Magazines, blogs, forums 

resources for people looking to build a modern house

how to use an architect

Full article on ten ways an architect can potentially save you time,money and aggravation on your next house project.

Live modern

forum for discussing modern design

Treehugger

TreeHugger is dedicated to everything that has a modern aesthetic yet is environmentally responsible.

designsponge

design*sponge is dedicated to home and product design, features store and product reviews, new designer profiles, and trend forcasting.

Atomic-ranch magazine

Atomic-ranch- mid-century marvels
Most architectural styles have magazines that celebrate their special qualities, with one major exception: modest post war houses.Atomic-ranch changes all that.

Dwell

At Dwell, ...we think that it's possible to live in a house or apartment by a bold modern architect, to own furniture and products that are exceptionally well designed, and still be a regular human being. We think that good design is an integral part of real life.

design-emotion

Getting emotional with... is a series of interviews with experts and designers from the field. The interviews focus mostly on the emotional side of design and the effects on experienced emotions.

hipmodern

ultimate design & lifestyle guide for hip living people

grassrootsmodern

Grassroots Modern was started to help those who are looking for a modern contemporary style at an affordable price.
We hope to be able to connect passionate designers with the masses and become a catalyst for change in the modern contemporary world.

scarlettarchitects 

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Ten ways an architect can potentially save you time, money and aggravation on your next house project 

...a few of the reasons you might want to consider using an architect

• 1. Provide creative design solutions, which can save homeowners significant amounts of money. The cost of inefficient floor plan layouts can be serious, yet it is very common for a homeowner or builder to believe it will be more cost effective to draw up their own plans.
  
  2. Provide elegant solutions for unique building problems or specific family lifestyles. Creating a home suited perfectly to the homeowners involves a somewhat complicated process of analysis and design. Architects, with years of experience and training, can often contribute quick, insightful and ingenious solutions to complicated problems.
  
  3. Suggest ways homeowners can reduce unnecessary stress and frustration. Architects can help alleviate some of a homeowner's stress by educating them on exactly what can be expected from the first day the owner begins looking seriously at home design magazines for ideas, to move in day! Architects can review the many things that have potential to go wrong during the process.
  
  4. Work with homeowner to develop a project a timetable. Architect can give homeowners an idea of the process of both design and construction, and go over a list of owner responsibilities and suggestions for completing tasks within the overall project schedule.
  
  5. Review construction as it progresses, and provide status reports and suggestions for dealing with unforeseen situations.
  
  6. Work with homeowner to develop a long-range plan, which takes into consideration future possibilities along with currently, contemplated projects. The issue of long term planning can have dramatic financial and design implications to a project.
  
  7. Work with a local contractor to ensure cost effectiveness and constructability from the beginning and throughout the project. The ideal situation for maintaining control over budget and buildability of a project involves the architect, the owner and contractor entering into an informal relationship where a commitment to quality is defined, and agreed upon.
  
  8. Provide consulting for small projects, assisting the homeowner who wants to design and/or do the general contracting themselves. Many homeowners are under the impression that architects only design million dollar homes and can not be bothered with additions or renovations, particularly if the budget is limited. Most small architectural firms are willing to undertake any size project, with one typical contingency: the owner must be concerned with the design quality of the project.
  
  9. Consult with buyer, prior to purchase, on the suitability and future opportunities or constraints of a house or site under consideration. Most buyers and sellers consider a home inspection a necessity before closing on a property. Many people do not realize, however, that an architectural consultation can be equally valuable in the process of buying or selling a house.
  
  10. Prepare three-dimensional sketches, or models as needed, to help the homeowner visualize exactly what the house will look like when completed. Architects recognize that a large part of the population does not share their instinctive ability to visualize plans- i.e. transforming a two dimensional plan into a three dimensional space. Their role is to make the design as clear as possible- before any construction begins.
  
  For the full article, see link above:
  
  how to use an architect

DIY How to Build a Cardboard Castle

DIY cardboard castle for the kids

home design

ideas for building a house

What is Modern? Explore half a century of modern? 

Examples from the best

• Early Modern 1940s-50s
  http://www.eichlernetwork.com/
  http://www.historical-museum.org/exhibits/florida_home/florida_home_essay.htm
  
  Funky Modern 1960s
  http://www.spaceagecity.com/googie/index.htm
  
  Hip Modern 1970s
  http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/eames/
  http://scandesign.org
  
  Contemporary 1980s-90s
  
  Retro Modern 2000s
  http://www.wallpaper.com/

Great Stuff on Amazon 

The Nature of Dwellings: The Architecture of David Hovey

by Cheryl Kent

Hovey picks up where Frank Lloyd Wright left off, forging ahead with explorations of simple materials, rectilinear geometries, and structural innovation all in the service of free-flowing floor plans that merge indoor and outdoor into a cohesive whole.

Amazon Price: $36.00 (as of 10/16/2008)

Arcadian Architecture: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson-12 Houses

The architecture firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson believes that "the sensuality of place, the emotive qualities of materials, and the ability to give pleasure and insight, to comfort and to transport can produce humane and spirited architecture."

Amazon Price: $47.25 (as of 10/16/2008)

Origins of Architectural Pleasure

by Grant Hildebrand

Do survival instincts have anything to do with our architectural choices-- our liking for a certain room, a special stairway, a plaza in a particular city? In this engaging study Grant Hildebrand discusses ways in which architectural forms emulate some archetypal settings that humans have found appealing--and useful to survival--from ancient times to the present.

Amazon Price: $45.00 (as of 10/16/2008)

Naturally Modern: Creating Interiors with Wood, Leather, Stone, and Natural Fabrics

by Ros Byam Shaw

In a world dominated by technology, nature's raw materials are back in fashion, and with them a taste for interiors that minimize clutter and accentuate sensual appeal.

Amazon Price: (as of 10/16/2008)

New Sustainablog 

Blog Action Day: St. Louis Urban Farm Provides Fresh Food and Economic Empowerment

Stock Up On Sustainability: Five Tips to Shop the Final Farmers Market and Eat Local All Winter (Recipe Included)

Get Out the Vote and Go Fish with FishVote08

Book Review: Dry Spring - The Coming Water Crisis of North America