Home and house maintenance Books

Book SynopsisTop Declutterer Sue Kay shows us how to clear our space and free our lives of junk.Trade ReviewInspirational * The Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisFrom popular cookbook author and homesteader at heart Georgia Varozza comes this collection of craveable comfort food recipes. Learn how to make delicious soups, stews, breads, muffins, and more. Includes over 200 homestyle recipes.

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Book SynopsisFrom to-do lists to dream projects, plan and keep track of every aspect of your space with I Love My Home.Plan, create, and maintain the home you''ve always wanted with the help of this beautiful, practical guided journal! Introductory notes on home maintenance and projects -- whether you''re in a detached home, row house, or apartment -- are paired with full-color illustrations, helpful check-lists, scheduling tips, and plenty of space to dream up your next great project.Sections on care and upkeep allow you to log of your progress, plan for next steps, and stay on top of your weekly, seasonal, and yearly tasks with dedicated charts and handy organizational tools. Cheerful illustrations and free-form areas for writing, drawing, and dreaming give you the opportunity to take your space to the next level, as project ideas and home goals take shape before your eyes.Perfect for veteran homeowners, first-time renters, and freshly-moved-in transplants

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Book SynopsisFrom interior design icon Vicente Wolf, an inspirational guide for home decorators to designing unforgettable spaces based on the four natural elements. Based on Vicente Wolf’s belief that the classical elements—earth, water, air, and fire—form the basic building blocks of great interior design, the book is divided into four sections. Through breathtaking photography (by Wolf himself) and an engaging narrative, Wolf walks the reader through the process of designing around these principles. Air showcases projects that contain a lightness of spirit, open in feeling, with a palette that creates an atmosphere without boundaries. Earth features grounded interiors, where stone, wood, and natural textures form the foundation. Water shows fluidity and environments with reflective shades of blues and aqua, while deep colors, reds, and dramatic qualities are showcased in Fire. The dwellings presented, in rich detail, include more than a dozen projects, such as Long Island beachTrade Review"Representing projects in Manhattan, on the East End of Long Island, in Switzerland, Israel and beyond, the remarkably luminous rooms and pages of [The Four Elements of Design] make this a must-have for any informed interior design library."-ANTHONY LAWRENCE BLOG

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Book SynopsisIn her first book, interior designer Meg Braff presents the building blocks of a pretty, polished home.   Everyone wants a house that is filled with grace and charm. Classic yet cheerful, Meg Braff’s style has a formality that is never studied, an elegance that is approachable and pretty. In seven chapters that cover the basics of her look, Braff shares advice on creating rooms that are both livable and attractive. In the first two chapters, she explores the key elements of her look—color and pattern—and how to employ them for maximum impact in your home. She discusses the essential elements of stylish bedrooms (hint: bring back the dressing table), explores the fundamentals of inviting baths and breakfast rooms, and gives tips on making chic outdoor spaces. Finally, Braff explains the importance of finishing touches, the little extras that elevate a room’s decor from good to great. All of her advice comes together in an overall theme of gracTrade Review"If you're ready to graduate from hand-me-down furniture and weekend trips to Ikea, then this book is a great place to start."—Apartment Therapy"Interior designer Meg Braff shares her personal style plus the essential design elements she thinks every room needs."—Confetti Style Blog"Speaking of fabulous books available for pre-order, Meg Braff, one of my all-time favorite interior designers, is releasing her first book, The Decorated Home: Living with Style and Joy, in April. I can hardly wait!"—The Glam Pad"Braff considers each client’s personal items and their placement throughout the home to be the final layer to creating happiness. 'Whether it is a piece inherited from family or just something you love, meaningful items bring great joy to every room—no matter where you live.'"—Flower Magazine "Colorful and classic, her interiors are all about symmetry, successful use in mixing patterns and color, and the effective use of timeless vintage treasures."—Array Magazine"The importance of finishing touches, the little extras, can elevate a room's decor from good to great for gracious living... as this volume illustrates."—Society Diaries"In The Decorated Home, Meg shares her recipe for a spirited dwelling. Color and pattern are her main ingredients; an eclectic eye for layering rooms adds a finishing touch that is at once purposeful and personable."—Southern Lady Magazine"Best Books"—MarkDSikes.com"In her new book, designer Meg Braff shows us the transformative power of intense hues."—ArchitecturalDigest.com "It makes me want to redecorate my whole house!"—Ridgeley's Radar "In her first book, Braff takes her fans and followers by the hand and shares practical advice and trade secrets, like choosing colors and mixing patterns. Best of all, she shows us, in delightful, colorful detail, the versatility which has propelled her continued success in more than 25 years in the design world."—The Glam Pad"She can instantly transform a blank canvas into something fabulous by infusing it with her signature island palette of blues, aquas and mint greens."—Cafe Design"In her debut book, Braff shares with readers her upbeat design work that brims with color, pattern, charm, whimsy, and joie de vivre. While reading her book, I kept thinking how much of an "old-school" decorator Braff is, a term that I use as a compliment. There is nothing weird or outré about Braff's work. What is in evidence is Braff's enthusiasm for fabrics, furniture, and other tools of her craft, all of which she so obviously enjoys working with."—PeakofChic.com

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Book SynopsisElucidates procedures and tools involved in tanning and dyeing leather and fur and furnishes ideas and guidelines for making leather goods from home-tanned leather.

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Book SynopsisBuild your own outbuildings and enjoy the space to do more of what you love. From simple toolsheds and animal shelters to smokehouses and low-cost barns, Monte Burch guides you through everything you need to know to make your small building projects a reality. Detailed blueprints, easy-to-follow instructions, and expert advice are suited to even the first-time builder. Discover how easy it is to create your own customized spaces that will allow your passions to grow.

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Book SynopsisCraft beautiful, sweet-smelling milk-based soaps safely and easily. In this fun and informative guide, Casey Makela shares her specialized techniques for producing lusciously creamy soaps. With straightforward instructions and thorough explanations, Makela teaches you how to fashion your own soaps from vegetable oils and tallow bases, giving dozens of suggestions for relaxing scents and specialty colors that will let your product shine. You'll soon be creating enticingly unique soaps that will keep your glowing skin smelling and feeling good all day.

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Book SynopsisFrom the creator of the popular Instagram @my100yearoldhome comes an interior design guide to creating beautiful, comfortable, family-centered homes that are also perfect for gatherings with friends.A Home to Share is all about the spirit of welcome: It is a guide to giving new life to underused spaces, and to bringing cozy, truly livable decor to every room of the house—including outdoor rooms to extend home space in temperate weather. Friends and family are Leslie Saeta’s true north, so she has also woven in plenty of signature entertaining ideas for hosting relaxed gatherings large and small. Saeta’s My 100 Year Old Home is known for designing inviting interiors where family and guests love to linger. Using examples from her own cozy farmhouse designs—including previously unpublished material—Saeta shares favorite go-to techniques and shows readers how to blend furnishings and accessories to get the look they lov

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Book SynopsisOwning and raising chickens doesn't have to be an expensive hobby. With imagination, simple tools, and salvaged or bargain materials, you can make everything your flock needs for their health and safety.Buying a chicken coop can be a major expense. Follow the steps provided in the book to retro fit an existing structure into a chicken palace fit for the fanciest hens. Brooders, grow out pens, and chicken runs can easily be pulled together and give your feathered family a safe place to scratch and peck. If your chickens want fun activities, create boredom busters with the directions for a chicken swing, dust bath, outdoor roosts, front porches, and resting perches. Are you planning to raise your own sustainable flock? Building a nesting box area fit for the best broody is included. You can even set up a maternity ward and brooder pen in the coop. Dropping boards to dust baths, feeding stations to first aid, read and learn the simplest ways to provide the infrastructure and fun that your chickens need to grow and thrive. After all the project building, and chores are done, treat your flock to a delicious seasonal recipe with one of the recipes included.From beak to talon, you're ready to tackle the needs of your flock with 50 DIY Projects you can create on a limited budget. Let's get started!Trade Review“In 50 Do-It-Yourself Projects for Keeping Chickens, Janet Garman offers a wide variety of projects with clear, step-by-step instructions. With budget-friendly suggestions for upcycling and using materials you already have on hand, you can spoil your birds without breaking the bank. Her homespun style and love of chickens shine through on every page.” —Laurie Neverman, Common Sense Home "When we first started keeping chicken on our homestead, it was a confusing time with quite a bit of money spent on items which were not needed to raise a healthy happy flock. Janet's book provides practical and environmentally friendly DIY tips while being budget friendly! This is a great book for new chicken keepers, as well as for seasoned ones who are looking for creative new ideas on how to modify existing builds. The projects and tips listed here are ones that every chicken keeper will need over the course of raising poultry, and for that I am thankful it was written." —Ann Accetta-Scott, A Farm Girl in the Making, www.afarmgirlinthemaking.com "If I could be an animal, I’d choose to be a chicken as long as I could play, roost, nest, and eat on Janet’s farm. Janet knows chickens! If you had only one book about raising chickens, this gorgeously photographed and step-by-step illustrated book is for you. Janet makes it easy, inexpensive, and oh, so doable to keep chickens. Personally, I can’t wait to get started building Janet’s Jungle Gym and Herbal Snack Bar Wall Hanging for my chickens. Janet’s book is a must-read for everyone who its thinking about keeping chickens and the experienced chicken farmer. 50 Do-It-Yourself Projects for Keeping Chickens is the best Chicken book I have ever read! Stacy Lyn Harris" —Author, Game and Garden.com "From bringing your chickens home, to keeping them healthy and well, this book isn't just about building projects, it's an exceptional resource for raising your chickens from the moment you bring your chicks home to the time they begin laying! Every DIY chicken keeper should have this beautiful resource on their bookshelf!" —Amy K. Fewell, The Homesteader's Herbal Companion, and Founder of Homesteaders of America "For years Janet has provided a wonderful resource with her blog, giving incredible advice for keeping your chicken flock healthy. We are so excited that she has created such a beautiful book that compiles amazing chicken keeping advice, alongside all of these wonderful DIY projects, that she has made into easy to understand steps that anyone can do! Every chicken keeper will learn a lot from this book, but we love how it addresses the 'tricks of the trade' that it would normally take beginners years of trial and error to figure out on their own." —Brittany May & Penny Ausley, Happy Days Farm, http://www.happy-days-farm.com/"Practical, comprehensive, profusely illustrated, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, 50 Do-It-Yourself Projects for Keeping Chickens: Chicken Coops, Brooders, Runs, Swings, Dust Baths, and More! is an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal and community library collections." —Midwest Book Review

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Book SynopsisA charming checklist for decluttering. In this whimsical yet practical guide to sorting through the too-much-stuff of modern life, the premise is simple: on each page, a delightful illustration of items that fill our lives—novelty ice cube trays, a manual typewriter, game pieces, that souvenir snow globe. And beneath each drawing, two little checkboxes: Yes and No. Look at the object. Note your response. Act accordingly! Additionally, the book is filled with dozens of tips and ideas for what to do with things that may be hard to part with, like children’s artwork. An inspiring gift!

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Book SynopsisDid you remember your goggles?There used to be a time when pretty much every high school offered Shop class, where students learned to use a circular saw or rewire a busted lamp- all while discovering the satisfaction of being self-reliant and doing it yourself. Shop Class for Everyone now offers anyone who might have missed this vital class a crash course in these practical life skills. Packed with illustrated step by step instructions, plus relevant charts, lists, and handy graphics, here’s how to plaster a wall, build a bookcase from scratch, unclog a drain, and change a flat tire (on your car or bike). It’s all made clear in plain, nontechnical language for any level of DIYer, and it comes with a guarantee: No matter how simple the task, doing it with your own two hands provides a feeling of accomplishment that no app or device will ever give you.

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Book SynopsisIn seven simple steps...Lean removes waste: wasted money, energy, resources.Lean will give you the gift of time.Lean is a set of principles embraced by the most creative and dynamic organisations around the world, and now for the first time, Swedish social entrepreneur Eva Jarlsdotter applies them to family life.Embracing the Japanese 'stream' technique, Eva's seven steps show you how to systematically create and maintain order. From kaizen (continuous improvement) to kanban (visual planning), these principles will bring harmony and a sense of flow to your home. No more time wasted searching for your keys, important paperwork or your internet banking password; no more throwing away food past its sell-by date or arguing about the mess; no more feeling on the back foot all the time. This transformative book will also empower children in the household to take responsibility for their belongings and their schedules, meaning a lot less parental nagging. This modern guide will transform family life from the inside out. The time you save can be channelled into doing things you actually want to do. Be inspired by Eva's own story, understand how Lean works and start to apply her small changes to your everyday life - you will be delighted with the results.

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Book Synopsis“Gorgeous. . . . A treat even if you don’t feel like cooking.”—The New York TimesSavor is a stunning cookbook that celebrates rustic good food made from natural ingredients. Experiencing the bounty of nature is one of life’s great joys: foraging, gardening, fishing, and, ultimately, cooking casual meals, whether indoors or outside over an open fire. From her home in the mountains of Aspen, Colorado, Ilona Oppenheim devises recipes that make the best use of the abundance of her surroundings: foraged mushrooms and berries, fresh-caught fish, pasture-raised dairy, and home-milled flours. Oppenheim’s recipes rely on quality ingredients and simple cooking techniques to make nutritious, family-centric dishes, including Kale and Feta Quiche, Ricotta and Roasted Fig Bruschetta, Vegetable Soup with Mini Meatballs, Porcini Fettuccine, Tomato Tart, Oatmeal Baked Apples, and Pear Crisp, among others. Many of these recipes call for only a handful of ingredients and require very few steps, resulting in dishes that are easy to make and fresh, wholesome, and delicious too. This romantic and delicious portrayal of living in harmony with nature will appeal to gardeners, gatherers, foragers, and home cooks but will also transport the armchair reader straight to the forest. The natural beauty of mountains, valleys, streams, and vast swaths of land jumps out from these stunning pages.Trade Review“A lavishly illustrated collection of recipes for fresh, healthy eating.”—The New York Times Book Review “Gorgeous. . . . A treat even if you don’t feel like cooking.”—The New York Times “Capturing a connection between sourcing and sustainability is the focus of Savor. . . . A new tome on fresh and wholesome cooking.”—Hamptons magazine “With a focus on dishes composed of only a few ingredients each, Oppenheim, a designer who lives in Aspen, Colo., lays out a novice-friendly guide to various foraging staples like wild mushrooms and fresh-caught fish.” —Publishers Weekly “Comforting.” —Green Living magazine “Influenced by life in the mountains, connecting to nature, and enjoying good food, Ilona Oppenheim, who splits her time between Aspen and Miami, delivers her first cookbook, Savor. It [is] a love letter to summers spent foraging, fishing, and cooking for her family in the Rockies.” —Denver Life magazine “Ilona is quite brilliant at getting the very best out of raw ingredients. The decisions she makes about how to prepare ingredients result in a depth of flavor and texture that I find remarkable.” —Eli Zabar, restaurateur “Ilona’s inventive and inspiring recipes, her lyrical and beautifully written stories, and emotive photographs take us into her world—a world where cooking is an expression of love.” —Ruth Rogers, chef and owner, The River Café “This is one of the most beautiful books. I want to savor every page. As a mother and someone who really cares about wholesome nutrition, the book’s approach and recipes speak to me.” —Elle Macpherson, WelleCo co-founder

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Book SynopsisThis homeowner’s guide shows you how to build 35 useful and attractive outdoor features to enhance your garden. Complete Book of Outdoor DIY Projects is the ultimate resource for constructing a wide variety of professional-looking, stylish structures, using stone, brick, wood or water. With step-by-step instructions and clear colour photographs, all you need is basic equipment and easy-to-learn skills. Projects include stone paths, garden archways, Japanese stone gardens and bamboo fountains, raised and free-standing brick planters, pavers, decorative screen walls, rustic benches and much more. Each project is accompanied by detailed information on which tools to use, exactly what materials are required, how long it will take to make, and the level of difficulty involved, along with handy tips and time-saving techniques.

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Book SynopsisCarole Turner shows you everything you need to know to harvest, dry, store, and sow seeds from more than 100 common garden plants so you can use them again next year. She provides information on appropriately preparing your soil, testing seeds for viability, tending your seedlings, and much more. Growing your own seeds is a fun and inexpensive way to enjoy thriving gardens year after year!Table of ContentsSowing seeds; from seed to bloom; selecting plants for seed saving; collecting and storing seeds; annual vegetables; biennial and perennial vegetables; annual flowers; biennial and perennial flowers. Appendices: troubleshooting chart; glossary; seed catalogues; seed exchanges and banks.

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Book SynopsisWhether you live on a small suburban lot or have a many acres in the country, this inspiring collection will empower you to increase your self-sufficiently and embrace a more independent lifestyle. A variety of authors share their specialized knowledge and provide practical instructions for basic country skills like preserving vegetables, developing water systems, keeping farm animals, and renovating barns. From sharpening an axe to baking your own bread, you’ll be amazed at the many ways learning traditional skills can enrich your life.Table of ContentsTopics include: The Home; Buying, building, fixing, and landscaping a home; Alternative heating and energy; The Garden, Yard & Orchard; Vegetable, flower, and herb garden plans and ideas; Advice for building greenhouses and garden structures; Cooking and Stocking Up; Time-tested recipes & cooking skills such as baking bread/ making maple syrup; Barnyards, Stables, and Fields; Building and maintaining barns, sheds, and outbuildings; Caring for common farm and ranch animals, and pets

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Book SynopsisEnjoy some homemade glow. From wax to wick to wrapping, The Candlemaker’s Companion is a definitive guide to modern candle making. Learn how to create rolled, poured, molded, and dipped candles; play with your favorite scents and colors; and use specialty techniques to design glowing luminaria, candle holders, and other gorgeous accessories. With illustrated directions, complete source lists, and plenty of practical advice, Betty Oppenheimer invites even the beginner candlemaker to get in on the action. Fill your house with the warm light and enticing fragrances that only candles can bring.

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Book SynopsisModular homes are the perfect solution if you want to build a high-quality, customized home without undue expense or hassle. In this informative guide, Andrew Gianino helps you make the best choices throughout the modular building process, with suggestions for everything from choosing the right dealer and contractor to setting the specs, price, and schedule. Whether you’re looking for a cozy Victorian or want to add a personal touch to a wide ranch, there’s a modular home that will fit your tastes, lifestyle, and budget.

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Book SynopsisWith dozens of adaptable plans for sheds, coops, hutches, multipurpose barns, windbreaks, and shade structures, this guide covers everything you need to know to build safe and sturdy housing for your animals. Stressing the importance of evaluating your goals, planning ahead, and budgeting accordingly, Carol Ekarius helps you determine the best structure for your particular situation and offers expert advice on tools and construction techniques. Build a functional and comfortable house for your animals that they’ll be proud to call home.

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Book SynopsisBlending your grandmother’s pickling know-how with today’s Internet resources, Andrea Chesman shows you how easy it is to fill your pantry with tasty homemade sauerkraut, Salt-Cured Dilly Beans, and Rosemary Onion Confit. Explaining classic techniques in simple language, guiding you to helpful websites, and making you laugh with humorous stories, Chesman provides inspiration and encouragement for both first-time picklers and dedicated home canners. With tips on pickling everything from apples to zucchini, you’ll enjoy exploring the stunning variety of flavors that can fill a Mason jar.

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Book SynopsisIn this inspiring memoir, Jenna Woginrich reflects on the joys, sorrows, trials, and blessings discovered through a year of homesteading. With eloquent prose, delightful illustrations, and inspiring snippets of poetry, Woginrich revels in the unique charms of each season on the land. Full of poignant observations and fascinating tidbits of farming lore, this book is a heartfelt testament to the deep fulfillment one can find in the practical tasks and timeless rituals of an agricultural life.

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Book SynopsisRaise a flock of sheep in your backyard. Even with a limited amount of space, you can enjoy homegrown fleece and fresh milk, as well as the endearing company of these family-friendly animals. Sue Weaver provides all the instructions you need for selecting a breed; housing and feeding; harvesting fleece; and milking. With simple recipes for making cheese and yogurt, and tips on processing fleece for wool, you’ll enjoy the varied and numerous rewards of keeping sheep.

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Book SynopsisEnjoy a weekend breakfast featuring eggs, bacon, and honey from your own chickens, pigs, and bees, or a holiday meal with your own heritage-breed turkey as the main attraction. Gail Damerow covers everything you need to successfully raise your own farm animals, from selecting the right breeds to producing delicious fresh milk, cheese, honey, eggs, and meat. Even with just a small plot of land, you can become more self-sufficient, save money, and enjoy healthy, delicious animal products. Also available in this series: The Backyard Homestead, The Backyard Homestead Book of Building Projects, The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, and The Backyard Homestead Book of Kitchen Know-How.

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Book SynopsisBuild a stylishly modern home for your poultry. Backyard chickens meet contemporary design in this inventive compilation from authors Matthew Wolpe and Kevin McElroy. Reinventing the Chicken Coop presents 14 complete building plans for chicken houses that range from the purely functional to outrageously fabulous, with designs that include water-capturing roofs, built-in composting systems, and modernist architectural details.

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Book SynopsisDiscover the joys of harvesting honey from your own backyard. Alethea Morrison outlines what you’ll need to know to make it through the first year, while stunning macrophotography by Mars Vilaubi brings the inner workings of the hive to life. With in-depth discussions of allergies, colony hierarchy, bee behavior, and more, this approachably informative guide bursts with enthusiastic encouragement. Keep your own bees, and enjoy the sweet buzz.

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Book SynopsisYou don’t need acres of land to keep a cow healthy, happy, and productive. You can raise one right in your own backyard, producing more than enough milk for a single family — up to six gallons per day! The Backyard Cow covers everything you need to know, from selecting the right breed to understanding your cow’s behavior. With helpful advice on daily maintenance, milking, and bovine health care, you’ll soon be enjoying the pleasures of fresh milk, yogurt, cheese, and much more.

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Book Synopsis“The Litts offer the best organic methods for keeping backyard chickens safe and healthy.” —Gail Damerow, author of The Guide to Raising ChickensThe New Rules of the Roost goes beyond the basics and addresses the real problems that crop up over time with backyard chickens. This hardworking guide covers a wide range of topics including organic health remedies and disease prevention, pest management, organic nutrition, the best breeds for specific needs, and the simplest options for daily maintenance and feeding. You'll also learn tips and tricks for introducing new birds into your flock, managing aggressive behavior, caring for mature chickens, and much more.

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Book SynopsisThere’s food growing everywhere! You’ll be amazed by how many of the plants you see each day are actually nutritious edibles. Ideal for first-time foragers, this book features 70 edible weeds, flowers, mushrooms, and ornamental plants typically found in urban and suburban neighborhoods. Full-color photographs make identification easy, while tips on common plant locations, pesticides, pollution, and dangerous flora make foraging as safe and simple as stepping into your own backyard.

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