Wall Street Journal

Today the Wall Street Journal ran the article Selling History by the Square Foot, in which writer Christina Lewis noted a number of new communities with historic-style houses. Russell is quoted in the article, as is our friend Joe Barnes, Development Director at Bundoran Farm near Charlottesville, Virginia, where the first house will be the Currier from Russell's Simple Farmhouse Portfolio. Other communities mentioned include Brook in Waterland, a small development in New York State with 17th-century Dutch-style houses; Serenbe, a large community in Georgia with housing options ranging from loft spaces and townhomes in villages to cottages and estates edged by open space; and Phelps Settlement and Avery Lane Settlement in Connecticut, both of which feature traditional New England-style houses from Classic Colonial Homes of Deerfield, Massachusetts.

Marianne Cusato, "Get Your House Right"

This may be the best handbook on traditional design published since the 1920s, informative for both layman and professional alike. If you wonder what makes today's so-called "traditional" houses look so ugly, Marianne Cusato provides answers in a guidebook that walks you through "how things go wrong" (avoid) and "how to do it right" (use). In meticulously-drawn illustrations, she charts the course of design from first concepts to fine details, providing pearls of wisdom on things that can make or break the authenticity of a home design. Notations accompany each drawing, describing essential building elements and how they go together. Never before have I seen a more comprehensive or practical guide through the minefield of traditional design. Clear, insightful directions make Get Your House Right the perfect learning tool for builders at all levels, whether novices or those needing a refresher course. This book should become the primary text to teach architects the fundamental building blocks of the classical tradition.

Roots of Home

The final cover design for my new book, Roots of Home, arrived from Taunton Press. The photo was taken at the Tillman house, a new old house designed by Ron Arnoult in Louisiana. It was shot by Erik Kvalsvik, who took the photos for Roots of Home as well as for Creating a New Old House. Between the two books, Erik and I logged a lot of miles together traveling across the country photographing new old houses. Fourteen-hour days, the uncertainties of weather, and the stresses of travel made for some hard times, but our shared love of red wine, old books, and vintage clothes made it bearable.