Synopses & Reviews
Convertible Houses
Amanda Lam and Amy Thomas
Convertible Houses shows how to use creative design, flexible space planning, and convertible devices to make every inch in your home work harder Showcasing dozens of examples of convertible design, authors Amanda Lam and Amy Thomas illustrate the principles of multipurpose living that enable dwellers to enjoy more functionality in a finite amount of space. Learn the most successful strategies employed by architects, designers, and homeowners, with chapters devoted to specific devices in action, such as sliding walls, removable partitions, and enveloping curtains.
Features include:
12 projects that exemplify the concept of flexible living-from foldaway kitchens to offices that double as bedrooms.
Information on the architect or firm, the design philosophy, how the occupant and architect worked together, inspiration for the design, and solutions provided.
Projects located in New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, Toronto, Hong Kong, Brazil, and more. How to create more function in every space with convertible devices such as movable walls, platforms and mezzanines, curtain walls, indoor/outdoor rooms, multiuse rooms, convertible furniture, and more.
Budget-conscious solutions for any type of home, plus an extensive resource section.
Writers Amanda Lam and Amy Thomas are very familiar with trying to get the most comfortable living accommodations and the most practical working arrangements out of their small New York City apartments. Thomas writes about everything from local design to international travel for publications such as CITY, Bust, Lucky, Metro newspaper and others. Lam honed her love for design and architecture during her time as the managing editor of CITY, a national lifestyle and design magazine.
Synopsis
Successful strategies for putting more bang into your blueprint
Synopsis
Trading up in real estate doesn't always mean adding square footage. In fact, more often than not, adding extra space isn't an option. That's where convertible design can go a long way. With a total of 950 square feet between them, authors Amanda Lam and Amy Thomas have mastered the essential tricks of maximizing their living spaces. In Convertible Houses, they guide you through dozens of examples of homes that uniquely accommodate multiple functions within a finite amount of space. Creative design and flexible space planning can make your square footage work twice as hard, no matter where you live. Renowned architects and creative homeowners from around the world share successful strategies for convertible living, from foldaway kitchens to foldout offices, from swiveling walls to cantilevering lofts, from one-room urban studios to palatial countryside homes. The examples in Convertible Houses offer professional insights, layman's tips, and plenty of inspiration. Through a mixture of color photography, floor plans, renderings, and engaging text, you'll see how convertible features can add more versatility to your living space. But what if you're not ready to hire a contractor and overhaul your home? Even if you don't have the budget to make architectural changes, Convertible Houses covers plenty of quick and easy changes you can make in an afternoon, or a weekend, to pack more functionality into your home. When Amy Thomas was growing up, her father, an interior designer, was constantly knocking down walls in their homes and rebuilding them so they were more functional-and more fabulous. These were lessons Amy carried with her when she bought her first apartment. Now living in Manhattan, she writes about everything from local design to international travel for publications such as CITY, Bust, Lucky, Metro newspaper and others. Amanda Lam honed her love for design and architecture during her time as the managing editor of CITY magazine. Four years ago, she relocated from the San Francisco Bay Area to New York City, where she became intimately familiar with the challenges of one-space living in a 436-square-foot studio apartment in Manhattan's Upper West Side. Amanda attended Stanford University, where she received her BA in Communication and her MA in Sociology.
Synopsis
Convertible Houses
Amanda Lam and Amy Thomas
Convertible Houses shows how to use creative design, flexible space planning, and convertible devices to make every inch in your home work harder Showcasing dozens of examples of convertible design, authors Amanda Lam and Amy Thomas illustrate the principles of multipurpose living that enable dwellers to enjoy more functionality in a finite amount of space. Learn the most successful strategies employed by architects, designers, and homeowners, with chapters devoted to specific devices in action, such as sliding walls, removable partitions, and enveloping curtains.