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Books: Healthy Natural Homes, Healing Home Decor

We've included natural and healthy home building and home decor together with feng shui and space clearing in this category.

	The Healing Home: Creating the Perfect Place to Live With Colour, Aroma, Light and Other Natural Elements by Suzy Chiazzari  "Create a Tranquil Home... This book is inspiring. The pictures are beautiful and serve as a motivation to create a haven of healing and peace within the home. Suzi Chiazzari writes in a clear, personal style and lends credibility to how the home can influence our physical, mental and emotional well-being. The suggestions presented are practical and make sense without confusing "new age" rhetoric. Topics presented in THE HEALING HOME include the use of color and texture, aroma, the importance of light, how decor can de-stress one's life, and bringing nature into the home. Reviewed by "justcindy" from United States.
	Holistic Home: Creating an Environment for Spiritual and Physical Well-Being by Joanna Trevelyan  "comforting and inspiring... This book makes me want to toss out all my junk and surround myself with fresh light and air and color. As a lifelong packrat, anything that makes me feel like clearing the crap out of my house is pure magic in my book! The photos alone are gorgeous and I felt like I'd gone on a mini-vacation. As a person who is living with a chronic illness, that's a wonderful thing - being able to feel refreshed and rejuvenated simply by opening a book. "Holistic Home" makes me very aware that while my life might not be perfect, there are certainly things I can do to make it BETTER and more pleasant. Combine this with Karen Kingston's books and create a brighter, healthier, more joyous environment. Life is too short not to surround ourselves with beauty. " Reviewed by violetxoxox from Berkeley, CA
	The Healing House: How Living in the Right House Can Heal You Spiritually, Emotionally, and Physically by Barbara Bannon Harwood "A wonderful guide for anyone buying or designing a new home.  "The Healing House provides an excellent overview of how the places where we live can affect the way we live. I would recommend this book to anyone who is considering buying or designing a new home. The most important section of the book contains the "Healing House Design Principles" which explain both what features to look for in a new home and why they are important. Harwood talks about home building from hands-on experience as a builder, yet she has the gift of being able to explain important building concepts in terms that are easy to understand. For people who are more technically minded, there is a technical appendix in the back of the book. Barbara Harwood not only knows what she is talking about, but she strongly believes in what she is saying. Her knowledge, warmth and enthusiasm are likely to change the way many people think about houses."  Reviewed by William Young from Arlington, VA
	Contemporary Natural by Phyllis Richardson, Solvi dos Santos         "A sculptor's Manhattan loft apartment in a former button factory, a Russian artist's Normandy barn conversion, a furniture designer's Paris apartment, a jewelry designer's Spanish house...the Norwegian photographer Solvi dos Santos has roamed the globe seeking out artists and designers who surround themselves with natural materials and organic forms. The result is a unique style book that will never go out of fashion: these interiors are in harmony with today's tastes and preoccupations but are as timeless as nature itself.  For anyone dedicated to the use of natural materials, the boundaries between art and everyday existence blur. Wood becomes a table, a chair, or a sculpture in celebration of the warmth and solidity of the material itself. Stone becomes an essay in subtle hues. Clay speaks of the earth and hand-worked forms, whether as decorative object or kitchen vessel. There is something fascinating about the home of an artist. It is as though we feel that seeing his or her domestic space will bring us closer to the act of creation. We think again about our own homes and see how they can be revitalized through ideas from these pages, sparked not only by photographs but also by Phyllis Richardson's discerning commentaries. Here is a universal style book, drawing its examples from several continents, and revealing to the full how infinitely inspiring nature can be. 345 color photographs and illustrations."
	Art of Natural Building by Joseph F. Kennedy (Editor), Albert Bates, Catherine Wanek (Editor), Michael Smith  "Saving the Planet in Style.  I was trained as a philosopher - not an architect - but this is one of the most important books I have ever read. Philosophers dabble with theories of justice, beauty and truth, but in "Natural Building" you will discover how all of these ideas can be built into the very structure of our life. You will discover the ethics and aesthetics of building design. There is already a lot of architectural literature available, but none of it outlines the economic, ecological, and social significance of building like this book. None of the books that I have seen provide a philosophy along with technique. This book makes up for that loss. Today, around 5 million people on Earth work and live in buildings made of adobe, stone, rammed earth, straw bale, cob, wattle and daub and so forth. That is, most people live in earthen houses that rely heavily on renewable human labor and local resources - like mud, straw, rock and tree. These houses are not only less energy intensive, they also last longer, are less toxic (unlike most "modern" houses) and are often more beautiful, as this book shows. "Natural Building" questions the environmental responsibility of a 5,000-sq-foot, 500,000-dollar house. As more and more people make the kind of money it takes to live in an America dream-house, we must question the feasibility our of contemporary building practices. Would it be possible to deck the world out with modern houses? Aside from what a project of this immensity what mean environmentally, the resources are simply not available. There is simply not enough lumber, brick, cement, and processed material to go around. Our building industry would gladly sell us into oblivion if it meant a buck or two in the short-haul, but we need to get away from this kind of thinking. We also need to consider the environmental effects of our current practices. What are these impacts? As David Eisenberg of the Development Center for Appropriate Technology says, building already account for "one quarter of the world's wood harvest, two-fifths of its material and energy use, and one-six of its fresh water usage. In the past 100 years the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has risen 27 percent, one-quarter of which has come the burning of fossil fuels just to provide energy for buildings. During the same period, the world lost more than 20 percent of its forest" (p.27). Quite simply, our building philosophy is not sustainable; and the fact the population is rising at an incredible rate every year makes the reconstruction of this philosophy all the more timely and important. We can start by dropping out of the rat race and getting our hands dirty. Natural building is much more affordable, durable, environmentally responsible, and esthetically pleasing than the track homes and skyscrapers we see advancing on the horizon. We can also avoid the loan-mortgage game which weds us to unfulfilling job and Sisyphus-like life. We can create spaces that are non-toxic, unique, and ecologically sound. And perhaps most importantly, we can reconnect with Earth, nature and the spirit of artisanship. Along with the philosophy, you will discover a veritable treasure trove of natural building styles and ideas, from the radically new and innovative - like concept "earthship" - to the ancient and elegant, such as the living roof pictured on the cover. Skilled architects need not apply, nor must you be good with your hands to fashion your own natural house. I consider myself very fortunate to have seen this book before investing in a home of my own. Like many people, I might have ended up working the rest of my life to pay for "a house without a clue." Filled to the brim with great references, links and some amazing photographs, "Natural Building" a must for anybody interested in saving the planet - and saving a little money at the same time. The ultimate ecological building encyclopedia!"  Reviewed by "a reader from Portland, Oregon"
	The Natural House: A Complete Guide to Healthy, Energy-Efficient, Environmental Homes by Daniel D. Chiras.  "The Primer on Natural Building... If you're interested in building a natural home (cob, rammed earth, straw-bale, earthship, whatever), this is your primer. The author has done his homework and presents the description, pros/cons and pitfalls of each type of construction. He is very honest about just how "do-it-yourself" each type can be, and how much it will cost you. He also covers passive and active solar design, natural water capture and other alternative technologies to go with your natural home. This is an excellent overview on all these subjects. The best thing about this book is that he refers you to other sources for more detail - books, videos, newsletters and organizations that will support you, give you a workshop or just give you more detailed information than belonged in this primer book. I highly recommend this as the first book you read on the subject. Once you know which type of house you are interested in, you can pick up some of the other books he suggests on that building type."  Reviewed by Jody Iona Palm from Greeneville, TN
	The New Natural House Book: Creating a Healthy, Harmonious and Ecologically Sound Home by David Pearson  "Two good books when working with/on your house. The New Natural House book is one of two books that I recommend when people ask me which books I feel have helped me the most while working on my house renovation. The other book is The Healing House by Barbara Bannnon Harwood. The New Natural House Book is an excellent resource it covers material that you normally need five or ten books to cover. Alternative building methods, energy efficient lighting, indoor pollutants, color and light, non polluting paint, lighting design, sacred spaces, etc. and it is done in a thoughtful helpful way. I bought this book for one of the people that helped me on my project."  Reviewed by "a reader from New Orleans, LA"
	The Private House by Rose Tarlow  "Subtle and Serene... Rose Tarlow invites us into her rarefied world, and aren't we lucky. She has created sublimely elegant furniture and environments for a number of years, yet her work has not received the kind of extensive editorial coverage that some of her less talented contemporaries have. She has composed a relatively slim volume of words and images that is at once very personal yet instructional. We are given a peek into her private life with descriptions of the house she grew up in as well as the creation of her magnificent home in Bel Air California and other projects. She shares some of her fundamental design principals in addition to a history of how she began her very unique and successful career. This is a book for anyone who appreciates extraordinary design in addition to being a wealth of information culminated from a lifetime of exploration and study." Reviewed by "a reader from New York, NY"
	Clean, Naturally: Recipes for Body, Home, and Spirit by Sandy Maine  "Eco-friendly & easy-to-read recipes for natural home living.  The author is well known up here and this new book of hers is a great for any one who wants to run a more eco-friendly and economical household. It gives recipes for safe house cleaning solutions, laundry cleaners (this is an excellent section), and personal soaps for adults. There are even recipes for homemade diaper rash cream for babies (which I used on my fourteen-month old) and an all-natural flea shampoo for pets (which I used on our standard poodle). It is also a great read--lots of good advice and ideas for cutting down on harmful products we routinely use on our selves and in our home. I plan to give this as part of a shower present to a cousin of mine who is getting married." Reviewed bySuzanne F.Smith from Potsdam, New York
	Natural Interiors: Using Natural Materials and Methods to Decorate Your Home by Ali Hanan, Pip Norris "To find an inner equilibrium, we need to live close to nature. Our homes can recreate the natural environments that liberate us. Natural, untouched, raw, wholesome interiors feed our craving, nurturing and nourishing the spirit. Artificial interiors, on the other hand, are the fast food of modern home life, providing a transient solution that leaves us hungry for more. Pure, untouched, and stylish, this is the blueprint for natural decorating. Natural Interiors explores the ever-increasing range of natural products and methods, from the raw materials to how to integrate them into your home without losing comfort, efficiency or functionality. It explains the advantages of eco-friendly options over the mass-produced, the artificial and the processed, and delights in their unique and nurturing qualities. Natural materials are longer lasting, more beautiful and unique, healthier for us physically and emotionally, and better for the planet than artificial materials."
	Simple Style: Fresh Looks for a Pure Natural Home by Lindsay Porter
	Healthy House Building for the New Millennium by John Bower  "Fabulous book, lots of great information.  Here is the description of the house that the John Bower build to help his wife, who has MCS, recover. It discusses things they considered and what they actually used in THEIR OWN HOUSE. It also gives contact information so you can buy the products yourself. It is written by one of the experts in the area of healthy house building. I have used the book numerous times to help investigate safe building materials and methods for my own house. I too have a wife with MCS."  Reviewed by "a reader from Niles, MI"
	Prescriptions for a Healthy House by Paula Baker-Laporte, Erica Elliott, John Banta "A must read for keeping you and your family healthy.... If you want to stay healthy or have any health challenges, you should read this book. I recommend the book to most all of my patients. It is complete on what are the best products to use in your home to keep from making you ill. If you are building, or remodeling, this book will assist you in making healthier choices. The 3 writers should be congratulated for their extensive resource lists and efforts they put into the life saving information in their book." Reviewed by "a reader from Hawaii"
	The Naturally Clean Home: 101 Safe and Easy Herbal Formulas for Non-Toxic Cleansers by Karyn Siegel-Maier "I love it, I love it, I love it! I borrowed this book from my local library and followed up by purchasing a copy of my own. My main concerns were to have a safer environment for my two young children and to housekeep in a way that's as kind to the environment as possible. But it doesn't hurt that the recipes are both effective and smell wonderful! I love the "lavender soft scrubber", the "country spice scrubber" and the "cedarwood duster aid". The "fleas-be-gone carpet treatment" didn't hurt either, since I have two cats. I highly recommend this book. For people who are also interested in making their own face and body care products, Better Basics for the Home by Annie Berthold-Bond and Rosemary Gladstar's Herbs for Natural Beauty are also wonderful. One hint: Several of the recipes use baking soda, which can leave a residue. I've found that it rinses off very cleanly if you use a combination of water and white vinegar to rinse after cleaning."  Reviewed by "marmalade-cat" from New England
	The Natural House Catalog: Everything You Need to Create an Environmentally Friendly Home by David Pearson (Editor) "Fascinating to this beginner. Alternative building is a recent interest of mine. I hope to have my next home built in a way that is more in harmony with nature and less in harmony with sending my money to utility companies! Looking through this book introduced me to ideas about building that are new to me. The book includes information on where to purchase the technologies discussed in the book. I recommend this book to fellow novices who want to know what is available in Earth friendy architecture." Reviewed by didaskalos (see more about me) from Shreveport, LA
	The New Independent Home: People and Houses That Harvest the Sun by Michael Potts  "Excellent book on independent, sustainable living!  "The New Independent Home" is a cornucopia of good information and thought provoking discussion. A thoroughly enjoyable read, I found myself (currently in the throws of re-evaluating where and how my family and I live) unable to put this book down. The author covers not just the technology of independent homes; there is extensive discussion of the whole sustainable living philosophy of independent home dwellers. The numerous interviews with folks actually living in these homes, many of them off-the-grid even when that is not a necessity, add a very real dimension to the author's presentation. This is not just some "chuck it all - back to the land" book either; the info (and interviews) cover the spectrum of not only remote living but also the quite urban; the thoughts, ideas, and technology here are applicable to all situations. And community building is an important part of sustainability; none of the independent homeowners presented here are hermits. There is a real sense of their place in their communities, both the local one, and the wider community of like-minded folks wherever they may live. For someone thinking about their place in our crazy world and how to move toward a sustainable, ecological, sane way of living, this is the best book I've found. Buy this book! Read it!" Reviewed by Geoff Allsup from New England
	The Passive Solar House (Real Goods Independent Living Books) by James Kachadorian "Well thought out. It is amazing how many houses are plopped down in this country with no consideration of the sun. After reading this book, it becomes apparent that even if we built the same houses, but simply oriented them with respect to the sun (i.e., windowed rooms facing south, closets on the north wall, etc.) we could make drastic reductions in our consumption of natural resources. The book has general information on site selection, house layout, etc. but also details a manner of building involving forgoing a basement for a floor of concrete (for thermal mass), window placement and insulating shutters. During the day, the house will not overheat because the 'solar slab' soaks it up, while at night recirculation techniques are outlined that make this heat available and comfortable at night. The book also includes all the formulas used in the calculations of thermal mass, window sizing, etc. Even if you don't plan on building the house in this book, I got some great ideas involving placement of a hearth (a vertical thermal mass) in front of windows to put the sun to work minimizing the need for heating fuel. If you are planning a house, I'd highly recommend this book."  Reviewed by dgulick from Littleton, CO
	Naturally Modern: Creating Interiors with Wood, Leather, Stone, and Natural Fabrics by Ros Byam Shaw  "Highly recommended reading for the novice homeowner. Naturally Modern: Creating Interiors With Wood, Leather, Stone, And Natural Fabrics is a practical how-to guide for creating handsome, functional home interiors using natural materials including wood, leather, stone, as well as textiles such as cotton, linen, and wool. Design writer Ros Shaw's "reader friendly", informative, and occasionally inspiring text is enhanced with 250 photographs of contemporary American, European, and Asian rooms that offer concepts and appearances that are beyond the vagaries of short-term fads and transient fashions. Highly recommended reading for the novice homeowner as well as the experienced interior designer, Naturally Modern is a welcome and invaluable contribution to any personal, professional, and community library interior design reference book collection." Reviewed by Midwest Book Review from Oregon, WI
	More Books: Healthy Natural Homes, Healing Home Decor Herbs for Health and Beauty Immortality, Rejuvenation, Life Extension, Longevity Juices and Juicing Loving Relationships and Lovemaking Metaphysics and Spirituality Natural Beauty and Cosmetics Natural Fitness, Spiritual Bodywork Natural Health and Healing Natural Remedies Organic Gardening and Permaculture Personal Growth Raw Food Lifestyle and Theory Sprouts and Sprouting, including Wheatgrass Uncookbooks Wild Food and Foraging

 

 

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