Includes bibliographical references and index.

Beginning the journey : The magical, mystical world of feel ; Your opinion counts ; What is architecture? ; From space to place ; The language of architecture ; Architectural grammar -- Making the house a home : Sequential progressions: our minds seek order ; Designing spaces ; Controlling scale: Keeping it human ; How to : "people" spaces -- Unifying the design : The axis ; Symmetry and composition ; The golden mean ; Breaking the pattern for a reason ; Angles and curves ; Changes in height, light, and scale ; Changes to materials ; The joy of focal points ; Just say no to avocado ; Don't be a slave to examples ; But my builder says he can't do that -- Into the depths of design : "God is in the details" ; Thick walls, solid home ; Provide something unexpected ; The importance of nostalgia ; Zones of retreat ; Flow ; Light ; The third dimension -- What will your house be? : Why build a house? ; Do I need an architect? ; Choosing the right architect ; The Wright way ; Interior design and landscape architect ; Design/build ; Site unseen -- Make plans before drawing plans : How you really live ; Critical design questions ; "Green" mansions ; Sidewalk superintendents -- Choosing the perfect site : Zoning, land use ordinances, and covenants ; Lot size and buildable area ; Orientation ; Howdy, neighbor ; Slope ; Views ; Boulders, trees, and other physical features ; Noise and wind ; Problem lots ; Reading a sit plan -- Programming the house : Putting walls and ceilings around spaces ; Why did they ever call it a living room? ; Programming equals learning ; A matter of style ; Balancing and maximizing priorities ; A reality test -- Putting pencil to paper : Tiny bubbles ; Where to park? ; It's a sequential thing -- Designing the house : Designing the site concept: working with the land ; Watch the weather ; Approaching the house by automobile ; Creating a sense of arrival, SAAPE ; Sequence of interior spaces ; Stairways need to communicate correctly ; A stairway to heaven ; Developing the plan ; From plan to house ; Some rules of composition ; Windows are the eyes and a door is the mouth of the building ; Using the right stuff ; Chimneys are spatial markers -- Thinking through the places where you live : Kitchen: the heart of the home ; Dining: Breaking bread together ; Living: What we do between work and sleep ; Sleeping: Retreat for the day ; Bathrooms: just functional or luxurious? ; Entry: the guest starts here ; Other places: work, hobbies, etc. ; Don't forget the closets ; The doors ; Trade-offs ; The "other guy syndrome" ; Aging with your perfect house ; Design tidbits -- Oh, yes-- the budget : Face reality ; The murkiness of cost per square foot ; Bang for the buck ; Elements with significant cost consequences ; Meet the builder ; Things to check out in a builder's house ; Retainage ; Types of construction contracts ; Where do we go from here?