[PDF] Black Artists in British Art: A History since the 1950s (International Library of Visual Culture) by Eddie Chambers at Arts-Photography

Review

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful. Heavy on Design; Light Prefab/Modular How-ToBy Kelly Garbato"PreFab Home" is an interesting read for anyone considering building a home; prefab or not. In it; designer and author Michael Buchanan follows one modular house through the design; building; and decorating processes. However; if you know little to nothing about modular homes; you might be disappointed with the scope of "PreFab Home.""PreFab Home" is divided into five chapters: History of Modular Construction; The Language of Modular Construction; Design Recipe for a Modular Bungalow; Updating Arts and Crafts Detail; and Creating the Look for Less. As you can see from the chapter headings; the book is as much about designing and decorating a home in general as it is about prefabricated/modular homes specifically. Personally; this came as a bit of a disappointment to me - when I borrowed "Prefab Home" from my library; I expected to find a guide that focused on modular homes: how to choose a dealer and a model; how the construction and installation processes progress; how to shop for a contractor and finishing crew; etc. Decorating a modular home is the same as decorating a stick-built home; so I didnt anticipate much design advice. I wanted to learn about prefab homes; and the title of the book IS "PreFab Home;" so I didnt think that my expectations were unreasonable!Buchanan does touch upon the issues unique to modular homes; including the ones mentioned above. But be warned: his discussion is usually superficial. This is certainly helpful for the merely curious; but if youre really serious about building a modular home; youll definitely need to purchase additional books to guide you through the process. In many ways; "PreFab Home" is like a glossy brochure for the modular home industry: Buchanan spends more time trying to convince readers that prefab homes can indeed be Fabulous; and less time explaining how exactly you should go about designing; choosing; and building one. A noble cause; yes; but kind of pointless; since anyone who buys a book about modular homes is probably considering buying or building one already!Also; because the book follows one home from start to finish; Buchanan focuses on one style ad nauseam: the Arts and Crafts bungalow. While he does offer some practical decorating tips that anyone can utilize; in many ways; "PreFab Home" reads (and looks) like an Arts and Crafts tribute album. This is great for fans of the period; not so great if youre less than crazy about frilly; cluttered interior design.Overall; "PreFab Home" offers a decent introduction to modular homes for newbies. If you know nothing about modular homes and are curious; "PreFab Home" is a nice; light read. If you know nothing about modular homes but are considering building one; "PreFab Home" may or may not be helpful; there are some great photos; but not a lot of practical; hands-on; how-to advice. If you already know the prefab home basics and/or arent an Arts and Crafts fan; pass this one up.10 of 10 people found the following review helpful. Perhaps a nice book; but as much about decorating as prefabBy Gina NormanAbout half of this book (from page 97 on) is devoted to decorating advice; which just isnt what I wanted. In fact; theres very little information here at all...the type is huge and there are many photos (though often the same thing shown from several different angles -- how many photos of room shells being lowered in to place do I need to see to understand how it works?).The book starts with an intro to prefab housing; which is fine; but better covered; IMHO; in the book Prefab Modern. The next section deals with the actual house construction; which was more useful; but still lacking in helpful detail: for example; the book talks about how they decided to "extend this roofline" but nowhere does it show you the floorplan for the house! Theres a sentence that said "Other design alterations had to be made due to building codes; wind velocity; shipping and factory capabilities" -- like what? If Im thinking about building a prefab home those are the questions Id like detailed in more specific.The bottom line; to me; is that if you know anything about how a prefab home works (because youve done online research or read another book like Prefab Modern) there will be little in this book that is new.13 of 14 people found the following review helpful. Design advice that goes beyond "pretty pictures"By P. S. PhillipsAs an interior design "hobbyist;" I subscribe to many home magazines and read many design books. Michael Buchanans PreFab Homes was no run of the mill book with lots of pretty pictures though. It was a breath of fresh air because it taught me something new. I was unaware of the potential for building (or redesigning) a true dream home; but on a budget within my means. Michael tells you where you should spend money; and where you can cut corners; to achieve a look that evokes a "wow" factor from friends without sacrificing comfort. His useful design advice is applicable to either your existing home; or new construction. If you are thinking of building from scratch; however; this book is a must read. I; like many I fear; was under the erroneous notion that a prefab home was some sort of modular; plastic-like trailer-home; good target practice for hurricanes; perhaps. Boy was I wrong - all prefab means; is that the home was constructed inside a factory first; instead of outside on site; and then shipped in large blocks to the site. Site built and modular are both constructed in the same manner using the same materials - stick built using wood; concrete; drywall; etc. Building inside a factory; by contrast; brings all material and workmen together in one location; taking weather totally out of the picture and bringing volume discounts in. That means giant cost savings to me; the home buyer. After reading about the authors successes and learning curve with the prefab medium; its easy to see how this methodology can be used to create dream homes for americans that have realistic budget constraints. And; yes; the pictures in the book ARE pretty AND instructional; a rare find. Thanks