Books

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Good tomes for your homes

March 4, 2010 in Gardening, Going Green by Andrea | 2 comments

We adore the printed word and pretty pictures, especially when they feature our favorite topics: homes and gardens. Below we pick a few of our favorites that have come across our desks.

Prefabulous + Sustainable: Building and Customizing an Affordable, Energy-Efficient Home (available in April) by Sherri Koones, with a foreword by Robert Redford.

If you think prefabricated = low quality, you should see the 25 unique factory-built homes Koones profiles in this book. They vary in style, design, size and type of construction, but each is green, efficient, sturdy and more cost-effective than site-built homes. The book not only dispels the negative myths surrounding prefabricated houses but illustrates how beautiful these types of homes can be. It also includes a resource guide for builders. www.abramsbooks.com

27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home by Tisha Morris, a certified life coach and feng shui expert.

Feng shui has been around for centuries, yet it continues to intrigue homeowners to this day. When you move a couch, mirror or even a vase, for instance, the energy shifts in your home. Following the tenets of this ancient Chinese art, you can make sure that energy is positive. Geared toward beginners, this guide succinctly covers how to de-clutter, select colors, integrate the five elements, stimulate the senses, make repairs and improvements, and much more. www.turnerpublishing.com

The NEW Low-Maintenance Garden by Valerie Easton

Low-maintenance doesn’t have to mean lots of mulch and ugly groundcovers as the photography in this book proves. Hardscaping covers surface area for a user-friendly environment, and an appropriate plant palette can also help keep weeds under control. By following some of Easton’s maintenance-reducing strategies, gardeners can spend less time working and more time enjoying the scenery. www.timberpress.com

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Remodeling should start here

January 6, 2010 in Design and Decorating, Going Green, Remodeling, Style by Andrea | No comments

Now that we’ve entered a new year (and a new decade) many of you are probably thinking of moving forward. That often means changes to your home. Remodeling can increase you and your family’s use of and satisfaction with your home for many years; for those who are thinking of staying only a few years, certain upgrades can add value and help get that "sold" sign in your yard faster than the house down the street with the 1970s-era kitchen. But remodeling comes with its own set of challenges and requires plenty of research before starting.

One of our favorite series of books comes from the "Not So Big" collection by architect Sarah Susanka for her message of home design that’s comfortable, sustainable and meaningful, and not just about architecture but life in general. Her latest, "Not So Big Remodeling," was just voted in the Top 10 by customers of Amazon.com for 2009.

Her approach is to work with the existing footprint as much as possible, improving character but not necessarily size — small changes can make a big impact, she says. Favoring quality over quantity, Susanka and co-author Marc Vassallo offer advice on evaluating problem areas, identifying effective strategies and updating the layout for today’s lifestyles. She also spends time covering her definition of "green," which refers to not only sustainability, energy efficiency and durability, but also to innate beauty and appropriateness of size.

Find out more at www.notsobighouse.com.

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A Second Edition on Beating the Odds

July 14, 2009 in Charity Events, Organizations and Foundations by Brooke | No comments

Lori Lober, along with her husband, John, own Provence Homes, a homebuilding company in Kansas City’s Northland. She’s also a survivor of Stage IV breast cancer that had metastasized to her liver. Nine years ago, Lori was given only 18 months to live. Obviously, she lives today and brings her story of triumph to the thousands of women in the same predicament.

After beating the odds, she wrote a book called "Bigger Than Pink," in which she describes what she went through and lists therapies, nutrition and coping mechanisms that helped her in her long journey toward wellness and remission — a book she couldn’t find when she was going through it herself.

She also founded the Touched by Cancer Foundation, an organization that brings those therapies to life for cancer patients, and continues the fight against breast cancer with her new book, "Still Bigger Than Pink: Alive and Thriving." To order these books of hope and strength, visit www.biggerthanpink.org.

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