Mountains, oceans, cliffs, rivers -- don't many of us want to live above the treetops? Aside from soaring views and dramatic vistas, these hillside homes designs offer practical and attractive solutions to the increasing demand for and scarcity of level land. Here are over 50 stunning hillside homes located across the United States, from Alaska to Cape Cod. Over 450 color photographs highlight unique design details of homes built on the edges of cliffs and peering through treetops. This insider's tour of cliffhanger living derives from 30 notable architects and designers who describe their work, its challenges, and rewards. The foreword, by Joseph Henry Wythe, describes his belief in the principles of organic architecture and architect Kathy Shaffer gives us her viewpoint on building a hillside house. You may find your dream house here or the inspiration to build a dream of your own.

In this collection of works by more than 25 contemporary ice artists, discover a fascinating art medium defined by its ephemeral nature. Merging creativity and engineering, today's ice artist can create incredibly complex artwork, featured here in more than 150 photos. Ice sculpting's history and impact are described by champion sculptor James Stugart, including events such as the ice festival in Harbin, China. Sculpting firm owner Justin Gordon explains the tools and techniques, and Dick Brickley, former chair of the BP World Ice Arts Championships held in Fairbanks, Alaska, relates the history of this largest international competition. As sculptor Ben Firth says, "Carving ice is a good reminder that no art lasts forever; that, in the end, art is not about creating a permanent object, but about changing people."

The first in a two-volume survey, readers are invited to reexamine the history of the West and its art through a multifaceted modern lens. More than 40 artists are included who reflect the tremendous diversity, depth, and breadth of a field steeped in history. While some follow the traditions established by Remington and Russell, others seek to break from tradition, busting myths and bringing new insights and artistic styles to the genre. They come from both sides of the Mississippi and have pedigrees that range from bona fide cowboy or Native American credentials to careers in commercial illustration. The unifying theme is a common concern for and commitment to their art and the West itself. In this volume, contemporary artists are featured whose work revolves around the American cowboy. Within these pages, many different artists, some of whom have been cowboys themselves, exhibit their rendition of the wonderful world of the West.

Scotland is one of the most haunted countries in the world. With centuries of battles, seers, curses, and illicit romances, it is no surprise that Scotland has more than its share of ghost stories and legends. Learn about the many haunted castles with their creepy dungeons, secret tunnels, and winding passageways; and see a Green, White, or even an occasional Grey Lady. Follow the ambitious clans, the family feuds, and the constant troubles with the English. Reflect on the rich blend of Celtic myths and legends, and the fairy world. Scotland abounds with stories of kelpies, selkies, and mermaids, and tales of shape-shifting witches, ghosts, and family curses - not to mention its famous lake monster. Spend some time in historic, haunted Scotland - if you dare!

Many supernatural creatures are said to inhabit our world. Their magical, wonderland realm has been the subject of many books, movies, and our childhood dreams. In this richly illustrated book, 30 designers from around the world transform natural settings into enchanting displays that recreate that sense of wonder. Using artificial flowers, fabric, sticks, wire, crystals, berries, acorns, baskets, and polymer clay, these designers have been inspired to create their own “once upon a time” fairy home and garden for special events, storytelling, or just because they believe in fairies. In doing so, they tap into our inner child and help us to imagine a new world. This is a wonderful resource for designers and artists, as well as parents, teachers, or anyone looking to create their own magical place.

The works of 106 contemporary artists provide a fresh look at the artistic vibrancy of the Rocky Mountain West region of the United States. More than 600 photos of these artists' works--in sculpture, mixed media, paint, photography, and other contemporary mediums--show us a stunning variety. Each artist also offers a personal description of his or her art. A perfect gift or reference, this resource changes the way we perceive the Rocky Mountain West region and the world. A foreword by Rose Fredrick, curator of the Coors Western Art Exhibit & Sale, contributes insights on "Contemporary West: Myth, Truth, and What Lies Between."

Through 349 images, celebrate America in all her glory. Whether it's a piece to hang on a wall, to be worn, or for marketing propaganda, see how sixty-four artists have represented the American flag and other patriotic symbols in their work. The American flag is an iconic image that inspires many, but it has also become a complex and controversial symbol since Congress first adopted it on June 14, 1777. These artists share not only their work but also the inspiration behind the pieces. Whether it's paying homage to a lost generation, remembering 9/11, or simply celebrating American pride, the various cultural and political viewpoints that define the country today are expressed through a variety of art forms-from watercolor paintings to crazy quilts, from oils to matchboxes, and from mixed media to digital. Let these images inspire you.

This book takes you through 53 homes that reflect the growing trend for environmentally friendly houses. Resource- and energy-efficient residences are designed to be healthy, comfortable, and easy to live in, and construction of a sustainable home includes using less energy, fewer natural resources, and fewer toxic chemicals. The homes featured here meet a variety of guidelines: LEED, a point-based system with specific certification criteria; green, a construction standard based on reduction of energy use; Passive House, a design standard that can result in a super-insulated, airtight home; and natural, a type of construction using natural resources without technological intervention. More than 300 images show a wide variety of designs and styles, including cottages and beach houses, prairie and vineyard residences, prefabricated and renovated homes, and much more.

Massachusett's Harvard Square is one of the busiest and most exciting spots in New England. The heart of it is Harvard University with all its history, tradition, and ivy-covered, red brick walls. \nOver 250 vintage postcards display the growth of Harvard Square - from a sleepy village, where General George Washington took command of the colonial troops, to a contemporary city. Harvard Square, and the city of Cambridge by extension, still retains many historic buildings and churches and its student population with all its associated, diverse, cosmopolitan attractions.

Homes that sit on the water's edge offer tranquility and tradition that have long been part of the American dream. For those looking to pursue that dream as a vacation home, a vacation to retirement home, or primary residence, this image-driven decor book presents more than 50 waterfront homes in the continental United States. From multi-million-dollar castles to Mediterranean-style villas to rustic cottages and contemporary condos, they provide inspiration through nearly 350 color photographs. See design choices professional interior designers made to decorate these homes in settings along oceans, lakes, and ponds. An ideal book for the dreamer, planner, and designer in you; use the resources section to turn your vision for a waterfront lifestyle into reality.

The works of 100 contemporary artists interpret and provide a fresh look at the artistic vibrancy of the Northwest region of the United States. The states of Oregon and Washington are rich with artists, having become vital art scenes in the past several decades. Using sculpture, glass, oil, clay, wood, and other contemporary mediums, as well as paint, these 21st century artists combine, redesign, and transform their materials into pieces of works that change the way we perceive both the regions of the Northwest and the world. With a guide to galleries, sculpture parks, museums, and schools, this book is a wonderful resource for lovers of all art mediums.

There's no clear-cut beginning or end between the conclusion of paganism and the beginning of Christianity in Ireland. The old gods lingered, but the Celtic Church was established, thanks to St. Patrick, by the fifth century in Ireland. Stirring Irish tales of demons and banshees, restless dead, and magical beasts were written down by Christian scribes centuries later. Christianity did not lead to happiness on this island, however. Its history has been dominated by its striving for independence from Great Britain. Its beautiful, but bleak, landscape of ruined castles, devastated abbeys, prehistoric stone circles, and foggy bogs contain many vengeful ghosts. Follow the ambitious Irish chiefs and the English kings, the family feuds, and the constant troubles with the English in over 30 spine-tingling tales. Reflect on the rich blend of Celtic myths and legends, and the worlds of fairies and leprechauns. When you read these stories, you will soon appreciate why the Irish have such a belief in the forces of the unknown.

From beehive to hotplate to the artist's hand, encaustic has evolved as a versatile medium applied to almost every artistic style. A long-overdue look at a newly popular art form, this book explores 79 North American artists' feelings about their work in encaustic and how they use it to express their inner worlds and the world around them. Eight chapters organize the artists by geographical region and focus on how the heated beeswax and resin material is used to create seductive, skin-like surfaces and rich, layered membranes. More than 2,000 years old, this cross-disciplinary medium ranges from painting to sculpture, assemblage, collage, and printmaking and encourages risk-taking in a way that other materials do not. Its inherent contradictions--it can be hot or cold, malleable or solid, opaque or translucent, layered or thin, permanent or fragile--make it all the more fascinating.

The stark beauty of the Southwest mountains and deserts have attracted numerous artists working in many media. Painters, sculptors, potters, jewelers, and photographers study and work in this region, which is steeped in rich heritage and natural beauty. This eye-catching book contains a thoughtfully written foreword by Julie Sasse, Chief Curator and Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Tucson Museum of Art, and over 600 compelling photos of the contemporary artwork from Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. The materials used are varied, ranging from stoneware to steel and everything in between. The subject matter includes the natural landscape, wildlife, and human life, historical scenes, and whimsical imagery, in forms both realistic and abstract. Each artist provides valuable insight into their work. The author states that the book's intent is to take a fresh look at the magical and insightful ways the area's artists have interpreted life in this region. That it does.

The South is known for its preserved mansions but many more beautiful twenty-first century houses preserve that same sense of ambiance. In over 400 full-color images, twenty Southern design professionals with varying architectural styles exhibit their award-winning work, ranging from classical Georgian symmetry to modernist traditions infused with fascinating flair. From Virginia to Arkansas, their work features expansive, open floor plans, walls of glass, and the use of indigenous materials. You can still see those Greek revival columns and the walls of hinged shutters, but you can also observe a remarkable range of homes that skillfully reflect their physical and cultural milieus within the contemporary era. Glass walls and open floor plans notwithstanding, these residences offer charm and authenticity. The architects' diverse backgrounds and design philosophies are shaping the South in the twenty-first century.

A long-overdue book documenting a state with a growing population, this richly illustrated collection of homes displays the work of 34 Texas architects whose buildings embrace their region and place. These award-winning residences vary in style, scale, budget, and site, but they are all positioned to incorporate the Texas light, landscape, and local materials. More important, they are designed and constructed to deal with the prospect of climate change, including Texas-size hurricanes, tornadoes, heat, and drought. Readers will appreciate the regional rigor of these buildings sited on the Hill Country's arid escarpments, deep in the piney woods of East Texas, and in the insufferable heat of the southern coastal plain. Being Texas proud means being place proud, yet all of the projects showcase principles that are surprisingly universal.

Foggy London is one of the most haunted cities in the world, with blood, death, intrigue, and many ghosts tainting its colorful history. Read about the tortured soul Margaret of Salisbury, a pawn of kings, who now wanders the Tower of London; voices of drowning Jews on the River Thames; and the She Wolf who clutches the silver casket of Edward II. Read how Anne Boleyn's ghost frightens those brave enough to frequent the room where she spent her last night. Consider the legend of the degenerate law student who may not have learned his lesson or the miserly ferryman who learned his very well. Reflect on Sir Francis Drake and his warning drum as you tour haunted buildings, parks, and churches with an artful storyteller.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, is haunted by history, from the eternally fanatic Puritans and Royalists to the clever specters of Harvard and MIT. Explore many ghosts and legends of the area. Thrill to a game of Hide and Seek with a ghost dressed in red velvet. Consider a British prisoner who blows out candles in Christ Church. Be amazed at the ability of the Irish to leave their land on "coffin ships" to make their way to Massachusetts. Marvel at the ambition of East Apthorp, who haunted Harvard students through the twentieth century, the generosity of Harry Widener, who still haunts his library, and the birth of forensic science at one of the great criminal trials of the nineteenth century. Chuckle at great pranks pulled by Harvard and MIT students. These stories are part of history; now you can learn them, tooif you dare...

The first in a two-volume survey, readers are invited to reexamine the history of the West and its art through a multifaceted modern lens. More than 40 artists are included who reflect the tremendous diversity, depth, and breadth of a field steeped in history. While some follow the traditions established by Remington and Russell, others seek to break from tradition, busting myths and bringing new insights and artistic styles to the genre. They come from both sides of the Mississippi and have pedigrees that range from bona fide cowboy or Native American credentials to careers in commercial illustration. The unifying theme is a common concern for and commitment to their art and the West itself. In this volume, contemporary artists are featured whose work revolves around the American cowboy. Within these pages, many different artists, some of whom have been cowboys themselves, exhibit their rendition of the wonderful world of the West.

One hundred artists have come together to share the distinctiveness of New England. Oil paintings, glass and metal sculptures, and works in wood offer a fresh look at this region's long, rolling hills and famous autumn colors. Learn histories of the art colonies, including Rockport-Gloucester and Provincetown, Massachusetts; Monhegan Island and Ogunquit, Maine; Old Lyme and Cos Cob, Connecticut; and North Conway, Cornish Colony, and MacDowell Colony, New Hampshire. A great resource for artists, collectors, and art dealers, as well as art historians.

Statues, fountains, sundials, and obelisks--don't most of us want to live with beauty in a garden? Garden ornaments can breathe life into a garden, no matter its size. When art is placed in a garden, we are invited to explore and enjoy the experience. Abstract silhouettes, playful images, and forms in perfect balance bring discoveries with each new view. This new book presents nearly 500 color photographs of over 350 garden ornaments: animals, maidens, children, miniature trains, urns, gates, pavilions, topiary, birdhouses, and many more. Experience an insider's tour of garden ornaments and learn from five notable artists as they describe their philosophies of art. Elizabeth Schumacher suggests how to select the perfect garden ornament and Hugh Collins, Jr. describes the magical journey you embark upon in integrating garden ornament, within your landscape. You may find a favorite garden ornament here, or find the inspiration to create a setting and display your own collection.

The reptiles and amphibians surrounding us are more than 17,000 species of fascinating and beautiful wildlife that many of us usually ignore. In this colorfully illustrated book, 20 artists have taken those cold-blooded animals as inspiration and transformed them into pieces of art that change the way we perceive our world. The unusual shapes, glittering colors, and perfectly adapted bodies of chameleons, turtles, snakes, frogs, and even dinosaurs offer us new ways to see and be inspired, in media ranging from fiber to glass and from paper to gold.

For those interested in creating a one-of-a-kind home in a condo or apartment building, this book offers a voyeuristic peek at the way people design, construct, and accessorize these often challenging spaces. Thirty beautifully photographed projects illustrate how their designers overcame the constraints of high-rise living to enhance the owners' comfort. Learn how one architect brought elusive light into the center of a condo in Washington, DC's Dupont Circle neighborhood, visit the "stair bridge" in a Vermont ski condo, and observe the visual tricks used to open a Florida penthouse to ocean views. See how designers are raising the bar on an increasingly popular housing type, whether it is an urban pied-a-terre or an airy condo on a California beach.

260 beautiful color photographs capture the beauty and charm of historic and recently designed boathouses at private residences, rowing clubs, preparatory schools, and colleges. Together they provide an historical appreciation and architectural inspiration of this classic building form.In the United States, boathouses belonged with straw hats, parasols, and lovely picnic lunches as part of the Gilded Age, when some people had the wherewithal to build housing for their boats and time to enjoy the rivers and lakes. Many of the boathouses shown are unique, using local resources and materials in their construction. For vacationers in rural New England or upstate New York, boathouses were a part of their summer vacation. Today, many old ones are disappearing through weather, neglect, fire, and vandalism. However, increasingly, schools are building and restoring boathouses on their campuses. Jeff Peterson, a rower and an award-winning architect, wrote the foreword. His Cambridge, Massachusetts, firm has designed boathouses and rowing tanks from Florida to Washington state, and in several foreign countries.

New York State harbors blood and death, haunted houses, and many ghosts. Read a colorful and horrific history of Peter Stuyvesant, the French and Indian War, and 9/11. Meet pre-Revolutionary ghost Jane McRea, the headless soldier of Fort Niagara, the spirit of Grace Brown of Big Moose Lake, and those who haunt Boldt Castle, Kings Park State Hospital, and West Point. Meet a few monsters, too: Champ, Bigfoot, and, of course, the Headless Horseman. Pull up a chair and delight to fascinating tales of New York.