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With so many attractive stock cabinetry designs available, creating the kitchen of your dreams no longer involves the budget-busting price tag of custom-made cabinets. In fact, you'll be amazed as cabinetmaker Jonathan Benson shows you how to beautifully — and affordably — transform your kitchen by using money-saving stock cabinetry and a well-thought-out plan.

From having a solid design that meets the needs of everyone using the space, to advice and lessons on what to know before going cabinet shopping, or how to live in a construction zone, Benson and his wife, Sherry, a former chef and restaurant owner, show you how a little teamwork can make a kitchen remodel go more smoothly.

Transforming Your Kitchen with Stock Cabinetry will put you right in the heart of a remodeling project, which happens to be the Bensons' own kitchen, and guide you through the complete process. The inspirational gallery at the end of the book is filled with beautiful photos and gives true meaning to the term "dream kitchen."

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Fresh perspectives on how good design can create stylish yet ecologically sound living spaces in small-scale homes. Anyone who has faced the challenges of limited living space will find inspiration in this survey of the latest trends in environmentally sensitive, small-scale residential designs.

More than 50 residential spaces are profiled — from woodsy houses and repurposed barns to cool apartments and urban lofts — both inside and out. Most of the projects were designed by up-and-coming architects, and each design proves that small-scale efficiency as well as beautiful, thoughtful design can overcome the apparent constraints of a small setting.

Environmental impact is a growing concern, so each project was chosen because of its ecological sensitivity. Each case history describes the challenges confronting the designer and the solutions. Creating color schemes to enhance the feeling of openness, taking advantage of high ceilings to make multiple levels, and using collapsible furniture and sliding doors to maximize space are some of the design solutions that can be applied in any situation. Filled with beautiful color photographs and helpful floorplans, this book is a remarkable showcase of how good design can transform any small space into a comfortable, modern and environmentally sensitive home.

About the Authors:
Cristina Paredes Benítez has degrees in fine arts and in information science. She is an editor specializing in illustrated books and she has collaborated with several publishers and photo agencies.

Àlex Sánchez Vidiella earned a degree in art history, specializing in contemporary art, baroque art, and entertainment art (cinema), from the University of Barcelona. He has worked as an art history teacher and as an editor and graphic editor for various publishing houses specializing in art, architecture, geographic atlases and scientific encyclopedia. He is currently a writer and editor, working mostly on architecture books.

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Build your way to a more self-sufficient lifestyle with step-by-step projects for backup and supplementary utilities -- including independent water, heat and electricity -- growing and storing food, raising small livestock, beekeeping and more. Many of the projects require basic materials available at your everyday home center, but this book also provides valuable DIY resources for solar, hydro, greenhouse and gardening needs.

This book will help you build security with utility backup systems and become more sustainable, resulting in less dependence on city systems for basic needs. Whether you have a city plot or simply pots, this book includes all of the information needed to plan, build and succeed with greater self-sufficiency.

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This definitive manual marks the birth of a new vernacular for the 21st century. More than 400 color photographs and step-by-step instructions guide you through the building of anything from a garden shed to your own woodland house. This practical ‘how-to’ book will unquestionably be a benchmark for sustainable building using renewable local resources and evolving traditional skills to create durable, ecological and beautiful buildings.

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Housing is a fundamental human right. For most of human history, our homes were built by hand from whatever local materials were available. However, since the Industrial Revolution, most housing has become little more than quickly constructed, mass-produced, uniform boxes. At the same time, the invention and standardization of the 30-year mortgage and our ever-increasing reliance on credit has come to mean that most of us never own our homes outright.

Housing Reclaimed is a call to arms for nonconventional home builders. It examines how technological advances, design evolution and resourceful, out-of-the-box thinking about materials and efficiency can help us meet the challenge of building affordable, environmentally friendly, beautiful and unique homes. Focusing on the use of salvaged and reclaimed materials, this inspirational volume is packed with case studies of innovative projects including:

• Phoenix Commotion — working together toward low-income home ownership through sweat equity and 100% recycled materials
• HabeRae — revitalizing neighborhoods by creating urban infill using modern technology and sustainable and reclaimed materials
• Builders of Hope — rescuing and rehabilitating whole houses slated for demolition

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Whether building a summer cottage in the woods, planning the hunting cabin of your dreams or homesteading off the grid, this handy reference provides a logical and sensible approach to building permanent shelter in out-of-the-way places. Including everything from choosing and clearing a site and creating an electrical power source, to clearing the land and creating a foundation, this book offers instruction on building an A-frame cabin and a rustic log cabin with a framed roof. There is also a special section on designing small buildings to cope with Mother Nature, including earthquakes, heavy snow, high wind and flooding.

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CLEARANCE ITEM. PREVIOUS RETAIL PRICE WAS $24.95 AVAILABLE ONLY WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!

Award-winning designer and author Lori Dennis proves interior design can be both stylish and environmentally sustainable in this easy-to-use, entertaining guide. Dennis discusses every aspect of interior design —furniture and accessories, window treatments, fabrics, surface materials, appliances, plants, and more — from a green perspective in terms of reducing waste and pollution and turning a home into a healthy, comfortable environment. Readers will learn how to:

• use sustainable materials like bamboo, cork, and recycled glass to enhance interiors
• search thrift shops and antique stores for vintage hidden treasures
• find the best vendors for purchasing green products
• use plants and locally cut flowers to improve indoor air quality and brighten up rooms
• replace lawns with indigenous plants and edible gardens
• keep rooms clean with effective and nontoxic products
• use energy efficient lighting and maximize natural light
• apply for different types of green certification

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Green construction is the building trend of the decade. In direct response to the growing demand for sustainable, healthy and energy-efficient homes, David Johnston and Scott Gibson present the most forward-thinking theories and the best proven methods of new and remodeled green construction. They begin with down-to-earth explanations of green building basics and move on to site planning, materials selection, energy efficiency, and indoor air quality ... detailing along the way every step in design and construction, from framing to finishes.

A must-have reference for contractors who want to remain competitive, Green from the Ground Up is also a remarkable resource for homeowners who require the clearest and most thorough green building information available.

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Good things do come in small packages.

Just ask internationally recognized small living expert Jay Shafer. His small buildings have appeared on CNN, Oprah, Fine Homebuilding, and This Old House. Ranging in size from 64 to 110 square feet, these tiny backyard buildings can be used as guest cottages, art or writing studios, home offices, craft workshops, vacation retreats, or a full-time residence.

Filled with photos, elevation drawings, and door/window schedules for six Tumbleweed box bungalows, The Tumbleweed DIY Book of Backyard Sheds and Tiny Houses, also includes an extensive how-to set of instructions that can be applied to any backyard building project. Though conventionally built, these handsome little buildings have real doors, windows, and skylights with interesting and practical details throughout. With extra attention given to energy and space efficiency in their design, these tiny houses can help deliver the relief we all need on the road toward a sustainable world.

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A State-of-the-Art Resource for Natural Builders

Natural buildings not only bring satisfaction to their makers and joy to their occupants, they also leave the gentlest footprint on the environment. In this complete reference to natural building philosophy, design, and technique, Jacob Deva Racusin and Ace McArleton walk builders through planning and construction, offering step-by-step instructions on:

• Siting
• Planning for heat and moisture
• Developing an integrative design
• Creating the foundation, wall system, roof, and floors
• Protecting against fire and insects
• Planning for acoustics
• Selecting and making finishes
• Plastering
• Budgeting