Written by Staying Put: Remodel Your House to Get the Home You Want
Home Sweet Remodeled Home. The American dream of owning a home and then buying or building a bigger and better one is no longer a sure thing. Millions of homeowners stymied by the housing market and the economy have embraced remodeling instead. In this timely book, maverick architect-author Duo Dickinson offers hope on how to get the home you want from the house you have. He shares his passion for saving money without sacrificing good design and offers up cost-saving options and smart solutions
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STAYING PUT is a gem,
This very useful book from a one-man idea factory is firmly grounded in the realm of reality, with genuine, executable solutions for common challenges facing homeowners. If you think you need a new kitchen, or a better front entry, or more daylight, this book will show you how to plan for these improvements without losing sight of how you actually live or what you can actually afford. One of the book’s strengths is its gentle insistence on the pre-eminence of the needs of the family that occupies the house, and its permission to dispense with the stuff that adds neither comfort nor value to that house. The sections that deal with process issues such as zoning, site constraints, building codes, contracts, hiring professionals, etc. can serve as a checklist as you think through your project. And, as in all of Duo’s writing, the prose is lively and literate, and fun to read. Highly recommended.
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|Straight talk from an expert!,
Duo Dickinson has created the perfect companion piece to the house-design classic “The Place of Houses” – together these two compendia of wisdom about “how” your house should work for you will share a preeminent place in my library.
What is so refreshing in this day of fashion posing as substance in the architectural press is Duo’s insistence on focusing in on the “how” over the “what.”
A must for anyone wishing to optimize not only their home but their way of optimal living!
Curtis B Wayne, Architect
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|I wish I’d thought of that!,
I just finished remodeling a house and have it on the market. I wished I’d seen this book before I started the job. It’s packed full of ideas that could have made my project even better- like opening up a non bearing wall in a small kitchen. The author shows you that eliminating a little more of the cabinetry creates better visual connection between kitchen and living areas. And the photos show you the elegant way to trim it out and get the full effect.
This is the book’s real strength. It has tons of good ideas that might sound good on paper, but are shown using photos of actual jobs Dickinson has done. The man must be a remodel machine. He has taken endless ugly ducklings and turned them into elegant swans. For those of us who like to do it ourselves, this book provides the inspiration. Just one caveat, the workmanship in the execution of the ideas is pretty, pretty important. So make sure you can chew what Dickinson encourages you to bite off– or hire a professional. Hell, maybe hire the author.
Even though I will probably never have the appetite to remodel another house, this book is welcome on my shelf. Duo Dickinson, (or maybe his editor?) is a terrific writer and has a sense of fun and pragmatism that is refreshing. He gives good advice and understands budget, codes, contractors and subs. He knows enough to advise the homeowner to move out for the remodel when it is ambitious. Having this book is a great start when contemplating a project. There are a lot of ugly houses out there, and my hope is that this inexpensive book will inspire some of their owners to get cracking. It’s a lot of work, but there’s nothing so satisfying as turning ugliness into elegance. This is your guide. Go for it.
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