Product Description

At the beginning of the new century, there's a groundswell of popular nostalgia for period houses with an authentic pedigree. Regional styles of old homes in all parts of the country have captured the imagination of homebuyers who are disillusioned with the cookie-cutter sameness of new home construction. Many are turning to the history and tradition of their own neighborhoods for inspiration in old houses--themes that will inspire and inform them in building a new home that will preserve a sense of place and the feeling of "home."
Creating a New Old House explores how architects, builders, and craftsmen are reinterpreting the traditional American house. Through photographs and engaging text, brief discussions of history and craftsmanship, and occasional sidelong glances at the workings of real old houses, Versaci employs his "Pillars of Traditional Design" to explain how traditional houses go together and what gives them their unique design appeal. The author explores the creative work of architects, builders, and craftsmen from all corners of America who are creating new "old" houses in a revival of the distinctive traditions of American homebuilding--and refitting them to work for the demands of modern family living.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31495 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-02
• Released on: 2007-01-02
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Review
"People love old houses. Versaci explains why, and shows what it takes to create such enduring quality in home design today."
--Philip Morris, former Senior Architecture Editor, Southern Accents

"Versaci presents a masterful survey of the best in new, historically inspired homes...and shares the techniques that architects use to achieve historical resonance and emotional impact."
--Clem Labine, Editorial Director, Traditional Building

"The quality of the architecture presented in this book is excellent."
--Andres Duany, architect, founder of New Urbanism, Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company

About the Author
Russell Versaci, AIA, has built a first-class reputation as a designer of new homes in traditional architectural styles and is a principal in the firm Versaci Neumann & Partners of Middleburg, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. His work has been featured in national magazines, including Traditional Home, House Beautiful, Southern Accents, and Southern Living. Recognized for his expertise by his peers in traditional design, Versaci is a founding member of the Institute for Traditional Architecture, a select guild of architects dedicated to teaching the art and craft of traditional building. He lives in Middleburg, Virginia.

Customer Reviews

Not what I was expecting!
My husband and I are thinking about building a colonial revival home. I was hoping this book would give more examples of what it really takes to make a new house old. What I found was that there was one BRIEF example of each different architectual style with a very general description. There wasn't much to sink our teeth into. The pictures were pretty, but
the information was too general.

Gorgeous
My husband and I are just beginning the process of building a custom home, and this book has been a wonderful resource for me. It is helping me to learn what it is that makes an old home feel so established, and how to achieve the same permanence in a new structure. The photos are gorgeous, and the accompanying text is useful (unlike the frou-frou text of many home design books). If you don't mind that all of the homes were clearly built with extravagant budgets, this book provides fodder for beautiful fantasies...and some nuggets for inclusion in a more modest home, as well.

Magnificent
Great book on how to update older or run down homes. The pictures are beautiful. It is a book on fine taste in home building.