So many Americans are paying huge amounts to live in houses. But is that really a benefit to them as they look at their own lives and resources, or is it a burden to buy a large elaborate house? This book isn't saying, "Don't build a big house." It's about beginning that conversation with yourself about what's good enough for you. "--Denver Post"
Oversized rooms, clutter and complexity are rejected in favor of simplicity and sustainability in the 21 homes examined through text and photos. From San Francisco to upstate New York, these homeowners have chosen eco-friendly, sustainable designs and turned away from mindless acquisition in a quest for a less frenetic lifestyle. --"New York Newsday"
If you want to live a greener life, live a simpler life - by spending and consuming less, especially when it comes to your home. "The Simple Home: The Luxury of Enough," by architect Sarah Nettleton, showcases houses that embrace this ideology - including an 1,800-square-foot Brooklyn row house where minimalism triumphs over extraneous details, a Seattle farmhouse where materials and services were purchased locally, and a solar house in Taos. Nettleton offers strategies for building green, including using recycled, reclaimed and eco-friendly materials, and shows how good design can result in smart, earth-friendly living. --"New York Post
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One thing we all learned from Katrina: We can live with less. So Sarah Nettleton is preaching to the choir when she writes about "The Simple Home." We know that simplicity sells in today's fast-paced environment, that simple homes are more flexible, thriftier, more timeless, more sustainable. Yes, Sarah, simple is enough.Ultimately, the authorpoints out, it's not the items we place in our homes that bring us joy, but the ambiance we create there. Serenity lies not in architectural design or decorative style, but in the peace we feel when our surroundings suit us. And that's a simple but profound lesson indeed. --"Times-Picayune"
WHAT is simplicity in a home, and how can we achieve it? It's more spiritual than specific, these authors say. And they make some good points, in prose and pictures.The simple house is not explained by size, they write. A simple house can be big or small. It is not defined by architectural style: A simple house can be traditional or modern. And it is not determined by the amount or vintage of its furniture.Bottom line, forget the latest trends. You know the architectural style you love. You know what you and your family's needs are. So don't be fooled into building or buying something with too much of what you don't need, and too little of what you do. --"The Los Angeles Times"
