New Rooms for Old Houses: Beautiful Additions for the Traditional Home

by Frank Shirley

A cramped kitchen. A bedroom that lacks elbow room. A living room that's no fun living in. It's the age-old dilemma of owning an old house...you want to add space by making an addition but don't want to damage your home's integrity. Now The Taunton Press and the National Trust for Historic Preservation have joined forces to bring you outstanding design solutions.

Renowned architect Frank Shirley will share dozens of proven...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1561588857
• ISBN13: 9781561588855
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Taunton Press
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 3.27 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 9.5" x 11.1"

Customer Reviews

A Book For Dreamers And Doers

Wonderful book. As a homeowner and dreamer of owning an old house that may include plans for an addition, I was very much interested in learning the details of such an undertaking. This beautifully done book book provided me with the understanding to begin the process (at least in my mind for now!)with it's thoughtful consideration of different styles/architecture and how people once lived in these wonderful homes of the time vs how we live today and why the consideration of an addition to many old homes comes into play. I appreciate how chapters on old home additions reveal the history of the process from beginning to end and within the pages are some really great stories. I also found useful the chapters detailing the various materials used in construction of older historical and/or historic homes(there is a difference between the two and the book explains what that is). The author provides photos and insight into examples of ill planned/poorly concieved additions for the reader to see and gain a sense of why they don't work which I found very helpful. As an aside I live less than 2 miles from the Federal Style house in Marshalton, PA. I have driven by this magnificant home in it's country setting many times and it is interesting that I always sensed there was something about the house that intrigued me- since it appears that the entrance to the original drive was at a different location on the street at one time and at some point had been planted with Spruce trees to conceal the old entrance. I could not put my finger on it but as I looked at the old entrance in juxtaposition to the facade of the home at it now sits something of a question mark came into my mind. After reading Mr. Shirley's book I found out that the house had been moved from it's original foundation and reoriented prior to the new addition being undertaken. What a great piece to the puzzle I had vaguely pondered in my mind a time or two while driving by the property! And the architect who was involved with the renovation...I happened to grow up near him (about 20 miles away from where I now call home) and we rode the same school bus during high school. Loved this book, a great read-gave me lots of inspiration and clarity for that day when I pick up the phone and make that call to an architect to work with in the process of adding to my old house! And, for someone who often has 2 or 3 books going at one time, I found myself enjoying every page and putting other books on hold until I finished this delightful piece of work.

A Great Inspiration...

I researched long and hard for a few newly released books hopefully containing a lot of inspiring photos and decorating and design projects to help me with my home's restoration. Out of the 4 books I purchased, "New Rooms..." and Your Home A Living Canvas: Create Stunning Faux Finishes & Murals with Paint by Curtis Heuser - were by far the most helpful. "New Rooms..." is filled with historically accurate examples as to how to add architecturally add on to your existing home without losing its' original historic flavor - while "Your Home..." gives you loads of interior decorating advise as to how to recreate period charm after renovation. The book follows the complete interior artistic transformation of the author's 1890's historic home, with over 30 how to projects. I highly reccomend both books to anyone interested in home remodeling or restoration!

Helpful book

What I like about this book, besides all the great photos, is that it puts forth a few basic design principles about additions, which clarified the topic greatly, for me. I serve on the local historical commission, where we review proposals for "new rooms on old houses," and this book helped me isolate and understand the essential components of doing such projects "the right way." This book can help you avoid expensive, disappointing mistakes, and give you (and your community) more attractive results. I recommend it to anyone considering or building an addition on any structure.

A must read for older home additions !!!!!!

This book is a must read for anybody considering additions for older homes, and want them to be both functional and esthetically appealing. It will be especially helpful for persons planning to do any/all of the design work themselves, but is also useful to formulate ideas in cooperation with an architect. It is very well written, and easily understood by anybody. Many beautiful photographs of homes and additions are used to illustrate the author's suggestions. And Frank Shirley has the experience and credentials to make the work very credible.

A remarkable book

This is a remarkable book. By appearance, it is a handsome "coffee table" volume with stunning photographs of historical houses and rooms that are indeed beautiful. But it is far more. Frank Shirley writes with a clarity and grace to match the rooms and houses he describes. He presents detailed information that will give practical guidance to anyone considering work on a historical house, but those details will not distract the general reader who is simply interested in learning about older houses and successful experiences in renovating them.