224 pages
8 1/2 x 10 inches
200 color illustrations
ISBN 978-1-58093-196-0
$45 hardcover
($58 Canada
£25.50 UK)
World rights

Essence of Home
Timeless Elements of Design
Liesl Geiger
Foreword by Richard Gluckman
Afterword by Ted Flato

Essence of Home provides a step-by-step look at the planning process. The home of today may be classical or contemporary, compact or expansive, elevated on columns or nestled close to the ground. It might blend or contrast different styles, protect the environment through the use of local or existing materials, guide its occupants through daily activities. Above all, the home of today is a rich and varied reflection of the lifestyle and values of its owners. But how is the ideal home to take shape?

In Essence of Home, author and architect Liesl Geiger outlines seven themes that will help anyone building or renovating a home to achieve a dream design: generating a personal vision for the house, taking advantage of the unique characteristics of the site, selecting the appropriate style and expression, using natural and artificial light as tangible building materials, planning rooms and areas around everyday activities, defining an intuitive flow of space, and taking into consideration the natural qualities of region and environment. Introducing sophisticated concepts in an engaging and imaginative way. Geiger gives homeowners the vocabulary they need to clearly and effectively express design ideas. In-depth interviews with architects provide unparalleled insight into the design process.

Illustrating the seven elements of design—design origins, site and scale, language and style, openings and light, spheres of living, flow of space, and sustainability—are photographs of more than fifty residences, in varied locales across the United States and Mexico. Twenty of today's leading architects—Richard Gluckman, Deborah Berke, Ted Flato, Peggy Deamer, Turner Brooks, William McDonough, and others offer a wide range of styles, and practical advice. Essence of Home is an indispensable guide to understanding and implementing any residential design.e

Liesl Geiger is a principal in Geiger Mason Architects, based in New York City, which specializes in residential and commercial designs. She has worked with many leading architecture firms, including Robert A. M. Stern Architects, Peter Gluck & Partners, Peter Marino Architect, and Turner Brooks Architect, and with architectural glass designer James Carpenter.

Richard Gluckman is the founder of Gluckman Mayner Architects in New York.

Ted Flato is a principal of Lake/Flato Architects in San Antonio, Texas.