We specialize in hard to find items
All Categories
American House Styles: A Concise Guide
Share Tweet
*Price and Stocks may change without prior notice
*Packaging of actual item may differ from photo shown
- Electrical items MAY be 110 volts.
- 7 Day Return Policy
- All products are genuine and original
About American House Styles: A Concise Guide
Product Description “An engaging historical account and an attractive, practical resource.” ―Booklist Colonial, Neoclassical, Queen Anne, Craftsman―what distinguishes one architectural style from another? This unique book will allow readers to recognize the architectural features and style of virtually any house they encounter. Here, architect John Milnes Baker explains the historical, cultural, and technical influences that shaped each of these styles and many more. Organized in periods, from Early Colonial (1600–1715) to the Modern Movement (1920–60) and beyond, this tour of America’s varied residential architecture is rendered in elevation drawings that precisely illustrate the key characteristics of each style. Nearly 25 years since the original publication of American House Styles, this updated edition includes a new preface and house styles from the mid-1990s to the present―from the rise and fall of the McMansion to energy-efficient, regionally influenced homes. The illustrations, now in color, are more delightful than ever in a new, larger format. This a must-have volume for anyone interested in architecture or adding a bit of style to their home. Color illustrations throughout Review "History is all around us―so much so that it can be hard to see it. John Milnes Baker’s classic work, now beautifully updated, helps us to locate it in our very houses. Through brick and stucco, pediments and porticos, he literally brings history home to us." ― Russell Shorto, author of Revolution Song and The Island at the Center of the World "John Milnes Baker is a congenial companion, encyclopedic without being dull, discriminating but not dismissive. His affectionate survey of four centuries of American houses and American aspirations is an accessible guide to the world we’ve built and a good set of principles for understanding whatever we’ll think up next." ― Kent Barwick, former chair of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission From the Author It was gratifying that after almost twenty-five years in print W. W. Norton asked me to revise and expand "American House Styles: a Concise Guide." It sometimes pops up on line with the earlier paperback edition of the original book. They are NOT the same! The new 2nd edition is a larger format, I colored every plate and added a "Preface to the New Edition" as well as a new chapter "What's New?" sharing my views on what's happened to residential design in the last generation and where I think we should be heading. I end the new edition with: "I hope the next generation of young adults will enjoy looking at architecture - particularly houses - with a new interest in how we live and how the study of architecture can enrich our lives. If I can encourage my readers to view residential design with an informed and critical eye, I will have succeeded in my goal in writing this book." I hope Amazon's customers will enjoy the new edition even more than the original. - John Milnes Baker About the Author John Milnes Baker, AIA, is an architect specializing in residential design. A member of the Society of Architectural Historians and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, he is the author of How to Build a House with an Architect and his work has appeared in numerous architectural journals. He lives in South Kent, CT.
