cover image A House of One's Own

A House of One's Own

James Stageberg. Clarkson N Potter Publishers, $20 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-517-58214-5

Using as a focus the shared experience of building a ``getaway'' home, architect Stageberg and memoirist Toth ( Blooming: A Small-Town Girlhood ), who are married, offer an overview for those ready to hire an architect or others simply interested in learning how architects do their job. In ``Part One: Working with an Architect,'' Stageberg guides us through the architect-client relationship, from how to choose a professional to analyses of each room in the house-to-be (a bathroom, for example, is greatly helped by a window, an entryway by a mudroom). In ``Part Two: At Work on Wind Whistle,'' the authors recall the design and building process of their very own house--the ``awe'' Toth felt at discovering the site for the house, the melding of tastes (he liked things simple and elegant, she prized color and inventiveness). Examples of design and construction challenges lend a sense of reality to reading, as does a discussion of costs. Together Stageberg and Toth have created a useful book that combines the ideas of practitioner and architectural muse. Detailed photos prove their points. (June)