A fine introduction to the most accessible, least intimidating form of woodcraft: making furniture from twigs, logs, driftwood, and scrap lumber. Sumptuous color photos show the incredible variety of rustic designs and provide endless inspiration. Attractive projects include chairs, tables, benches, birdhouses, even an outdoor arbor!
"With no previous woodworking experience and a few basic hand tools, anyone can make rustic furniture for the cost of a few nails, a walk in the woods, and this book....Hundreds of both color and black-and-white photographs display the rich traditions and the vast stylistic range of past and contemporary rustic furniture...." —Popular Woodworking

If you dream of moving to the country and building a house that's in harmony with its natural surroundings, this is the book for you. Photos and drawings in combination with warm and friendly text detail the steps of construction. 400 illustrations.

“Recommended for academic collections, public library collections and individuals interested in homesteading in a nature-friendly manner.”—Library Journal

“A copious compendium of old timey skills and ambitious projects...beautifully illustrated.”—Mother Earth News

 “Beautifully detailed....I strongly recommend this book.”
—Last Whole Earth Catalog.

Rustic woodworking is a hot topic, and a technique that continues to attract both novice and experienced craftspeople. Through thirty attractive outdoor projects, two experts in this traditional art teach the pleasures of working with sticks, twigs, and other found wood. No experience is required to construct many of the pieces, and the many illustrations and color photos provide help throughout the process. A beginner could easily make the simple woven twig birdhouse. The Birch Bark Planter Folding Twig Screen adds decorative flair to a porch or deck. Other favorites include an Adirondack Chair, a Rustic Loveseat for Two, and a beautiful Diamond Rose Trellis. All in color.

616 pages (all in color), 8½ X 10
Only $29.95

From Lark Books and Natural Home magazine—which has a circulation of 200,000—comes an illustrated, unique guide to building an earth-friendly home. To create a dwelling that’s both ecologically sustainable and attractive, Natural Home magazine is the place to go. With this exquisitely illustrated guide, packed with 400 photos and illustrations, anyone can put environmentally friendly ideas into practice. Here’s an intelligent look at how a home is supposed to function and a variety of different building approaches. What’s important is finding the right solution to fit your individual needs, local climate, and natural resources. The broad range of topics covered include choosing a site; selecting materials; building with straw bale, cob, adobe, or rammed earth; and plugging into alternative energy sources. Interviews with homeowners, and photos of the dream homes they built, provide invaluable insight. All in color.

Imagine having your own water garden, complete with a beautifully landscaped pond and year-round plantings, stocked with colorful fish, friendly frogs, turtles and snails. These simple plans show how to create a water garden specially constructed for low maintenance. Learn about proper siting, preventing problems related to tree roots, runoff, and water tables; choosing materials that resist punctures and leaks; and making sure the garden is level and accessible for easy repair. See how to control both plants and animals to keep them free of stress and disease. This insightful guide will help you achieve amazing results in a fraction of the time required by traditional methods!