A house of one's own

the long version

In 1987 Minneapolis architect James Stageberg designed an innovative house for his wife, writer Susan Allen Toth, drawing on his thirty years of experience as an architect and on Susan's spontaneity, wit, and wholehearted love of houses. Now they have combined their talents once again in this book. In the first section, the authors address basic questions about working with an architect: how to select one, how to establish effective communication, and how to participate in planning your dream house. From the overall appearance of the house to the small but crucial decisions that make a house livable, they dispel myths and offer guidance. In the second section, they use their own experience as an example of the architectural process. From choosing a site to selecting the finishing touches, they explain the stages necessary to build a custom-designed home, recounting the problems they encountered and the solutions they discovered.--From publisher description.