America's Painted Ladies: The Ultimate Celebration of Our Victorians
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Deserves 20 stars! A Masterpiece!
  • EXCELLENT Model Reference: Beautiful Pictures, Beautiful Homes
  • A Must For Victorian House Owners
  • a great victorian house book
  • The pinnacle of the series
America's Painted Ladies: The Ultimate Celebration of Our Victorians
Elizabeth Pomada , Michael Larsen , Douglas Keister , and Elizabeth Pomanda
Manufacturer: Studio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140238573

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Deserves 20 stars! A Masterpiece!.......2007-06-16

WOW!! This book is truly a feast for the eyes, and that's no exaggeration! There are so many first rate photos and plenty of text. Every page has multiple color photos. It is a very heavy book! The paper is high quality and the photos are extremely high resolution and stunningly beautiful. What a great job they did just in printing this book! If you love Victorian homes, then this book is a must have! I like it so much I think I will eventually buy a brand new hardcover copy of it (I bought a used paperback copy). I plan on getting all the other books in this series too. Some of the very best Victorian homes are in this book. They kind of remind me of Disneyland with all the colorful paint schemes and fanciful shapes and decorations.

5 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT Model Reference: Beautiful Pictures, Beautiful Homes.......2005-09-28

Believe it or not but the main reason I purchased this beautiful book was for reference material for scale model building (i.e. LEGO, etc.). I was hunting forever for a book on Victorian homes--with pictures of the OUTSIDE (as most of the books on Victorian architecture deal with the classic interior designs, furniture, etc.). LEGO and Victorian homes go hand in hand, as this book's wonderful color pictures perfectly illustrate--who could imagine such combinations would actually look so stunning!? In addition to excellent photography the text is well written, with interesting facts about each home, why it's unique, yet how it fits into the overall "Painted Lady" lineage... excellent. :-)

5 out of 5 stars A Must For Victorian House Owners.......2004-07-24

A fantastic book, a must for anyone who is thinking about painting a Victorian house. It was very helpful to me and my husband who had to come up with a color scheme for our three-story Queen Anne built in 1895.

If you're in the same boat, then you know that deciding on a color scheme for a detailed Victorian house isn't easy and takes careful thought and consideration. This book will help you. It will give you countless ideas, and just looking at the photos is inspiring.

And then, the book will appeal to any fan of Victorian architecture as well. I love looking at the numerous photos of the houses and find myself thumbing through it again and again. Every time I look at this book, I see something intriguing that I hadn't noticed before. Such a book serves to keep me inspired during the remainder of our home's renovation, which is trying at times.


5 out of 5 stars a great victorian house book.......2004-01-31

i was speechless each picture was so beautiful , i love each and every house. a great book

5 out of 5 stars The pinnacle of the series.......2003-08-14

Taller than any of the other books and nearly twice as thick as the thickest, this gorgeous 1992 volume (Ms. Pomada, isn't it time we got a fifth??), once again produced with the help of partner Larsen and photographer Keister, is, like "Daughters of Painted Ladies," a survey of Victorian homes from all over the country. From Searsport, ME, where the subtly detailed, white-bodied Mansard Carriage House Inn welcomes its guests, to a pink 1887 Steamboat Gothic in National City, near San Diego, here are dozens of Victorians, large and small, somber and vivid, plus an assortment of interiors, some fully period, others furnished in more contemporary style against the richly detailed background of the time. If you buy it to "get ideas" for your own Painted Lady, you'll find more than you can choose between. If you buy it just to look at, be prepared to spend hours drooling! A treasure trove for lovers of period detail, which is so admirably brought out by the creative combinations of color used in decorating these buildings.
Victorian Style: Classic Homes of North America
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Exactly What I Was Hoping For
Victorian Style: Classic Homes of North America
Cheri Y. Gay
Manufacturer: Courage Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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  5. America's Painted Ladies: The Ultimate Celebration of Our Victorians America's Painted Ladies: The Ultimate Celebration of Our Victorians

ASIN: 0762413123

Book Description

North American Victorian architecture and interior design are explored in detail in this essential look at an enduring style. Packed with spectacular original photographs and informative text, this lively book opens a door to the ornate decorative past. It examines the architecture of this eclectic period as it has survived and is interpreted today, and explains through myriad examples how Victorian style can be recreated in every room of the house.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Exactly What I Was Hoping For.......2005-10-20

I purchased this book to give me ideas on which type of pattern/material I should use to reupholster a Victorian settee frame I recently bought. After looking through the breathtaking photos on these glossy pages, I know exactly which material to go with. And of course, from viewing this book I have a desire to purchase other victorian pieces to accompany the settee. It's a step back in time that must be seen.

This is a wonderful book. Also, this book was like brand new although it is used. Just wish there were more pages.


Hints on Household Taste: The Classic Handbook of Victorian Interior Decoration
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Beginner's Guide to Victorian Restoration
  • Need Univeral HInts that are centuries old.
  • A Helpful Overview
  • Well-Written but Few Illustrations
  • Authentic Victorian Decorating as easy as 1-2-3
Hints on Household Taste: The Classic Handbook of Victorian Interior Decoration
Charles L. Eastlake
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
StyleStyle | Interior Design | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0486250466

Book Description

Primary authority on what was proper, beautiful, efficient in all aspects of mid-19th-century interior design. Originally published in 1868. Over 100 illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Beginner's Guide to Victorian Restoration.......2007-04-04

Restore your old Victorian era home to what it could have been like when it was first built.

4 out of 5 stars Need Univeral HInts that are centuries old. .......2007-03-22

Purchased the book because of its influence of this author on William Morris and the later Arts and Craft Movement. The author spoke as an architect who emphasized purchasing well crafted items and goods for the home, and design the entire home with one simple theme throughout the entry hall to the bedrooms. It had an influence on the Arts and Craft designers who started to incorporate textiles, pottery, furniture, and metal works for all of the customer's needs.

Beyond the historic references, the book was revealing to the modern designer and family seeking household purchases. All of us inherit lousy furniture and then buy one item at a time, and wonder why the house does not fit together. The author clearly states that we must know and seek out specific items that fit and go together to create a livable

5 out of 5 stars A Helpful Overview.......2007-01-04

We'd bought an Eastlake Victorian which had been restored inside and out. As we desired to furnish appropriate to period (1890), this book was a fine beginner's/general guide to style lines, detail, and what to avoid. Also helpful in choosing furniture pieces, draperies, and objets d'art. No color pictures except the cover, so one might want to purchase another similar book with pictures of restored rooms in similar homes for color guidance, trims, room set-up, etc.

4 out of 5 stars Well-Written but Few Illustrations.......2006-07-26

Well-written and informative, but did not fill the need I had. I was looking for something with illustrations and the few line drawings included did not help. Still, I rate it four stars, because it was well-written.

4 out of 5 stars Authentic Victorian Decorating as easy as 1-2-3.......2000-07-25

Moving from a country primitive home to a 1890's Victorian home that needed restoration in every single room, this book was my bible! Charles Eastlake (credited with wonderful Eastlake style)explains how, why and where to do every room from the screens to the windows to the walls to the floors. His simple diagrams and easy to read explanations made restoring much easier. With still a few rooms to finish, the book never leaves my bedside table (which, of course, is Eastlake style!)
VICTORIAN HOME: The Grandeur and Comfort of the Victorian Era, in Households Past and Present
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Wonderful!
  • Lovely to Look At!
  • Excellent resource
  • This book is so great it gives me goosebumps
  • Excellent pictures and details
VICTORIAN HOME: The Grandeur and Comfort of the Victorian Era, in Households Past and Present
Ellen M. Plante
Manufacturer: Courage Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0762409150

Amazon.com

To recreate the Victorian style of decorating may conjure up nightmarish visions of over-the-top, frilly curtains and heavy, depressing colors. Luckily, Ellen M. Plante reveals how to tastefully transform any room into an elegant and comfortable living space--frills are not compulsory! The Victorian Home is not only a beautifully written design guide to reviving rooms from this era, it's also a fascinating history lesson on the culture of the mid- to late-19th-century gentrified society in Britain. For this privileged class, the home was the "center of the universe, a safe haven from a rapidly industrializing society." Therefore, every chair, ornament, and light fixture was carefully chosen and exquisitely arranged to create a look of maximum opulence. Today, the reasons to "go Victorian" are much simpler. This look can be a lovely addition to any home--a look that is both timeless and elegant. The rooms photographed in The Victorian Home reflect the wonderful versatility of this era. Some rooms merely capture the essence of the period in the style of the fireplace or the choice of wallpaper. Other rooms duplicate the era in every minute detail, right down to the arrangement of dishes and cutlery on a dinner table. Throughout this elegant book are useful sidebars providing tips and techniques for Victorian decorating, and a comprehensive index of expressions and terms. Viva Victoria! --Naomi Gesinger

Book Description

Here's a fresh look at the definitive resource for domestic Victoriana. This stunning reissue of our popular book, which was an alternative selection for Country Homes and Garden Book Clubs, covers architecture, furniture, linens, table settings, and other aspects of the decorative period which continues to inspire and delight. Lavishly illustrated with more than 130 photographs.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful!.......2005-10-26

This book is loaded with color photographs! I went through this book several times before putting it back down. It's a must have if you are trying to get decorating ideas for a victorian room.

5 out of 5 stars Lovely to Look At!.......2004-02-26

This is a beautiful book to dream by. I bought one because we are building a Victorian home, but this would be enjoyed by anyone who loves Victorian style and design. Lovely!

5 out of 5 stars Excellent resource.......2001-05-09

I could not have decorated my recently renovated 100 year old Victorian home without this book. Friends and family think I have great potential as a decorator, little do they know.

5 out of 5 stars This book is so great it gives me goosebumps.......2000-02-08

I bought this book about a year ago and I still refer back to it often. The photos are so gorgeous, they give me goosebumps. They transport me into a place I'd like to live, a fantasy of design and genteel composure. The text is informative and the quality of photos is top notch. I highly recommend this book to folks who like Victorian design, both contemporary and traditional. You will feel the money was well spent!

5 out of 5 stars Excellent pictures and details.......1999-02-19

I found this book at a local library, I have went threw several books to get ideas on styles and of the victorian era. I found this one to be one of the best. It has wonderful, all color photographs, has a dictionary of old words and is wonderful for discribing details. I am going to purchase it for my own collection.
Inside the Victorian Home: A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Exploring the middle class home and psyche
  • Thank God I'm Mod!
  • The Home as Castle
  • Fascinating view of the life of the past
  • Great Reading!
Inside the Victorian Home: A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England
Judith Flanders
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

19th Century19th Century | World | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0393052095

Book Description

"Almost criminal in its housebreaking, burglarizing, second-story genius."—James Kincaid, University of Southern California

The Victorian age is much closer to us in time than we might believe. Yet at that time, in the most technologically advanced nation in the world, people buried meat in fresh earth to prevent mold forming and wrung sheets out in boiling water with their bare hands. Such household drudgery was routinely performed by the grandparents of people still living, but the knowledge of it has passed as if it had never been.

Judith Flanders's book is laid out like a Victorian house, taking you through the story of daily life from room to room. In each space she depicts the home's furnishings and decoration: from childbirth in the master bedroom, through the scullery and kitchen, the separate male and female domains of the drawing room and the parlor, and ending in the sickroom. A rich selection from diaries, letters, advice books, magazines, and paintings fills the rooms with the people and personalities of the age. 100 illustrations, 3 8-page color inserts.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Exploring the middle class home and psyche.......2007-08-28

I've always been interested in the Victorian period of English history, especially in the ways that people lived. Most books that detail the daily lives of people are geared towards the upper classes, with their grand estates in the country, and imposing townhouses. The working classes have been summed up with conditions of appalling poverty, overcrowding and misery. But what about the middle classes, those professional workers and merchants that were suddenly new consumers and riding the crest of the Industrial Revolution?

Researcher Judith Flanders takes a look at their world, and particularly through the eyes of the women who were often the silent, but determined decision makers in how their homes were run and organized. How she presents this information is the interesting part -- she describes this world and the people in it through the rooms of a typical middle-class home. It is also a look at the lives of the Victorians as they progress from room to room, from birth and the nursery, to death and the sickroom. It is also predominately the world of women, where the father of the household is a somewhat distant presence, there to provide the financial means, and perhaps a dominating effect, but also rather remote from the day to day workings of the family.

Where this book becomes the real draw is when Flanders describes each room in turn, drawing on the journals, homekeeping books and manuals, and the memoirs of the time. A good deal of the book is given not just to how each room was decorated and furnished, but also how it was kept clean, and how it was used, and if it was a room meant to be for private -- such as the nursery, bedrooms, and the workplaces such as the kitchen and scullery.

Public or rather, reception rooms were the Drawing Room, the Dining Room, and the Parlor. Often the Dining room and parlor would be one and the same in many homes, with the Drawing room having the best furniture and items, and saved for when visitors came and the best impressions to be made. The dining room was often where the lady of the house stayed during the day, where she did her letter-writing and account keeping, and often would teach her children, and oversee her servants.

Workplaces in the home were the Kitchen and Scullery, where meals were prepared, and clothing and dishes washed. Often this was where the servants slept if there wasn't any spare room for them. It was also where the greatest battle against bugs, rats and mice were often fought -- one description in the narrative depicts three visiting housemaids clutching each other in terror in the night atop the kitchen table as the floor 'heaved' with cockroaches. Other duties included the laundry, a laborious, backbreaking chore that took a week to complete, only to be started again almost immediately. More than any other chapters, these made me bless those inventors who have come up with such staples as modern ranges, the refrigerator, and especially the washer and dryer.

Another innovation in the Victorian home was the bathroom. And we're not just talking about bathtubs either -- in the homes of the upper middle classes, and the aristocracy, there were enough servants to haul tins of hot water up and down stairs to fill a hip bath for washing, but for more basic needs there was the odorous chamberpot, a device that had to be emptied, and scoured clean several times a day. No wonder when nonporous pipe was invented, the creation of indoor plumbing and the flush toilet were embraced so happily, especially when typhoid and cholera epidemics swept through England.

Bedrooms were for sleeping, but they could also reflect the inhabitant's likes, and often served as a retreat from busier parts of the house. The study was the man of the house's own retreat from the feminine, usually done up in dark, masculine colours. And then there was the nursery, where the youngest members of the family usually grew up in, until they had a bedroom of their own -- shared with other siblings of the same sex, or they were packed off to formal schooling.

All in all, I found this to be a remarkable book, full of information about the last half of the nineteenth century. Flanders' writing style is full of wit, and some pretty canny observations. We're not so far from our Victorian ancestors either -- a great deal of our own attitudes still linger. Keeping up with the Jones's isn't a new concept at all, and neither is the idea that a clean, beautiful home is equal to moral cleaniness as well. Flanders' insights into modern domestic thought is very revealing and worth the time to read this book.

The text has plenty of illustrations, along with several full-colour inserts. The research is top notch, and the writing style is lively and full of some tongue in cheek humor. Some things are covered that I thought had nothing to do with homes, but actually were, such as the art of the social call, with cards; the etiquette of 'At-Homes;' the elaborate rituals of mourning in behavior and clothing; and even the debate about corsetry and whether to tight-lace or not. It's not a quick book to read, but a very insightful one. There are extensive notes, bibliography and plenty of suggestions as to where to go next if any particular topic interests you.

Anyone who is interested in how the Victorians lived from day to day should try to find this one. It's a well-done book full of details and intimacies of London, and gives some new theories and revelations about that most misunderstood creature, the Victorian woman.

Five stars.

3 out of 5 stars Thank God I'm Mod!.......2007-03-30

To start off with, I have never been very interested in the Victorian period, because it always seemed stultifyingly dull and hyper-religious. I'm not one of those women who coo and ooh about how "romantic!" everything was, and I find the novels insanely unreadable.

So, you're saying, Why did you buy this book? Well, because I couldn't find the book I really wanted, was browsing, pulled it off the shelf, read a page, and thought, "This is actually interesting!"

The book details in a very readable, conversational fashion the way home life was lived: cleaning, cooking, childrearing, servant/employer relations, and host of other things. It gives a fascinating picture of a daily life...that absolutely SUCKED! Anybody who read this book and didn't come away horrified missed the point. Without spoiling the details, let me just say that life back then was seriously worse than now. I can't imagine finishing the book, picking up my copy of *Victoria* magazine, and sighing, "Gosh, for the good old days!" I'd be tearing up my subscription and looking for a new historical period to be interested in.

But that's just me. Anyhow, I'm pretty sure that more than a few Victorian housewives took the Martha Stewart approach, reading the guidebooks more for entertainment than anything, and maybe occasionally trying one of the ideas, but hardly conforming to the ideal in every detail. I also doubt that every family was as rude and condescending to their daughters and servants as the book says. Victorian women certainly had a pathetic position relative to us today, but it's hard to believe life was sheer hell for every single one of them. That's the reason I gave the book three stars. The writing merits four, but I'm not convinced it's a balanced portrait. Even so, I'm not sorry I bought the book, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

5 out of 5 stars The Home as Castle.......2006-12-20

A couple years ago someone coined the term, "cocooning" to describe what they saw as the "trend that sees individuals socializing less and retreating into their home more."

But this is hardly a new phenomenon - in fact, it's actually a Victorian ideal, one admirably expounded on in "Inside the Victorian Home: A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England" by Judith Flanders.

It was during the Victorian era that advances in technology and transportation made it possible (and even desirable) for people to work someplace other than the home. We take it for granted now, but 150 years ago you had to live where you worked. Think about it: the farmer (obviously) lived on his farm; the shopkeeper above his store. If you were in the lower classes, work often consisted of piecework, assembled in the home. With the rise of an increasingly affluent middle-class, it was now possible to remove your family from the dirt, crowds and crime of the city to the more bucolic environs of the country or suburbs. And we've been doing it ever since.

As I said, we take this for granted today - but in the Victorian era it was a new concept and became something of a mania for all but the poorest in the population. The separation of the public life from private living was described by Dickens:

"The office is one thing, and private life is another. When I go into the office, I leave the Castle [his house in the suburbs] behind me, and when I come into the Castle, I leave the office behind me... "

And on page 8:

"Oh, how dull and dreary is the best society I fall into compared with the circle of my own Fire Side with my Love sitting opposite irradiating all around her, and my most extraordinary boy!"

For how many of us is home and family a bulwark against all the pressures of work and the outside world? It's an incredible blessing and not everyone is lucky enough to have it.

I've noticed that a few other reviewers have commented on what they perceive to be a feminist bias in the author's work. I'm a pretty conservative guy (read my other reviews) and I never felt like Judith Flanders was doing anything except giving as honest a portrayal of Victorian life as was possible. The book is heavily footnoted and well documented. Many of the more troubling comments (the breastfeeding child as vampire, for example) are not the author's opinion, but the opinion of the Victorians themselves. I found it amusing in places to see how our twenty-first century prejudices color how we can look back at beliefs and practices that were no more remarkable in their time than referring to a woman as Ms is in ours. As I've counseled in other reviews, don't read any deeper than the text on the page, gentle reader. You'll enjoy the book a lot more if you don't waste your time trying to divine some political or social meaning beyond the written words.

"Inside the Victorian Home" is a fascinating look at the daily lives of middle-class Victorians and I highly recommend it.

5 out of 5 stars Fascinating view of the life of the past.......2006-08-26

I do hope that potential readers will read the publisher's comments, professional reviews, and positive reviews because they give a much more accurate account of the contents of the book than the rather nasty reviews by some readers. (Having read the book, it seems to me the reviewers have more of an ax to grind than does the author.) As an avid reader of Victorian novels over more than 50 years I found information on every page that threw light on the lost customs of the Victorians (the amazing system of visiting cards; the social complexities of meals and mealtimes; the astonishingly hard work involved in maintaining the home; the amazingly complex rituals involved in mourning; the problem of food adulteration). Every topic covered is illuminated. Plus, this book is a delight to read from first word to last. I recommend it without reservation to any reader of Dickens, Trollope, Eliot, and Arnold Bennett.

5 out of 5 stars Great Reading!.......2006-08-21

One of the best books I have read on Victorian England.
Well written, percise, and extrememly interesting.
This is a book you can read and read again!
Authentic Color Schemes for Victorian Houses: Comstock's Modern House Painting, 1883
Average customer rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
  • How to mix colors
  • Simpla & Basic
Authentic Color Schemes for Victorian Houses: Comstock's Modern House Painting, 1883
E. K. Rossiter , and F. A. Wright
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486417743

Book Description

This rare book invited homeowners of the Victorian era to eschew "white houses with green blinds" and join in the revolutionary trend towards colorful houses. They explain clearly how to mix primary and secondary colors to achieve such popular, mellow tones of the period as olive, russet, citrine, buff, plum, and sage. 20 color plates.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars How to mix colors.......2007-03-08

To quote the book, "Those of our readers who expect to find lists comprising all the various scales of color, giving definite information as to what particular color should be used to harmonize with this or that shade, and telling just what combinations are allowable, and just what are to be condemned, will, therefore, be disappointed." This book covers how to prime wood and mix colors (reddish brown color is achieved by mixing Indian red and burnt umber) and does give specific color schemes. This is a reprint from 1883, and the authors mentioned that the printer could not replicate most of the color schemes they envisioned (maybe I need to get watercolor paint and mix the suggested colors to see what they intended). We are building a Victorian home, and I was looking for ideas of what worked well in the past, but the rust red, dark mustard yellow, greens and browns they showed did not inspire me as I had hoped. It does have helpful information about color selection, but it is fairly generic in nature. Most of the plates are house exteriors, but there are a few interior plates as well.

3 out of 5 stars Simpla & Basic.......2006-02-22

Good for someone with a need for very basic color scheme for historic homes. No imagination needed. Colors are boring by our modern day standards, but give the old world look desired in the older victorian neighborhoods that despise the brighter californian look.
Mrs. Dunwoody's Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping: Timeless Wisdom and Practical Advice
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Very nice
  • I'm being redundant BUT...
  • Wonderful Warm Book
  • good but hard to find
  • A Must Have
Mrs. Dunwoody's Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping: Timeless Wisdom and Practical Advice
Miriam Lukken
Manufacturer: Warner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Cleaning, Caretaking & RelocatingCleaning, Caretaking & Relocating | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0446530131

Book Description

Mrs. Dunwoody is a character based on the author's great grandmother and other traditional Southern women who believe in the importance of making a house a home. This 'receipt book' is fashioned after the traditional notes 19th-century Southern women penned as a record of all they knew and thought meaningful to pass on to their daughters-and includes blank pages for readers to record their own notes and personal recipes. Here, Mrs. Dunwoody presents her time-tested secrets for everything from housecleaning to houseguests, letter writing to gentlemanly conduct, reliable wisdom to traditional Southern recipes, all peppered with genteel humor and wit. Mrs. Dunwoody will help readers turn their house into a home with chapters on the Art of Homekeeping, Miss Sallie Anne's Splendid Directions for Laundry, the Art of Entertaining, Matters of Formality, Notes and Recipes from the Kitchen, Marriage and Family, and much more. Because Mrs. Dunwoody knows best.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Very nice.......2007-04-03

I know this may sound dumb, but I thought Mrs. Dunwoody was a real person. But, she is a fictional compilation. The advice is real, however, and some of it is very useful. It is not AS useful as I was hoping, although I do like the book. The layout and look of the book is very nice, indeed.

5 out of 5 stars I'm being redundant BUT..........2005-10-24

Yes, you must get a copy of this book, it deserves to be classic.
Yes, it is heartwarming and touching in places and it made me stop and really think about what home means to me. That fact alone makes it stand out against all of the "hints and tips" and "how to" books currently on the market.

In fact, I've started my very own "receipt" book for my niece separately and am fashioning it along the lines of Mrs. Dunwoody's tome. Of course, when I present my niece with it (in a few years) a copy of "Mrs. Dunwoody" will accompany it.

It is the best book to come along in along time. Thank you Ms. Lukken for such a quietly inspirational classic. In fact, I know I will have to order another copy soon as my copy is wearing out from constant reading.

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful Warm Book.......2005-10-21

I'm 27, picked up this book at B&N on a whim becuase I like old fashioned things and thought I'd just browse through it. But turns out I read it from cover to cover and enjoyed every bit! A few things are out of date but who cares! - it was so enjoyable to read! If you have those natural "wifely" instincts of wanting to make your house a home you will like this book!

3 out of 5 stars good but hard to find.......2005-08-23

athe information in the book is good and sound but it jump around a lot and is hard to find thing quickly.

5 out of 5 stars A Must Have.......2005-07-24

This book is a true "GIFT". It is heartwarming, endearing and pratical. Every Home should have a copy. I just looked through the book for the first time and have already bookmarked several pages. This is a book to savor and keep forever. Thank you Mirian Lukken for such a wonderful, homey book!!!
Victorian Kitchens & Baths
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Victorian dream
Victorian Kitchens & Baths

Manufacturer: Gibbs Smith, Publisher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ResidentialResidential | Building Types & Styles | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
BathroomsBathrooms | Remodeling & Renovation | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
KitchensKitchens | Remodeling & Renovation | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
DecoratingDecorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1586853023

Book Description

Romance is in and Victorian design and architecture are as popular now as they were when Victorian was the contemporary style more than a hundred years ago. Often, people who buy a Victorian home have expertise in antiques of the era and can furnish a period living room or bedroom, but they are stymied when it comes to the kitchen and the bathroom. Victorian Kitchens and Baths solves this common dilemma by looking at the individual design, decor and architectural elements that make a room Victorian, offering a myriad of purist as well as interpretive ideas that can be used and adapted to fit many homes and tastes.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Victorian dream.......2006-04-19

This is a wonderful book for anyone dreaming of restoring a Victorian home. Lots of pictures but also well researched and interesting text. Helpful for those of us who do not want to model "mimic" our rooms after a specific photo spread in a book, but would like to understand, incorporate, and enjoy the historic details of our beautiful homes.
Sarah Ban Breathnach's Mrs. Sharp's Traditions: Reviving Victorian Family Celebrations Of Comfort & Joy
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Inspiring
  • Simple pleasures for Simple Times
  • Preserving family memories
  • Old-fashioned family treasure!
  • Okay, but definitely nothing special
Sarah Ban Breathnach's Mrs. Sharp's Traditions: Reviving Victorian Family Celebrations Of Comfort & Joy
Sarah Ban Breathnach
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Customs & TraditionsCustoms & Traditions | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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GeneralGeneral | Ban Breathnach, Sarah | Authors, A-Z | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:
  1. Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3) Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)
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ASIN: 074321076X

Book Description

The seeds for the ground-breaking Simple Abundance, Sarah Ban Breathnach's hugely successful bestseller, were first planted in Mrs. Sharp's Traditions. In this revised, redesigned edition of her charmingly illustrated Victorian style- and sourcebook, Sarah introduces to her legions of new readers the old-fashioned pleasures of family, customs, and home.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Inspiring.......2006-01-26

I found this book inspiring and full of practical and lovely ideas. Some of them are relatively easy to implement; others take a bit more effort/preparation. The holidays discussed are American. The book presents simple ways to make daily living special and to take note of holidays, seasons, and other occasions.

5 out of 5 stars Simple pleasures for Simple Times.......2004-09-23

I love the noble simplicity of the Victorian age. This book is an invitation to experience simple rituals in your daily life. I especialy enjoyed the beautiful art work and many pictures. This book takes the reader on a gilded journey through the entire year with wonderfull passages describing a myriad of traditions and daily rituals for living. If you cherish the victorian tradition then you simply must have this book. Buy it new or used, read it, experience it, and pen a review to spread the joy, this truly is home.

5 out of 5 stars Preserving family memories.......2003-11-27

It is Thanksgiving Day as I write. I have used this book extensively over the past week as I write down the activities we will do as a family this holiday season. We are a family with young children (8, 6, 3, baby), so we are only now starting our family traditions. It is VERY important to me that the children have family memories to keep them reminded of their happy childhood. This book has been a wonderful keepsake. I have already started purchasing it for others, as it is beautifully written and breathtakingly beautiful. Do not hesitate to buy this book. It will enhance your library like few others. I am wishing for another book like this one, but have not found it yet.

5 out of 5 stars Old-fashioned family treasure!.......2002-05-16

This book is wonderful to have and explore for those women and families with children who love to take time to enjoy simple, natural treasures and to observe old-fashioned family traditions. It is a wonderful source to find out WHY we celebrate some holidays in the ways we do and to take a trip down memory lane as you rediscover some of the older traditions you might remember your grandmothers or aunts or great-aunts observing. I am definitely adding it to my home collection to use with my own family. The only negative note I might have is that the persona the author writes with has some strange sayings "Dear Reader" this and "Dear Reader" that. A little annoying, but definitely not worth NOT getting the book!

2 out of 5 stars Okay, but definitely nothing special.......2001-10-26

This book is okay, but nowhere near as good as the author's earlier works. Although initially intrigued by the "legends", those I checked looked stupid to me ... e.g., about how a pansy's petals tell the story of how a wicked queen mistreats her stepdaughters, with no positive (much less fairytale) ending, nothing remotely uplifting, no moral, etc. DEFINITELY not the type of thing you'd print to give with a pressed flower pansy, or other form of the flower. The recipes are equally impractical, since few people use suet in desserts these days.
And all the stories in the voice of the mythical Mrs. Sharp just seemed stupid and contrived. Although the premise was excellent, the book just didn't follow through.
Victorian Exterior Decoration: How to Paint Your Nineteenth-Century American House Historically
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • very good book
  • Quite a good reference book for old house lovers (like me!)
  • Excellent detail, very helpful
Victorian Exterior Decoration: How to Paint Your Nineteenth-Century American House Historically
Roger W. Moss , and Gail Caskey Winkler
Manufacturer: Owl Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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Buildings & ConstructionBuildings & Construction | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Remodeling & Renovation | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Home & GardenHome & Garden | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ProfessionalProfessional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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  3. Victorian House Designs in Authentic Full Color: 75 Plates from the "Scientific American--Architects and Builders Edition," 1885-1894 Victorian House Designs in Authentic Full Color: 75 Plates from the "Scientific American--Architects and Builders Edition," 1885-1894
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ASIN: 0805023135

Book Description

Victorian Exterior Decoration provides a foolproof system for choosing the colors that will best suit the particular style of any house.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars very good book.......2005-10-08

I found this to be a very good book and very educational. I am painting my 19th century house using it as a guide. In the previous review someone wrote:

"Unfortunately, there are precious few old drawings and the ones they do have are done in muted browns and beiges. Now, I know they didn't have color photos back in those days, but I do wish they'd included more color pictures (drawings) of these old houses."

This person has obviously missed the point of the book. Did you read it? Those _are_ color drawings and those "muted browns and beiges" _were_ the colors used back then. People have a stereotype of 19th century colors as supposedly being bright and contrasty; this is due to the colorist movement in San Francisco back in the 70s, but is not appropriate when seeking 19th century accuracy. The crazy row-house colors of San Francisco are modern interpretations; whereas the Victorians preferred earth tones. The authors go at length to explain this with drawings and historic reproductions that are accurate in color.
My only gripe with this book is that there should be more photographs of 19th houses painted historically. I think more photos would give home restorers more ideas to pick from.

4 out of 5 stars Quite a good reference book for old house lovers (like me!).......2000-05-02

This book is over 110 pages and every page has at least one picture, and most have two or three.

Beyond the good information re: color schemes, there is a lot of information in this book about the 101 details (fretwork, finials, porches, etc) of an old house.

Unfortunately, there are precious few old drawings and the ones they do have are done in muted browns and beiges. Now, I know they didn't have color photos back in those days, but I do wish they'd included more color pictures (drawings) of these old houses.

There are also some very interesting old paint ads - such as one that suggests the right house paint is *the* key to health and happiness. The book also contains plenty of written information and history, which is interesting reading.

And the photos/drawings offer a nice blend of the ostentatious Queen Annes and by contrast, the simple and modest "Builder's Style" homes.

I'm an old house purist trying to redo my simple old home as authentically as possible. This book is a good resource for that.

4 out of 5 stars Excellent detail, very helpful.......1999-07-07

I really enjoyed all the details and information so that I can paint my own Victorian home. Good color combinations, great historical information. I do wish there had been a few more photos of correctly painted homes.

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