Home of Her Own

For some women, homes are simply a means to an end -- places to eat, sleep, and store possessions. For others, the home is a symbol of self-expression, a reflection of one's taste and values. The acts of constructing and maintaining a home -- from dusting, sweeping, and furnishing, to designing, building, or remodeling, as well as covering the mortgage payment -- impart a sense of existential purpose, connection with the physical world, and a feeling of belonging in the human community. Illustrated with more than 100 color photographs, A Home of Her Own showcases a wide variety of homes and the painstaking measures that have gone into making them what they are.

"A lovely, brave and original book. Nancy's writing is compelling and her narrative makes one want to read the words as much as see the pictures." --Johnny Grey, creator of the "unfitted kitchen" and author of The Art of Kitchen Design: Planning for Comfort and Style and Kitchen Culture: Reinventing Kitchen Design. Indiana University Press

"Nancy's delightful, brave and original book... shows what comes about when women build their own homes. It breaks from the classic interior design format, so it has the missing bits included--mini-biographies of the individuals who have built against the odds, as well as indoor and outside photos. You get the whole picture, not just smart, primed-up, perfectly decorated interiors." --www.johnnygrey.com

"The book is more than a brick-and-mortar description of these unique, comfortable and comforting homes or of decorating advice or ideas on paint color. It is an emotional journey, delving into women's unique relationship with the places they call home." --her magazine for women

"Hiller charts the stories of 18 women for whom a house is more than just a roof over their heads. The tales of how these women managed to create distinctive spaces in the face of (and often spurred by) life's challenges are as relatable as they are inspiring. Although the accompanying photos exude an almost effortless grace, Hiller's text drives home an important restoration lesson: It won't be quick or easy, but it will be worth it." --Old House Journal Indiana University Press

"A Home of Her Own is a collection of stories of women and their homes, the connections and relationships they have with their spaces and the work they put in to making it happen. The stories of these remarkable women are chronicled not only through their words but also the beautiful photographs of Kendall Reeves." --alandesignstudioblog.blogspot.com

"I found this book enchanting from the beginning." --Kathryn Lofton, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and American Studies, Yale University Indiana University Press

"Nancy Hiller is a premier cabinetmaker with a fondness for wood and old houses, and with a storyteller's feel for character. Here she offers us a gallery of women who have created distinctive homes, often in buildings that others had abandoned, sometimes after having been abandoned themselves, always with resourcefulness and imagination. As these women restore the outward fabric of houses and gardens and furnishings, they also restore the fabric of their lives. Hiller honors their skill and pluck, and Kendall Reeves, through his photographs, enables us to glimpse the beauty of their creations. After reading this book, you will see your own home place with fresh eyes." --Scott Russell Sanders, author of A Conservationist Manifesto

"A wolf in sheep's clothing--Betty Friedan disguised as Martha Stewart--A Home of Her Own is a set of radical tales in female empowerment posing as a diversion for ladies who lunch." --WFIU Artworks

"Hiller writes with lyric grace about a subject with [which] she is well acquainted." --The Ryder

For some, home is simply a place to eat, sleep, and store possessions. For others, home offers intimate and rewarding opportunities for self-expression, becoming a reflection of taste, values, and even identity. The activities of constructing and maintaining a home can provide a sense of existential purpose, of belonging to a particular place along with others who have cared for that place before.

Illustrated with more than 100 color photographs, A Home of Her Own showcases a wide variety of homes and tells the stories of their making.

Nancy R. Hiller is a cabinetmaker and owner and principal designer at NR Hiller Design, Inc. She is author of The Hoosier Cabinet in Kitchen History (IUP, 2009) and has published in numerous period design and woodworking magazines, including American Bungalow, Old House Interiors, and Fine Woodworking.

Kendall Reeves is a professional photographer and owner of Spectrum Studio, Inc., in Bloomington, Indiana. His previous books include Bloomington: A Contemporary Portrait and Terre Haute: Crossroads of America.

Patricia Poore is a magazine editor and former publisher. She was owner and editor of Old-House Journal for twenty years and also founded GARBAGE, Old-House Interiors, Arts and Crafts Homes, and Early Homes magazines.

Foreword by Patricia Poore

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. A Painter's Haven

2. Trading Up

3. A House of Stone

4. Coming Home

5. Staying Home

6. A May-December Romance

7. Small Is Beautiful

8. Serial Monogamy

9. Thinking Inside the Box

10. Gratification Delayed

11. Love Lost, Then Found

12. Turn-of-the-Century Townhouse

13. Holding the World Together

14. Tenth Time's a Charm

15. Diverging from the Script

16. A Preference for Lawyers

17. Occupying Space

18. Home on the Range

Bibliography