The Cottage Book

Rating:
Summary: The classic book on San Francisco Bay Area cottages
Review: I am a native San Franciscan living in a middle-of-the-block cottage in what the author calls "that quirky San Francisco tradition of a back yard house." With the assistance of Sally B. Woodbridge's excellent historical introduction, Richard Sexton describes our San Francisco Bay Area cottages perfectly. The superb photographs complement quotes from some of the owners regarding what they think about their cottages: "Living in a cottage is somewhat like living on a ship. One learns to be very selective about possessions. The trade-off is the uniqueness of the living experience." And "Finding your cottage is like Goldilocks finding the chair that is just right. It wraps around you in cozy fashion and all seems right with the world." I've given copies of this book to friends who live elsewhere because it captures not only the joy of living in one of these cottages but helps all of us, no matter where we live, gain a better sense of home.

Rating:
Summary: The classic book on San Francisco Bay Area cottages
Review: I am a native San Franciscan living in a middle-of-the-block cottage in what the author calls "that quirky San Francisco tradition of a back yard house." With the assistance of Sally B. Woodbridge's excellent historical introduction, Richard Sexton describes our San Francisco Bay Area cottages perfectly. The superb photographs complement quotes from some of the owners regarding what they think about their cottages: "Living in a cottage is somewhat like living on a ship. One learns to be very selective about possessions. The trade-off is the uniqueness of the living experience." And "Finding your cottage is like Goldilocks finding the chair that is just right. It wraps around you in cozy fashion and all seems right with the world." I've given copies of this book to friends who live elsewhere because it captures not only the joy of living in one of these cottages but helps all of us, no matter where we live, gain a better sense of home.

Rating:
Summary: Less is more in this small book about small homes...
Review: I liked the book. Its not a builder's treatise nor a decorator's reference, but it contains elements of both, with a little landscape design thrown in for good measure. Its an abbreviated look at the essence of cottage living, what makes the cottage lifestyle unique and (for some) worthwhile. And it's illustrated with a cross-section of styles from the San Francisco Bay area, from Maybeck to Modern, Victorian to Houseboat.

I find the photos relaxing, informative, and inspiring. The text is thought-provoking without being pseudo-intellectual, enthusiastic without being preachy. The book seeks to examine the pro's and con's of cottage living in less than 1000 sq. ft., and to portray the beauty in these San Francisco gems.

The book, like the cottage lifestyle it espouses, is neither large nor showy, but will be appreciated by those who would trade size and complexity for style with an open air of honest simplicity, who prefer herb tea over canned soda pop, who understand the essence of the artist's dictum "less is more".

Rating:
Summary: An extremely boring little book
Review: I read about this book in an amazon customer review that was attached to another book, so I got this. Mistake! Iwas hoping to get some ideas and inspiration, but all I found here was a lineup of depressing little homes. And mostly in beiges and brown. I couldn't wait to escape from the pages of this book. Also, the book's title suggests that this will be about cottages, in general, but it's about San Francisco area cottages.If you want cottage-style decorating, this is not the book for you. It won't help you much if you want to build a new cottage either. it's more like a little term paper on one region's homes.