What Not to Build: Architectural Options for Homeowners

Sandra Edelman, Judith Kay Gaman, Robby Reid

Creative Homeowner Press, 2006 - Architecture - 223 pages

The story is all too common in today's housing market: the basic principles of scale, proportion, balance, rhythm, and consistent architectural styles are often misapplied in new residential construction. Walk around almost any new development, and you'll find dormers that are bigger than the front door; windows that are out of scale; too few or too many columns; and more. "What Not to Build: Do's and Don'ts of Exterior Home Design" shows these problems and more to the reader. Focusing on the exteriors of houses, the authors--who are architects and designers--have identified a number of "problem"designs. Through photographs and illustrations, they show how the problems can be solved by applying easy-to-understand design principles. Anyone reading the book will be able to avoid the problems when designing their own house or fix problems that appear in the house they're already living in.

What people are saying

Review: What Not To Build: Do's and Don'ts of Exterior Home Design

User Review  - Alyn - Goodreads

These people had way too much fun with photoshop. But seriously, it is alarming the mis-proportioned hodgepodge people build. Some good tips, lots of ugly houses...

Review: What Not To Build: Do's and Don'ts of Exterior Home Design

User Review  - Nancy - Goodreads

It was somewhat helpful, but I needed more of a New England centric book. Many of these styles are never seen around here.

About the author

Robby Reid is a registered architect who has been involved with residential planning and design for over 20 years-more than 2,500 houses of his design are currently occupied. His work has appeared in such magazines as Metropolitan Home, Better Homes and Gardens Remodeling Ideas, and House Beautiful. He is the winner of numerous design awards. He lives in the Dallas area.
Sandra Edelman is the owner of Edel Designs in Dallas. She has extensive experience in home design and remodeling management. Her interest in spatial relationships and architecture led to the creation of this book. She is an associate member of the National Association of Home Builders.
Judith Kay Gaman is the owner of La Dame Aux Lavande Designs in Dallas. She has studied how surroundings affect the human body, which, along with her interest in architecture, led her to this book. She is an associate member of the National Association of Home Builders.

Judith Kay Gaman is the owner of La Dame Aux Lavande Designs in Dallas. She has studied how surroundings affect the human body, which--along with her interest in architecture--led her to this book. Judith is an associate member of the National Association of Home Builders.

Robby Reid is a registered architect who has been involved with residential planning and design for over 20 years--more than 2500 houses of his designs are currently occupied. His work has appeared in such magazines as Metropolitan Home, Better Homes and Gardens Remodeling Ideas, and House Beautiful. Robby is the winner of numerous design awards. He lives in the Dallas area.

Bibliographic information

• Title: What Not to Build: Architectural Options for Homeowners
• Authors: Sandra Edelman, Judith Kay Gaman, Robby Reid
• Contributor: Creative Homeowner Press
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Creative Homeowner Press, 2006
• ISBN: 1580112935, 9781580112932
• Length: 223 pages
• Subjects: Architecture / Buildings / Residential