The updated and highly illustrated guide to understanding how just about everything in your house works! The revised and updated third edition of How Your House Works is a hands-on guide that gives you the low-down on why your faucet is leaking, your dishwasher is overflowing, or your furnace is on the fritz. This comprehensive book is your reference to virtually everything in your house with richly illustrated explanations of electrical systems, heating and air conditioning, plumbing, major household appliances, foundation, framing, doors, and windows. This must-have book answers most questions homeowners face when repairs are needed or when a new house or addition is in your future. How Your House Works is filled with easy-to-understand illustrations that show how things should be put together and how they function. The book also highlights issues outside the house as well as clock thermostats, ventless gas heaters, moisture and mold, and passive solar heating. Using the illustrations and the author's clear explanations might save you the expense of calling a professional. This invaluable guide: Offers a colorful resource to home electrical systems, HVAC, plumbing, major household appliances, foundation, framing, doors and windows, sustainability, and much more Includes easy-to-follow information for troubleshooting problems Contains dozens of new full-color illustrations Presents new chapters on solar power and smart home technologies Helps homeowners save money on many common household repairs Written for homeowners with little or no knowledge of home maintenance or repair, How Your House Works is your illustrated and updated guide to understanding how appliances, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and more work!

Education as an institution is vital to transmitting the culture. Educational institutions exemplify how organizations can be responsive to its stakeholders and its vision while meeting the needs of the students it serves. Building sustainable systems to conduct the work of education is essential, can be done, and is being done. Without Trumpets 2nd edition updates the work and how continuous improvement has scaled and spread from the original 10 schools to additional states through application. In this book, SusanG. Allred and Kelly Foster have provided the experiences that Kentucky educators, policy makers, and communities had throughout the most recent school turnaround era. New for the second edition of this book is a section of interviews about how to find continuous improvement leadership.

For those looking to raise a family in a storybook American town, or a change of pace from hectic city life, this book is the answer. It includes information on: the cost of the home, recreation facilities, cost of electricity, schools, sales tax rates, per capita income, geography and climate, and a host of other pertinent information about the nicest, most affordable, cosiest towns in the US Even includes interviews with town officials, librarians, teachers, shop owners, and other residents. An excellent resource that will never be out of style.

When you think of Ibiza, you think of sun, sea, sand, and the Mediterranean way of life. But that's not all: you think of gorgeous design, funky interiors, scrumptious food and breath taking nature. With that in mind, it's time for an ode to good taste, La Pura Vida. This magnificent book will bring the summer vibe into your home with the most beautiful interiors, imposing architecture and pictures that will have you imagining you are standing amidst the azure bays yourself. Two hundred and forty pages filled with joy and good taste, interiors, architecture, and scenery.

The California Revival style of home design is a new movement, an indoor-outdoor design that uses vintage furnishings, art pottery, tile, paintings and decorative arts from California's Spanish Revival period of the 1920s to 1940s. Carole Coates and Annie Dietz take you inside ten "real" homes and share secrets from scores more, including top collections that demonstrate how to achieve this enlivening and color-saturated style. The book contains over 600 color images with detailed captions and an engaging text. See historic Malibu pottery, Catalina Island pottery and tile, Bauer pottery, Taylor tiles, Monterey furniture, San Jose Workshop murals from Texas, ironwork, paintings, textiles, and more. This friendly and individualized style can be adjusted to suit your personality and tastes whether your architecture is Ranch or Mexicana, Spanish Revival or Modern, Cabin or Lodge, Mission or European. You learn why this vintage California home decor is on the cutting edge with leading interior designers, museums, and collectors across the country.

Intarsia is a craft of precision and artistry. A picture is created by cutting out and then fitting together many pieces of differently colored and textured woods, much like a jigsaw puzzle. These pieces are then rounded and shaped individually, to create realistic contours and lend a three-dimensional effect. When the pieces are varnished, fitted together, and glued onto a backboard, they make a beautifully polished, professional-looking piece. Step-by-step, this book shows you how to make an intarsia teddy bear wall hanging, perfect for a child's bedroom. The project is ideal for someone just starting to learn the art of intarsia, teaching basic techniques (from selecting your wood to hanging your finished piece) and showing how to deal with common difficulties and pitfalls. Also included are patterns for a girl teddy bear and a dinosaur.

An inspiring and enticing do-it-yourself guide. With its almost 50 projects and many lovely interior photos, this home-improvement manual is an idea bank for the hobbyist as well as the interior designer. The projects included range from small, practical bookends to a large, spacious shed, and include bookcases, shutters, beds, shelves, a tray table, a music stand, garden furniture and much, much more. Handy homeowners and hands-on decorators alike can finally turn their ideas into a reality by following the instructions. Using basic carpentry skills readers can put their personal touch on the home... there's something for everyone. Emphasis is placed on form and function, and all finished projects are not just aesthetically pleasing but safely stable. Clear, step-by-step instructions with exploded views, photos, and lists of materials, create the path to successful results.

The best craftsmanship in home furnishings of the late 19th century is documented in this beautiful study by a dedicated connoisseur. At a time when American and European economies were expanding quickly, consumers' tastes were increasingly elaborate and refined. Demand for exquisite design, fine materials, and masterful workmanship resulted in interiors of a calibre never equalled or surpassed since. This book presents an overview of those Victorian architectural antiques, stained glass windows, furniture, art glass, lighting devices, match holders, and poster art in chapters that explain the development of the forms and show examples in over 400 color photographs. Period room settings as well as single items are featured. Especially strong here are the pieces that demonstrate originality in Tiffany windows and art glass, Mitchell and Rammelsburg furniture, Globe-Wernicke bookcases, French Burgun Schverer and English cameo glass, and Duffner and Kimberly lamps. More and more people today recognize and seek out the superior quality of Victorian antiques. With this new book as a guide, they will learn important details to help identify originals and marvel at the beauty they can hope to find. Current price ranges are included with the captions.

Home accents made with beautiful natural wood are hugely popular and add impact to any room of the house. But the simple elegance of a birch table lamp or a driftwood sculpture can carry an eye-watering price tag. Simply Wood shows you how to make beautiful and practical objects using found wood that doesn't cost the earth. All you need are basic skills such as measuring, sawing, drilling and gluing to achieve each of the 20 projects. Choose from lighting and shelving to wreaths and wall hangings, and simply follow the clear, step-by-step instructions to make your chosen item. Whether you are drawn to delicate twigs, graceful branches, sturdy logs, silvered driftwood or weathered boards, there is a project for you - be inspired, get creative and bring the beauty of nature into your home.

Parties with pizzazz -- parties that everyone talks about -- happen when some creative person gets things rolling! Twenty-three absolutely unforgettable party themes for all seasons and occasions are included -- a "TGIF (Thank God It's Friday) Party, " a "Murder We Wrote (whodunit participation) Party, " a "Kidnapping Caper (for teens only) Party" -- these and many more. Each party plan tells how to do it, gives food suggestions with recipes, reproducible party game papers, checklists and lots more, plus "do-it-yourself" invitations professionally designed! Just add the specifics and photocopy them. Everything made easy. Success assured -- these ideas have all been party-tested. We know they're good! Enough parties here for a year or two of fun. Guaranteed to make you the most celebrated party people in town!

Ron Ransom's latest carving guide will walk you through the creation of wonderful and whimsical holiday characters to entertain all year long. Full color photographs, easy-to-understand instructions, and detailed patterns make this book simple enough for beginners, yet challenging for experienced carvers looking for new ideas. A color gallery of all the finished pieces provides readers with close up detail of the finished products. The projects shown in this book, designed using simple hand tools, include a "flying" witch and a headless figure with pumpkin for Halloween, a leprechaun to bring out the Irish in all of us, and a wise old Father Time to celebrate New Year's Eve. Simple but precise patterns for all of these projects, as well as instructions on how to paint and antique them are provided. Ron also gives carvers tips on improvising on these projects to stimulate your creativity and keep you supplied with fresh ideas.

This stylish publication celebrates the impact Scandinavian culture has had internationally on art, design, fashion, food and interiors, and seeks out those creatives and tastemakers who are currently making their mark on the world stage. Following an introduction by the author providing an overview of hygge (and its antithesis, uhygge) and its place in the Nordic mindset, the book is divided into five themed chapters featuring interviews with designers, artisans, restaurateurs and bloggers, who share their insider knowledge on the hippest Scandinavian products, brands, trends and locations. Finally, a third section presents the best sources and locations of where to fully experience the hygge phenomenon.

A combination of difficult economic times, a premium on urban space, and the modern trend for living alone means that living in small spaces has become a necessity, as much as a choice. But that needn't mean living in cramped, unimaginative spaces. Living Little shows how the challenges of small floor plans and compact interiors can be transformed with clever and creative design, the innovative use of technology, and ingenious and stylish solutions. Be they small or tiny homes, flats, apartments or storefront properties, cottages, shipping-container dwellings, caravans, or cabins, this book is the perfect source of inspiration for those short on space who are yearning for a strong dose of ingenuity and style.

John Vivian tells you everything you need to know to build your own stone walls from start to finish. He covers everything from basic equipment and materials to building retaining walls, building in gates and stiles, moving boulders, and using lower-quality stone. Clear, detailed drawings show exactly what to do and how to avoid problems.

Lola Montez, one of the most opulent actresses and dancers of the 19th century, offers her advice on beauty oneself through cultivating physical charm, a debonair personality, and a sharp sense of style and dress. Chapters focus on different aspects of feminine beauty; the face, skin, eyes, complexion and chest all receive examination. The hair is of particular concern to the author, with several chapters dedicated to boosting its allure, vigor and appearance. Lifestyle choices, such as getting plenty of sleep each night and maintaining a good figure, are also highlighted as keys for true and sustained beauty. Despite the title, much of this book concerns cultivation of both character and social graces. Montez places emphasis on the need for good manners and refined behavior, and the value of charm and meaningful talk that is neither shallow nor empty. A well-modulated speaking voice, the choice of good jewelry, and a respectable dress sense are discussed for their importance.

Many of us dream of owning a treehouse, whether it's a tree fort or playhouse for the children, a secret retreat or just a unique space for relaxing and reconnecting with nature. This book is a comprehensive guide to designing and building your perfect treehouse - no previous building expertise required. Beautifully illustrated, and written by a professional treehouse builder, the book explains how you select the right tree, which materials and tools to use, and how to construct the platform, walls, floor and roof. For anyone wanting to be more ambitious, there are options for installing special features such as ladders, slides and climbing walls.

"The" consumer guide to small-scale wind electricity production

Maybe you're not T. Boone Pickens, but you can build your own home-sized wind-power empire right in your back yard. "Wind Power For Dummies" supplies all the guidance you need to install and maintain a sustainable, cost-effective wind generator to power your home for decades to come.

This authoritative, plain-English guide walks you through every step of the process, from assessing your site and available wind sources to deciding whether wind power is the solution for you, from understanding the mechanics of wind power and locating a contractor to install your system to producing your own affordable and sustainable electricity.Guides you step by step through process of selecting, installing, and operating a small-scale wind generator to power your homeDemystifies system configurations, terminology, and wind energy principles to help you speak the language of the prosHelps assess and reduce your energy needs and decide whether wind power is right for youExplains the mechanics of home-based wind powerShows you how to tie into the grid and sell energy back to the power companyOffers advice on evaluating all of the costs of and financing for your projectProvides tips on working with contractors and complying with local zoning laws

Yes, you can do it, with a little help from "Wind Power For Dummies."

This expert guide walks you through the practice of cost segregation analysis, which enables property owners to defer taxes and benefit from "accelerated cost recovery" through depreciation deductions on assets that are properly identified and classified. A relatively new practice that evolved from various court decisions and Internal Revenue Service rulings, cost segregation can be applied to new buildings under construction, renovations of existing buildings, leasehold improvements, and purchased real estate - going back as far as 1987.

Cost segregation practice requires knowledge of both tax law and the construction process. In this book, the authors share their expertise in these areas with tax and accounting professionals, cost segregation consultants, facility owners, architects and general contractors - providing guidance on major aspects of a professional, defensible cost segregation study, including: The legal framework for cost segregation, as defined by the IRS, tax courts, and federal agenciesReview of key IRS cases, court rulings, and revenue proceduresClassification and depreciation methodsUnderstanding construction plans and specificationsProfessional takeoff and cost estimating proceduresOptimizing cost segregation in new construction - from design choices to proper project documentation

With a glossary of terms, sample cost segregation estimates for various building types, key information resources, and updates via a dedicated website, "The Practice of Cost Segregation Analysis" is a must-have resource.

Filled with space-saving storage and decorative details, these unique homes under 1,200 square feet prove that bigger is not always better. In recent years, many have turned our backs on the trend for oversized houses and embraced small-space living. Cosy, compact dwellings have so much to offer; they bring families closer together and make it easier than ever to express personal style. In Small Spaces, Big Appeal, Fifi O'Neill captures the zeitgeist by showcasing homes across a spectrum of styles and locations, and stories of contented homeowners who have created unique, imaginative spaces. Living in a small home doesn’t preclude having an elegant aesthetic. In fact, it allows you to focus on the elements you truly appreciate and the spaces you will use the most. Whether classically furnished or boasting a happy informality, the little gems featured in this book are more infused with a spirit than put together according to a set of rules. Rooms are airy yet intimate, with nooks and alcoves that offer daydreaming spots and built-in storage in spite of their modest footprints. Whatever your preferred look – nostalgic, romantic, modern, country, coastal, urban, minimalist or maximalist – living small has big advantages. It encourage us to live more simply and, best of all, to create spaces with style, grace and versatility that rival homes of many times their size. 

Marge Jones has mastered an alternative slip-covering technique to help people with all levels of sewing skills create their own snug-fitting covers for chairs, benches, sofas, and more. With detailed instructions and photos, Marge guides you through the process of refurbishing and customizing virtually all your living room, dining room, bedroom, and even patio furniture. Her method eliminates the muslin or paper pattern-making process, saving precious time and energy, while achieving a tighter, more attractive fit. This edition includes special sections on how to install essential components such as zippers and decking, and tips on how to add height to and restyle arms on furniture. Snug-fit, easy-to-make custom slipcovers fit so well that the furniture looks brand new. Home furnishings of all shapes and sizes are restored in this indispensable manual, proving that almost all furniture can be custom-slip-covered.

Good homes are places where lives can unfold, families grow up, dogs jump on sofas, friends share your hospitality. They should also be places where you can find some solitude – a quiet corner to read a book, have a Saturday afternoon nap. In short, they need to be able to sustain you, inspire you and tell your story thanks to their architecture, use of materials and contents.

These are the attributes that Monocle has always celebrated when covering residences in its design and architecture pages – whether featuring a city bolthole, a modernist seaside residence or a summer outpost in a forest. Now Monocle is bringing this all together in one book that explores individual homes, housing projects old and new, communities of self-builders, even whole neighbourhoods where a simple philosophy of building well has created quality of life for many. Monocle has also recruited key thinkers, writers and designers to share their perspectives in a series of fascinating essays.

The Monocle Book of Homes is packed with great photography that delivers the bigger picture and also offers a focus on the smallest details. This is a book that could change how you live.

Ballo Rebora introduces carvers to a new subject, the Mexican bullfight. From a wood blank to the finished figures, Ballo guides readers step-by-step through all the carving and painting processes required to create a humorous, confident, or even smug caricature matador and his four-legged adversary. Using simple, easily followed instructions and 280 full color images, he provides inspiration for carvers. Patterns are given for two matadors and the bull.\nA color gallery is included for further inspiration, with detailed photos of the finished figures and a second matador. Carvers with basic skills will enjoy the challenges and advanced carvers will be delighted by the details in this competitive pair.

For the first time, the art and craft of creating concrete countertops is detailed, step-by-step. This invaluable manual will guide craftsmen through each step of creating a cast concrete countertop, from the careful process of measuring for a template, to building a mold, through casting and installation. Moreover, you will be inspired by a gallery of more than 60 color images that explore actual kitchens and baths featuring hand-crafted countertops. With more than 30 years of experience in concrete art and fabrication, artist Buddy Rhodes shares his skills and experience in this tell-all book. Most importantly, he shares the process he pioneered for creating the natural, stone-like pressed surface countertops that have become his hallmark. Additionally, he details techniques for hand-trowelled and polished countertop surfaces. As the popularity of concrete in home decor soars, this book will be an indespensable guide for any craftsman who hopes to make his mark in this expanding market. Amateurs alike will appreciate the intricate detail and the helpful hints that Rhodes includes in this comprehensive guide.

As the world gets more dangerous, you have to be prepared for anything, even the worst. In 150 Survival Secrets, seasoned survivalist James C. Jones provides insider tips to help you and your family survive any catastrophe. Divided into practical sections, 150 Survival Secrets answers every question you've ever had about disaster preparedness. One section lists the practical details of making it through any kind of emergency situation. Some topics include: How to survive extreme winter conditions How to put together a homemade survival kit in the case of an emergency How to safely evacuate from an urban area during a disaster How much and what type of food to store at home for long-term emergencies How to survive an active shooter situation How to treat common injuries. Other sections answer everything you've ever wondered about disaster prepping, including what being a survivalist entails, how to equip your home for survival situations, what gear is essential for a survivalist to own, what elements are essential in a good emergency plan, what types of disasters you can expect to face in your lifetime, and more. So what are you waiting for? With 150 Survival Secrets, you'll be prepared for anything and everything.