Real LI

"Get Your House Right: Architectural Elements to Use and Avoid" by Marianne Cusato and Ben Pentreath (Sterling Publishing, $29.95): This is a terrific book for anyone who wants to learn more about building principles or ever looked at a house and realized that something was wrong but didn't know what. Visual concerns drive this book, though many purely practical matters are addressed as well. Hundreds of line drawings show us right from wrong: shutters and railings combined in a way that don't allow for the shutters to open; complex roof designs that involve too many combinations of slopes and geometry; disproportionate windows or doors for the size of the wall; garage doors that are two bays wide, causing a visual overemphasis on the horizontal and dozens of other architectural violations. The authors firmly believe in classic architectural principles that they find adaptable to contemporary styles and fashions. What they don't care for is boring and ugly contemporary designs that fail to follow these principles. They devote a lot of words to the use of columns, parapets, posts and cornices and show us what works right and what doesn't. In each example, we are introduced to the language of architecture and the methods needed to achieve the best style so that a reader will not only know what works or doesn’t but be able to articulate the issues with an architect or builder. This book is thoroughly educational, a nice tool on a stroll through a downtown area or neighborhood where buildings can be judged by the principles so clearly explained by the authors.

- PAM ROBINSON