of an
artist. It is as though we feel that seeing his or her
domestic space will bring us closer to the act of
creation. We think again about our own homes and see how
they can be revitalized through ideas from these pages,
sparked not only by photographs but also by Phyllis
Richardson's discerning commentaries. Here is a universal
style book, drawing its examples from several continents,
and revealing to the full how infinitely inspiring nature
can be. 345 color photographs and illustrations." |
|
Art of Natural Building by Joseph F.
Kennedy (Editor), Albert Bates, Catherine Wanek (Editor),
Michael Smith "Saving the Planet in Style.
I was trained as a philosopher - not an
architect - but this is one of the most important books
I have ever read. Philosophers dabble with theories of
justice, beauty and truth, but in "Natural Building" you
will discover how all of these ideas can be built into the
very structure of our life. You will discover the ethics
and aesthetics of building design. There is already a lot
of architectural literature available, but none of it
outlines the economic, ecological, and social significance
of building like this book. None of the books that I have
seen provide a philosophy along with technique. This book
makes up for that loss.
Today, around 5 million people on Earth work and live in
buildings made of adobe, stone, rammed earth, straw bale,
cob, wattle and daub and so forth. That is, most people
live in earthen houses that rely heavily on renewable
human labor and local resources - like mud, straw, rock
and tree. These houses are not only less energy intensive,
they also last longer, are less toxic (unlike most
"modern" houses) and are often more beautiful, as this
book shows. "Natural Building" questions the environmental
responsibility of a 5,000-sq-foot, 500,000-dollar house.
As more and more people make the kind of money it takes to
live in an America dream-house, we must question the
feasibility our of contemporary building practices. Would
it be possible to deck the world out with modern houses?
Aside from what a project of this immensity what mean
environmentally, the resources are simply not available.
There is simply not enough lumber, brick, cement, and
processed material to go around. Our building industry
would gladly sell us into oblivion if it meant a buck or
two in the short-haul, but we need to get away from this
kind of thinking. We also need to consider the
environmental effects of our current practices. What are
these impacts?
As David Eisenberg of the Development Center for
Appropriate Technology says, building already account for
"one quarter of the world's wood harvest, two-fifths of
its material and energy use, and one-six of its fresh
water usage. In the past 100 years the level of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere has risen 27 percent,
one-quarter of which has come the burning of fossil fuels
just to provide energy for buildings. During the same
period, the world lost more than 20 percent of its forest"
(p.27). Quite simply, our building philosophy is not
sustainable; and the fact the population is rising at an
incredible rate every year makes the reconstruction of
this philosophy all the more timely and important.
We can start by dropping out of the rat race and getting
our hands dirty. Natural building is much more affordable,
durable, environmentally responsible, and esthetically
pleasing than the track homes and skyscrapers we see
advancing on the horizon. We can also avoid the
loan-mortgage game which weds us to unfulfilling job and
Sisyphus-like life. We can create spaces that are
non-toxic, unique, and ecologically sound. And perhaps
most importantly, we can reconnect with Earth, nature and
the spirit of artisanship. Along with the philosophy, you
will discover a veritable treasure trove of natural
building styles and ideas, from the radically new and
innovative - like concept "earthship" - to the ancient and
elegant, such as the living roof pictured on the cover.
Skilled architects need not apply, nor must you be good
with your hands to fashion your own natural house. I
consider myself very fortunate to have seen this book
before investing in a home of my own. Like many people, I
might have ended up working the rest of my life to pay for
"a house without a clue." Filled to the brim with great
references, links and some amazing photographs, "Natural
Building" a must for anybody interested in saving the
planet - and saving a little money at the same time. The
ultimate ecological building encyclopedia!" Reviewed
by "a reader from Portland, Oregon" |
|
The Natural House: A Complete Guide to
Healthy, Energy-Efficient, Environmental Homes by Daniel
D. Chiras. "The Primer on Natural Building...
If you're interested in building a natural home (cob,
rammed earth, straw-bale, earthship, whatever), this is
your primer. The author has done his homework and presents
the description, pros/cons and pitfalls of each type of
construction. He is very honest about just how
"do-it-yourself" each type can be, and how much it will
cost you. He also covers passive and active solar design,
natural water capture and other alternative technologies
to go with your natural home. This is an excellent
overview on all these subjects. The best thing about this
book is that he refers you to other sources for more
detail - books, videos, newsletters and organizations that
will support you, give you a workshop or just give you
more detailed information than belonged in this primer
book. I highly recommend this as the first book you read
on the subject. Once you know which type of house you are
interested in, you can pick up some of the other books he
suggests on that building type." Reviewed by Jody
Iona Palm from Greeneville, TN |
|
The New Natural House Book: Creating a
Healthy, Harmonious and Ecologically Sound Home by David
Pearson "Two good books when working with/on
your house. The New Natural House book is one of two
books that I recommend when people ask me which books I
feel have helped me the most while working on my house
renovation. The other book is
The Healing House by Barbara Bannnon Harwood. The New Natural House Book is an
excellent resource it covers material that you normally
need five or ten books to cover. Alternative building
methods, energy efficient lighting, indoor pollutants,
color and light, non polluting paint, lighting design,
sacred spaces, etc. and it is done in a thoughtful helpful
way. I bought this book for one of the people that helped
me on my project." Reviewed by "a reader from New
Orleans, LA"
|
|
The Private House by Rose Tarlow "Subtle and
Serene... Rose Tarlow invites us into her rarefied world,
and aren't we lucky. She has created sublimely elegant
furniture and environments for a number of years, yet her
work has not received the kind of extensive editorial
coverage that some of her less talented contemporaries
have. She has composed a relatively slim volume of words
and images that is at once very personal yet
instructional. We are given a peek into her private life
with descriptions of the house she grew up in as well as
the creation of her magnificent home in Bel Air California
and other projects. She shares some of her fundamental
design principals in addition to a history of how she
began her very unique and successful career. This is a
book for anyone who appreciates extraordinary design in
addition to being a wealth of information culminated from
a lifetime of exploration and study." Reviewed by "a
reader from New York, NY" |
|
Clean, Naturally: Recipes for Body, Home, and Spirit
by Sandy Maine "Eco-friendly &
easy-to-read recipes for natural home living. The
author is well known up here and this new book of hers is
a great for any one who wants to run a more eco-friendly
and economical household. It gives recipes for safe house
cleaning solutions, laundry cleaners (this is an excellent
section), and personal soaps for adults. There are even
recipes for homemade diaper rash cream for babies (which I
used on my fourteen-month old) and an all-natural flea
shampoo for pets (which I used on our standard poodle). It
is also a great read--lots of good advice and ideas for
cutting down on harmful products we routinely use on our
selves and in our home. I plan to give this as part of a
shower present to a cousin of mine who is getting
married." Reviewed bySuzanne F.Smith from Potsdam, New
York |
|
Natural Interiors: Using Natural Materials
and Methods to Decorate Your Home by Ali Hanan, Pip Norris
"To find an inner equilibrium, we need to live
close to nature. Our homes can recreate the natural
environments that liberate us. Natural, untouched, raw,
wholesome interiors feed our craving, nurturing and
nourishing the spirit. Artificial interiors, on the other
hand, are the fast food of modern home life, providing a
transient solution that leaves us hungry for more. Pure,
untouched, and stylish, this is the blueprint for natural
decorating.
Natural Interiors explores the ever-increasing range of
natural products and methods, from the raw materials to
how to integrate them into your home without losing
comfort, efficiency or functionality. It explains the
advantages of eco-friendly options over the mass-produced,
the artificial and the processed, and delights in their
unique and nurturing qualities. Natural materials are
longer lasting, more beautiful and unique, healthier for
us physically and emotionally, and better for the planet
than artificial materials." |
|
Simple Style: Fresh Looks for a Pure
Natural Home by Lindsay Porter |
|
Healthy House Building for the New
Millennium by John Bower "Fabulous book, lots
of great information. Here is the description of
the house that the John Bower build to help his wife, who
has MCS, recover. It discusses things they considered and
what they actually used in THEIR OWN HOUSE. It also gives
contact information so you can buy the products yourself.
It is written by one of the experts in the area of healthy
house building.
I have used the book numerous times to help investigate
safe building materials and methods for my own house. I
too have a wife with MCS." Reviewed by "a reader
from Niles, MI" |
|
Prescriptions for a Healthy House by Paula
Baker-Laporte, Erica Elliott, John Banta "A must
read for keeping you and your family healthy.... If
you want to stay healthy or have any health challenges,
you should read this book. I recommend the book to most
all of my patients. It is complete on what are the best
products to use in your home to keep from making you ill.
If you are building, or remodeling, this book will assist
you in making healthier choices. The 3 writers should be
congratulated for their extensive resource lists and
efforts they put into the life saving information in their
book." Reviewed by "a reader from Hawaii" |
|
The Naturally Clean Home: 101 Safe and Easy
Herbal Formulas for Non-Toxic Cleansers by Karyn
Siegel-Maier "I love it, I love it, I love it!
I borrowed this book from my local library and followed up
by purchasing a copy of my own. My main concerns were to
have a safer environment for my two young children and to
housekeep in a way that's as kind to the environment as
possible. But it doesn't hurt that the recipes are both
effective and smell wonderful! I love the "lavender soft
scrubber", the "country spice scrubber" and the "cedarwood
duster aid". The "fleas-be-gone carpet treatment" didn't
hurt either, since I have two cats. I highly recommend
this book. For people who are also interested in making
their own face and body care products, Better Basics for
the Home by Annie Berthold-Bond and Rosemary Gladstar's
Herbs for Natural Beauty are also wonderful. One hint:
Several of the recipes use baking soda, which can leave a
residue. I've found that it rinses off very cleanly if you
use a combination of water and white vinegar to rinse
after cleaning." Reviewed by "marmalade-cat" from
New England |
|
The Natural House Catalog: Everything You
Need to Create an Environmentally Friendly Home by
David Pearson (Editor) "Fascinating to this beginner.
Alternative building is a recent interest of mine. I hope
to have my next home built in a way that is more in
harmony with nature and less in harmony with sending my
money to utility companies! Looking through this book
introduced me to ideas about building that are new to me.
The book includes information on where to purchase the
technologies discussed in the book. I recommend this book
to fellow novices who want to know what is available in
Earth friendy architecture." Reviewed by didaskalos (see
more about me) from Shreveport, LA |
|
The New Independent Home: People and Houses
That Harvest the Sun by Michael Potts
"Excellent book on independent, sustainable living!
"The New Independent Home" is a cornucopia of good
information and thought provoking discussion. A thoroughly
enjoyable read, I found myself (currently in the throws of
re-evaluating where and how my family and I live) unable
to put this book down. The author covers not just the
technology of independent homes; there is extensive
discussion of the whole sustainable living philosophy of
independent home dwellers. The numerous interviews with
folks actually living in these homes, many of them
off-the-grid even when that is not a necessity, add a very
real dimension to the author's presentation. This is not
just some "chuck it all - back to the land" book either;
the info (and interviews) cover the spectrum of not only
remote living but also the quite urban; the thoughts,
ideas, and technology here are applicable to all
situations. And community building is an important part of
sustainability; none of the independent homeowners
presented here are hermits. There is a real sense of their
place in their communities, both the local one, and the
wider community of like-minded folks wherever they may
live. For someone thinking about their place in our crazy
world and how to move toward a sustainable, ecological,
sane way of living, this is the best book I've found. Buy
this book! Read it!" Reviewed by Geoff Allsup from New
England
|
|
The Passive Solar House (Real Goods
Independent Living Books) by James Kachadorian
"Well thought out. It is amazing how many houses are
plopped down in this country with no consideration of the
sun. After reading this book, it becomes apparent that
even if we built the same houses, but simply oriented them
with respect to the sun (i.e., windowed rooms facing
south, closets on the north wall, etc.) we could make
drastic reductions in our consumption of natural
resources. The book has general information on site
selection, house layout, etc. but also details a manner of
building involving forgoing a basement for a floor of
concrete (for thermal mass), window placement and
insulating shutters. During the day, the house will not
overheat because the 'solar slab' soaks it up, while at
night recirculation techniques are outlined that make this
heat available and comfortable at night. The book also
includes all the formulas used in the calculations of
thermal mass, window sizing, etc. Even if you don't plan
on building the house in this book, I got some great ideas
involving placement of a hearth (a vertical thermal mass)
in front of windows to put the sun to work minimizing the
need for heating fuel. If you are planning a house, I'd
highly recommend this book." Reviewed by dgulick
from Littleton, CO
|
|
Naturally Modern: Creating Interiors with
Wood, Leather, Stone, and Natural Fabrics by Ros Byam Shaw
"Highly recommended reading for the novice
homeowner. Naturally Modern: Creating Interiors With
Wood, Leather, Stone, And Natural Fabrics is a practical
how-to guide for creating handsome, functional home
interiors using natural materials including wood, leather,
stone, as well as textiles such as cotton, linen, and
wool. Design writer Ros Shaw's "reader friendly",
informative, and occasionally inspiring text is enhanced
with 250 photographs of contemporary American, European,
and Asian rooms that offer concepts and appearances that
are beyond the vagaries of short-term fads and transient
fashions. Highly recommended reading for the novice
homeowner as well as the experienced interior designer,
Naturally Modern is a welcome and invaluable contribution
to any personal, professional, and community library
interior design reference book collection." Reviewed by
Midwest Book Review from Oregon, WI
|
|
|
More Books:
Healthy Natural Homes, Healing Home Decor
Herbs for
Health and Beauty
Immortality, Rejuvenation, Life Extension, Longevity
Juices and Juicing
Loving Relationships and Lovemaking
Metaphysics and Spirituality
Natural
Beauty and Cosmetics
Natural Fitness, Spiritual Bodywork
Natural
Health and Healing
Natural Remedies
Organic
Gardening and Permaculture
Personal Growth
Raw Food Lifestyle and Theory
Sprouts and Sprouting, including Wheatgrass
Uncookbooks
Wild Food and Foraging
|
|
|
