Best Home Design & Construction

In these pages, the beloved Bill Bryson gives us a fascinating history of the modern home, taking us on a room-by-room tour through his own house and using each room to explore the vast history of the domestic artifacts we take for granted. Hand over control and simply enjoy the ride.” – The New York Times Book Review. A personal compendium of fascinating facts, suggesting how the history of houses and domesticity has shaped our lives, language, and ideas." Playful, yes, but Bryson is also a deft historian.” – Los Angeles Times “If this book doesn’t supply you with five years’ worth of dinner conversation, you’re not paying attention.” – People. And never tiresome, for Bryson has the gift of being the student and not the tutor.” – Washington Post “At Home is both insightful and entertaining, leaving a deeper appreciation of the stuff of home life that will never again be viewed as mundane.” – Seattle Times. “Readers who enjoyed Mr. Bryson’s apparently inexhaustible supply of nifty facts in such previous books as “A Short History of Nearly Everything” (2004) or “The Mother Tongue” (1991) will be happy to find the author’s pen as nimble and his narrative persona as genial as ever.” – Wall Street Journal “Bryson serves up a rich banquet of utterly fascinating and sometimes horrifying facts of where and how people have slept, eaten, made a living, built homes and monuments, frolicked, traveled, given birth and been laid to rest.” –Bookreporter.com. “Its lasting impression is the author’s delightful, boundless curiosity. The best nonfiction illuminates what we found impossible to see without it, and perhaps more so than any of his other wonderful books, At Home proves that Bryson writes some of the very best.” –"The AV Club," The Onion “Bryson writes with his usual slyly sassy humor. The result makes for reading that charms as it informs.” – St. Louis Post-Dispatch “Reading Bill Bryson is like having one of those friends around who’s always discovering something new—some pastime or place or piece of information—and can’t wait to breathlessly pass it along.” – Dallas Morning News “Deliciously informative. A treasure trove of facts in an engaging history of how we once lived.” – Richmond Times-Dispatch “At Home is terrific. A delightful book filled with humor and astonishing facts.” – Vancouver Sun.

It's chock full of new material with lots of essential information not included in earlier versions Over 400 new full-color drawings shed light on a wide range of additional materials, systems and details New chapters on energy-efficient green building practices and innovative storage solutions Over 1,600 drawings -- in total -- cover every aspect of home building and remodeling Over 300 tables offer quick access to critical data. Charlie Wing, an authority on home building and remodeling, specializes in translating technical information into layman's terms.

Domino: The Book of Decorating cracks the code to creating a beautiful home, bringing together inspiring rooms, how-to advice and insiders' secrets from today's premier tastemakers in an indispensable style manual. A brief review of important preliminary considerations—budget, defining one's own style, the room's function—is followed by advice for decorating every room of the house, including children's rooms and offices.

Featuring the very latest industry standards in material design, the 2015 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE SOFT COVER version offers up-to-date, comprehensive insight into the regulations surrounding the design and installation of building systems. ICC is a leading organization dedicated to developing a single set of comprehensive, coordinated national model construction codes.

With their idyllic settings, unique architecture and cozy interiors, the Cabin Porn photographs, are an invitation to slow down, take a deep breath, and feel the beauty and serenity that nature and simple construction can create. Photographer Noah Kalina 's editorial work has been featured in New York Magazine , Esquire , and, Food & Wine .

For anyone who has ever wondered why suspension bridges don't collapse under eight lanes of traffic, how dams hold back--or give way under--thousands of gallons of water, or what principles guide the design of a skyscraper, a bias-cut dress, or a kangaroo, this book will ease your anxiety and answer your questions. "Here we have the conversation in the unbuttoned mood of a learned engineer with wide sympathies about his art, its history, its range, and the silly things which happen.

The leading manual for home improvements is getting an update to address current codes, latest materials, tools and technology. In 2005, the manual got bigger and better than ever, when The Family Handyman and Reader’s Digest joined forces and completely revised, updated, rewrote, and redesigned this home improvement classic.

A logical and progressive organization, rich learning pedagogy and features, a superior art program, and readability contribute to Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning’s highly accessible nature.

The leading manual for home improvements is getting an update to address current codes, latest materials, tools and technology. In 2005, the manual got bigger and better than ever, when The Family Handyman and Reader’s Digest joined forces and completely revised, updated, rewrote, and redesigned this home improvement classic.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing Japanese organizational consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly declutter your home once, you'll never have to do it again.

This book covers the business basics of running a construction company, whether you're a general or specialty contractor working in remodeling, new construction or commercial work.

With an emphasis on design and installation for optimum performance, the 2015 INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING CODE SOFT COVER sets forth established requirements for plumbing systems. ICC is a leading organization dedicated to developing a single set of comprehensive, coordinated national model construction codes.

In fact, that's the single biggest reason that there are so many remodeling horror stories. You will learn how to identify and select the perfect professional remodeler for your project, save thousands of dollars in the process, and preserve your sanity too. Everything needed for a successful professional remodeling experience is inside! It will spare you from 'horror story' results, because you'll avoid the three critical remodeling mistakes (a savings easily worth tens of thousands).

With their idyllic settings, unique architecture and cozy interiors, the Cabin Porn photographs, are an invitation to slow down, take a deep breath, and feel the beauty and serenity that nature and simple construction can create. Photographer Noah Kalina 's editorial work has been featured in New York Magazine , Esquire , and, Food & Wine .

This is the expanded, 2nd edition of the Tiny House Design & Construction Guide. Dan Louche is the owner of Tiny Home Builders.

In fact, that's the single biggest reason that there are so many remodeling horror stories. You will learn how to identify and select the perfect professional remodeler for your project, save thousands of dollars in the process, and preserve your sanity too. Everything needed for a successful professional remodeling experience is inside! It will spare you from 'horror story' results, because you'll avoid the three critical remodeling mistakes (a savings easily worth tens of thousands).

When the Grid Goes Down will show you how to make your home and lifestyle more self-sufficient and the critical gear needed along the way. His company is the primary provider of survival training for the Military Special Operations community and he has instructed the National Transportation & Safety Board, FAA, US Marshals, Homeland Security, and served as a technical consultant for the film Into The Wild.

From the Wood-Fired Oven offers many more techniques for home and artisan bakers―from baking bread and making pizza to recipes on how to get as much use as possible out of a single oven firing, from the first live-fire roasting to drying wood for the next fire. From the Wood-Fired Oven offers a new take on traditional techniques for professional bakers, but is simple enough to inspire any nonprofessional baking enthusiast. • Making pizza and other live-fire flatbreads; • Roasting fish and meats; • Grilling, steaming, braising, and frying; • Baking pastry and other recipes beyond breads; • Rendering animal fats and clarifying butter; • Food dehydration and infusing oils; • And myriad other ways to use the oven's residual heat. Although wood-fired ovens are best known for crispy pizza crusts and rustic breads, they can be utilized for a much wider array of tasks, from drying wood to roasting meats. Richard Miscovich’s extensive guidebook on using these types of ovens celebrates the stunning breadth of tactics while also providing insights into history, homesteading, and masonry. Although there are several guides to building ovens and books that offer baking techniques, it’s Miscovich’s expertise at fusing these two worlds that proves especially helpful. Guiding readers through the “full heat cycle” and its uses, he provides instructions on cooking everything from roasted vegetables to seared fish, and his in-depth sections on breads are particularly stunning. Cooking with fire isn’t just a fun technique, he believes, but it’s also a way to get back some of the wisdom and fellowship that’s been lost: 'Wood-fired ovens fulfill resiliency’s requirements: flexibility, diversity, and a backup system to ensure self-reliance instead of helplessness … Generous sharing of information among bakers, millers, and oven builders increases our community’s resilience.'". He speaks with the authority of a professional baking instructor (and cook), an experienced mason, and a neighborhood baker; he also writes well, takes beautiful photos, and has a wealth of stories to tie it all together. “Richard has done so much more than just transfer his extensive knowledge about baking and wood-fired ovens onto paper in this book; he talks to the reader in a way that makes you feel that he is right in front of you, sharing his experiences, encouraging you to travel down a path that has brought him to where he is. It is a must-have addition to the collection of any food enthusiast, amateur or professional!” --Jeff Yankellow, board chair, Bread Bakers Guild of America. On the other hand, for bread aficionados and others addicted to the tastes emanating from these kinds of ovens, there’s no better substitute for the knowledge and expertise Miscovich imparts―not to mention the 50-something recipes. At times, personal stories appear, from his relationship with the late Alan Scott (a master brick-oven builder and coauthor of the seminal work on wood-fired ovens) to his bout with carpal tunnel syndrome.

Choose the proper tools and set up your workbench Ensure personal safety and use proper eye and ear protection Understand how electrical components work and why they fail Perform preliminary diagnoses based on symptoms Use test equipment, including digital multimeters, ESR meters, frequency counters, and oscilloscopes Interpret block, schematic, and pictorial diagrams Disassemble products and identify sections Analyze circuits, locate faults, and replace dead parts Re-establish connections and reassemble devices. His involvement in ham radio led to his writing career, first with articles for ham radio magazines, and then with general technology features in Electronic Engineering Times, Desktop Engineering, IEEE Spectrum, and The Envisioneering Newsletter. Along with building and repairing electronic circuitry, he enjoys table tennis, restoring antique mopeds, ice skating, bicycling, and banging out a jazz tune on his harpsichord.

A necessary resource for anyone interested in alternative approaches to healing, this book contains more than 600 easy-to-follow recipes for essential oil treatments and aromatherapy. There are plenty of good books on herbs, and some of them devote a chapter to essential oils, but there's nothing comparable to Worwood's work.

With their idyllic settings, unique architecture and cozy interiors, the Cabin Porn photographs, are an invitation to slow down, take a deep breath, and feel the beauty and serenity that nature and simple construction can create. Photographer Noah Kalina 's editorial work has been featured in New York Magazine , Esquire , and, Food & Wine .

Cool Tools is a highly curated selection of the best tools available for individuals and small groups. It's a habit he learned while editing and publishing the Whole Earth Catalog , the bible of counterculture do-it-yourselfers who wanted in 'tools and ideas for the 21st century.'". "Stewart Brand said that Cool Tools had captured the spirit of the Whole Earth Catalog but without taking on a counterculture and back-to-the-land philosophy. "Jeff Bezos is a fan of e-mail newsletters such as Cool Tools , a compendium of technology tips and product reviews written by Kevin Kelly, a co-founder of Wired ."

Cool Tools is a highly curated selection of the best tools available for individuals and small groups. It's a habit he learned while editing and publishing the Whole Earth Catalog , the bible of counterculture do-it-yourselfers who wanted in 'tools and ideas for the 21st century.'". "Stewart Brand said that Cool Tools had captured the spirit of the Whole Earth Catalog but without taking on a counterculture and back-to-the-land philosophy. "Jeff Bezos is a fan of e-mail newsletters such as Cool Tools , a compendium of technology tips and product reviews written by Kevin Kelly, a co-founder of Wired ."

After two New York Times bestsellers, Nick Offerman returns with the subject for which he's known best—his incredible real-life woodshop. “ Good Clean Fun has helped me discover new ways to have fun in the shop… If Offerman’s goal is to expose a wider audience to the world of woodworking, he’s hit the nail on the head. “Offerman offers detailed projects, shop tips, and tricks, wider reflections on his career and craftsmanship…Offerman really loves wood.