Reviews
"This lengthy first chapter, on its own, makes "Staying Put" an essential resource for every homeowner contemplating a remodel, upside down, house-bound or not. Dickinson puts his years of experience to very effective use, creating decision tools for homeowners to understand the properties of their home and their visions vis-a-vis the most common remodeling disasters, which can involve spiraling costs and unsatisfactory outcomes. He empowers readers to make informed decisions about which projects to take on and whether to remodel at all. And if the dozens and dozens of images in the book are not enough, the companion site stayingput.com offers many more for your inspiration." --Tara-Nicholle Nelson, Inman News, Duo Dickinson is not only a talented architect and author, but also an irrepressible spirit who isn't afraid to tweak the whiskers of the king or call a spade a spade. This book is not only about a subject that is extremely timely, given the state of both the housing market and the economy, but also an absolute delight to read. How many books do you know that can give you multiple and frequent full-throttle belly laughs while delivering basic and simple advice about how to make friends with, and even come to love, the house that until recently you'd imagined you'd be moving up from sometime in the not-too-distant future? Duo's latest opus does just that. I loved every page of this fact-filled, practical book. It's worth your time to read, even if you're not planning to remodel any time soon. But my guess is that by the time you're finished, you may be closer to a remodeling than you thought. --SARAH SUSANKA, FAIA--architect and author of "Not So Big Remodeling, "and" The Not So Big House" series A book whose subject is home renovation but is just as much about common sense as it is about aesthetic sense. Dickinson, whose designs tend toward the traditional and the comfortable, argues that our obsession with the now-burst real estate bubble propelled people to design houses for resale value rather than for livability, and to imagine that by constantly moving up, they'd get the home they always wanted. You may not be so eager (or able) to trade up now, but the architect shows you how a so-so house can become just right. These pages are crammed with good advice (avoid gutters at all costs; add wide eaves instead) and realistic assessments of the way we live now. Straightforward before-and-after photographs fit the mood of this cheerful, no-nonsense book. -PILAR VILADAS, "T: The New York Times " Could there be a more perfect book for this American moment? Figuring out how to hunker down happily--replacing unsustainable fantasies of shelter porn with long-term,, "Staying Put: Remodel Your House to Get the Home You Want "($24, The Taunton Press, 2011) is an everyman's guide to innovative, thoughtful renovations that make the most of what you've got....Whether it's a growing family that needs more space, or an empty-nest couple looking for a "fresh" start, Dickinson has it covered. His passion for visually appealing home improvement, while staying on a budget, results in basic strategies that will allow you to turn the house you have into the house you love. --Alyssa Lusky"boston.com" (01/20/2012), Architect Dickinson ( House on a Budget: Making Smart Choices To Build the Home You Want ) shares information on remodeling or adding on to an older home to bring it up-to-date for today's lifestyles. Close to 50 projects for which Dickinson was the architect are shown with nearly 350 photographs, including before-and-after views of the homes and floor plans. Many projects focus on porches and entries, but there are also kitchens, bedrooms, baths, living rooms, and home offices. Throughout, Dickinson provides an abundance of information about what to consider during every phase of the process (e.g., zoning, costs, builders). This volume will give home owners a realistic view of a remodel or addition., "This lengthy first chapter, on its own, makes "Staying Put" an essential resource for every homeowner contemplating a remodel, upside down, house-bound or not. Dickinson puts his years of experience to very effective use, creating decision tools for homeowners to understand the properties of their home and their visions vis-à-vis the most common remodeling disasters, which can involve spiraling costs and unsatisfactory outcomes. He empowers readers to make informed decisions about which projects to take on and whether to remodel at all. And if the dozens and dozens of images in the book are not enough, the companion site stayingput.com offers many more for your inspiration." --Tara-Nicholle Nelson, Inman News, Staying Put: Remodel Your House to Get the Home You Want ($24, The Taunton Press, 2011) is an everyman's guide to innovative, thoughtful renovations that make the most of what you've got....Whether it's a growing family that needs more space, or an empty-nest couple looking for a "fresh" start, Dickinson has it covered. His passion for visually appealing home improvement, while staying on a budget, results in basic strategies that will allow you to turn the house you have into the house you love. , Duo Dickinson is not only a talented architect and author, but also an irrepressible spirit who isn't afraid to tweak the whiskers of the king or call a spade a spade. This book is not only about a subject that is extremely timely, given the state of both the housing market and the economy, but also an absolute delight to read. How many books do you know that can give you multiple and frequent full-throttle belly laughs while delivering basic and simple advice about how to make friends with, and even come to love, the house that until recently you'd imagined you'd be moving up from sometime in the not-too-distant future? Duo's latest opus does just that. I loved every page of this fact-filled, practical book. It's worth your time to read, even if you're not planning to remodel any time soon. But my guess is that by the time you're finished, you may be closer to a remodeling than you thought. --SARAH SUSANKA, FAIA -architect and author of Not So Big Remodeling, and The Not So Big House series Could there be a more perfect book for this American moment? Figuring out how to hunker down happily--replacing unsustainable fantasies of shelter porn with long-term, real-life shelter love--is the new name of the game, and I know of no more expert, charming guide than Duo Dickinson. --KURT ANDERSEN , host of public radio's Studio 360 and author of Heyday People used to fix up their houses mainly to impress potential buyers-whose standards, they figured, were higher. But nowadays nobody's buying, so why not impress yourself? If you follow Duo Dickinson's excellent advice, you'll end up with a house you won't want to leave even to go to the grocery store. --DAVID OWEN , staff writer for The New Yorker and author of Green Metropolis: Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less are the Keys to Sustainability
