House & home / Design & Construction

Outdoor Shower

by Wayne Lennox

An outdoor shower is a practical, affordable cottage upgrade—much less expensive than adding a second bathroom, easier to keep clean, and a lot more fun too. Project designer Wayne Lennox provides the detailed...

The Old-House Doctor: The Essential Guide to Repairing, Restoring, and Rejuvenating Your Old Home

by Christopher Evers & Harriet Hason

"A reliable guide to treating the ailing geriatric dwelling."--Publishers Weekly. Old houses are charming, but owning one can be a labor of love. Expert carpenter and house "doctor" Christopher Evers equates...

Classic Outhouse

by Wayne Lennox

Biffy, kybo, privy. There are many words for “outhouse” but only one way to build the best: with Cottage Life’s Classic Outhouse. Award-winning cottage DIY expert Wayne Lennox provides comprehensive, step-by-step...

Smart Bunkie

by Wayne Lennox

Whether you want a bunkie as much-needed guest accommodation for friends and extended family, as a place for the kids to hide, or as an all-purpose extension of your cottage space, there are few buildings as...

Timber Frame Construction: All About Post-and-Beam Building

by Jack A. Sobon & Roger Schroeder

Timber frame construction, or post-and-beam building, is beautiful and often less expensive than the alternatives. Whether you are building a home yourself or hiring a builder, here is everything you need to...

Building Construction Handbook

by Roy Chudley & Roger Greeno

•  Ideal for students on all construction courses
• Topics presented concisely in plain language and with clear drawings
• Fully updated to include all revisions to Building and Construction regulations

Building...

Carter's Way: A No-Nonsense Method for Designing Your Own Super Stylish Home

by Chris Peterson, Carter Oosterhouse & Rachael Ray

Carter Oosterhouse knows how real people live and how intimidating home design can be. With his reassuring, “you can do it” attitude, he goes out of his way to show readers how to create realistic design...

The Modular Home

by Andrew Gianino

Are you thinking about buying and building a modular home or addition? This comprehensive handbook covers everything you need to know, from choosing a dealer and working with a general contractor to selecting...

Build a Classic Timber-Framed House: Planning & Design/Traditional Materials/Affordable Methods

by Jack A. Sobon

The classic timber-framed house is attractive, affordable, and easily expanded to meet the needs of a growing family. With the step-by-step instructions in this book you can build your own timber-framed house...

Everything You Need to Know About Building the Custom Home: How to Be Your Own General Contractor

by John Folds

More and more people are foregoing and aggravations of hiring a general contractor and opting to oversee their own homebuilding projects.

Early Mexican Houses: A Book of Photographs and Measured Drawings

by George W. Rustay, G. Richard Garrison & David Gebhard

Here is a wonderful collection of houses from the days of Mexico's viceroys, presented in this handsomely illustrated book. Every aficionado of architecture or home design will find the patios, window designs,...

Spanish Colonial or Adobe Architecture of California: 1800-1850

by Revel Edwards, Donald R. Hannaford & David Gebhard

In California, authentic Spanish colonial houses were built with local materials, using the traditions of both Spanish and New England settlers. This book gives architects, home builders and historians a chance...

Quintessentially Living

by Nathalie Grainger

Quintessentially Living is a collection of some of the finest and most exciting home interiors companies, manufacturers and selected designers. Covering all areas of luxury living; from full turnkey design solutions...

The Organized Kitchen: Keep Your Kitchen Clean, Organized, and Full of Good Food-and Save Time, Money, (and Your Sanity) Every Day!

by Brette Sember

An organized kitchen is the salvation every busy cook needs! You'll save yourself time, money, and stress—all while whipping up delicious, healthy meals your family and friends will love.

From aprons to zesters,...

Home Plan Doctor

by Larry W. Garnett

Every new house begins with a dream—and a home plan. But it can be terrifying to commit a lifetime of savings to a two-dimensional drawing that's difficult to interpret and visualize. Will the space meet your...

The Zero-Carbon House

by Martin Godrey Cook

'Zero Carbon' is an abstract concept for most people, but we have lived energy-profligate lifestyles for too long on finite fossil-fuel resources. We now face potential environmental catastrophe from climate...

Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies

by Eric Corey Freed

Want to build responsibly, reduce waste, and help preserve the environment? Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies is your friendly, step-by-step guide to every facet of this Earth-friendly method of construction....

Dry Run

by Jerry Yudelson

In the Age of Scarcity now upon us, fresh water shortages are an increasingly serious global problem. With water restrictions emerging in many developed countries and water diversions for industrial, urban,...

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Solar Power for Your Home, 3rd Edition

by Dan Ramsey & David Hughes

All the power you need is already there.

This third edition helps readers understand the basics of solar (photovoltaic) power and explore whether it makes sense for them, what their options are, and what's...

Compact Cabins: Simple Living in 1000 Sqaure Feet or Less; 62 Plans for Camps, Cottages, Lake Houses, and Other Getaways

by Gerald Rowan

The setting might be a sparkling lakefront, a cool clearing in the woods, a breathtaking mountaintop, or an expansive beach, but the dream of a modest retreat from everyday life often includes a simple little...