Houses for Good Living

Rating:
Summary: A glorious treasury of New England home architecture
Review: "Houses for Good Living" is an excellent introduction to the craft and vision of Royal Barry Wills, the talented Boston architect whose legacy lives on in the firm that bears his name. This book invites the reader to explore dozens of magnificent houses that represent the Royal Barry Wills philosophy. Detailed floor plans are complemented with a wealth of exterior and interior photographs.

Every page of this book is a visual feast. The homes presented represent a dazzling diversity of configurations, but each one bears the Wills trademark of elegant harmony and functionality. The appealing black-and-white photographs record numerous memorable details. We see the turned balusters of a wooden staircase, a multi-paned bow window, a charming cobblestone courtyard--I could go on and on. If you love classic American home architecture, you will want to add this beautiful book to your shelves.

Rating:
Summary: A glorious treasury of New England home architecture
Review: "Houses for Good Living" is an excellent introduction to the craft and vision of Royal Barry Wills, the talented Boston architect whose legacy lives on in the firm that bears his name. This book invites the reader to explore dozens of magnificent houses that represent the Royal Barry Wills philosophy. Detailed floor plans are complemented with a wealth of exterior and interior photographs.

Every page of this book is a visual feast. The homes presented represent a dazzling diversity of configurations, but each one bears the Wills trademark of elegant harmony and functionality. The appealing black-and-white photographs record numerous memorable details. We see the turned balusters of a wooden staircase, a multi-paned bow window, a charming cobblestone courtyard--I could go on and on. If you love classic American home architecture, you will want to add this beautiful book to your shelves.

Rating:
Summary: Not that good of living...
Review: I didn't like this book. As the proud owner of a Cape Cod style house, I bought this book with the idea that it would help in resoration and remodeling. Instead, it made me wish I hadn't spent the money. Although there are some nice pictures, the author's treatment of the subject is too serious and in some cases without taste. I was especially disappointed in the glowing praise for an old farmhouse that had serveral huge ugly tenticals built out of it. This guys has no sense of style or beauty. Pass on this book and buy Cape Cod Architecture by Clair Baisly. Ms. Baisley has a wonderful and warm writing style that makes you wish you could invite her over for tea. She explains the various aspects of the architecture, how to date features, what belongs, what probably doesn't, and above all to just enjoy this wonderful thing you call your home. The dry Mr. Wills is the sort of guy you just want to get rid of, and I have.

Rating:
Summary: Not that good of living...
Review: I didn't like this book. As the proud owner of a Cape Cod style house, I bought this book with the idea that it would help in resoration and remodeling. Instead, it made me wish I hadn't spent the money. Although there are some nice pictures, the author's treatment of the subject is too serious and in some cases without taste. I was especially disappointed in the glowing praise for an old farmhouse that had serveral huge ugly tenticals built out of it. This guys has no sense of style or beauty. Pass on this book and buy Cape Cod Architecture by Clair Baisly. Ms. Baisley has a wonderful and warm writing style that makes you wish you could invite her over for tea. She explains the various aspects of the architecture, how to date features, what belongs, what probably doesn't, and above all to just enjoy this wonderful thing you call your home. The dry Mr. Wills is the sort of guy you just want to get rid of, and I have.