Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Dedication v
3. CONTENTS vii
4. ILLUSTRATIONS ix
5. PREFACE xi
6. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xv
7. INTRODUCTION xvii
8. 1 SIMPLICITY IS BLISS 1
9. 2 HOW HOUSES CAME TO BE 18
10. 3 WHY INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS 30
11. 4 PRIVACY IS FOR NOBODIES 36
12. 5 A HOME SHOULD REFLECT ITS OWNER 41
13. 6 DON’T BE UPSTAGED BY YOUR HOUSE 48
14. 7 PRIME REAL ESTATE WON’T SOLVE ALL YOUR PROBLEMS 54
15. 8 DISPLAYING PORTRAITS OF YOUR ANCESTORS COULD MAKE YOU LOOK SHABBY 63
16. 9 UNLESS YOU HAVE DEEP POCKETS, THE BIG CITY IS A DEATH TRAP 71
17. 10 CAVEAT EMPTOR 80
18. 11 NEW CONSTRUCTION REQUIRES YOUR PRESENCE AND INPUT 93
19. 12 THE DECORATOR MUST UNDERSTAND YOUR VISION 100
20. 13 SO YOUR ARCHITECT BLEW THROUGH THE BUDGET: NOW WHAT? 110
21. 14 WHEN REDECORATING, USE THE MOST EXPENSIVE MATERIALS THE LEAST 116
22. 15 OVERSPEND, AND YOUR HOME COULD RUIN YOU 122
23. 16 NEGLECTED HOUSE, NEGLECTED SOUL 127
24. 17 THEY DON’T MAKE THEM LIKE THEY USED TO 138
25. 18 THE GOLDEN MEAN 144
26. 19 THE CONSUMMATE VILLA, THE PERFECT HOME 153
27. NOTES 175
28. PASSAGES TRANSLATED 187
29. FURTHER READING 191