Michaela Mahady delves into the psychology of how humans experience built places, in order to identify those characteristics that make us feel welcome, protected, comforted, and happy. Mahady explores such cottage elements as the welcoming features of entryways, the sheltering features of roofs, how fine craftsmanship conveys a sense of security and tradition, and which materials and colors create comfort and warmth. Michaela Mahady, AIA, is a principal in the firm SALA Architects, Inc. Since joining the firm in 1987, she has been involved in all phases of the architectural process on a wide variety of project types in locations including Minnesota, Colorado, California, Montana, Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa. She has won numerous honors and awards for her architecture and glass work, which have been featured on PBS and in magazines such as Fine Homebuilding and Cottage Living. She lives in Stillwater, Minnesota. Mahady, Michaela. Welcoming Home. Gibbs Smith. Oct. 2010. c.192p. illus. ISBN 9781423603214. $40. ARCHITECTURE As a principal architect at the Minnesota-based firm SALA Architects Inc., Mahady considers the aspects of home design that are pleasing to the senses and make people feel comfortable. Her mission is to explore the physical spaces that create this welcoming feeling. Most chapters cover Minnesota homes designed by SALA and include discussions and images of specific areas and rooms. Mahady contrasts the historical use of home spaces with how space is used today, as illustrated by beautiful photographs of architectural details. She also includes floor plans for nearly every home. In a conversational style, she shares a lot of insights into home design. VERDICT This book will serve as a design reference source for those building, remodeling, or redesigning their homes and looking for inspiration. The text is easy to read and offers a thoughtful analysis of traditional home spaces.-Valerie Nye, Santa Fe Univ. of Art and Design Lib., NM ( Library Journal 2010-10-15) "A treasure that will allow many to create for themselves a truly welcoming home." -Sarah Susanka, FAIA, architect and author of The Not So Big House series and The Not So Big Life Some homes seem to speak to us, saying hello and welcoming us into their sheltering arms. Identifying the characteristics of such places is an essential aspect of designing and creating a home. In Welcoming Home, architect Michaela Mahady explores how humans experience built places in order to identify those characteristics that make us feel welcome, protected, comforted and happy. She examines such elements as welcoming entryways, sheltering roofs, handcrafted details that convey personality and tradition, and materials and colors that create comfort and warmth. Welcoming Home is the essential guide to creating dwellings that truly make us feel at home. Michaela Mahady, AIA is an architect and artist and is a principal in the firm SALA Architects, Inc. She has designed homes and art for public spaces throughout the United States. Her architecture and glasswork have been featured on PBS and in magazines such as Fine Homebuilding, Life Magazine, Cottage Living, and American Craft. She lives and works in Stillwater, Minnesota. Welcoming Home is not only a beautiful volume that you'll love paging through for the poetry of visuals depicting the essence of "home." It is also a heartfelt inquiry into what makes a house speak to us, what gives it the ability to connect to the part of us that longs for home. Through her own journey as an architect, Michaela Mahady tells of the first time a house really spoke to her, and through a multitude of rich and personal stories, describes a process for making your own house that speaks to you. Anyone who has enjoyed The Not So Big House series is bound to enjoy this book. -Sarah Susanka, FAIA, architect and author of The Not So Big House series and The Not So Big Life For any who think that design of houses is just organizing a pile of sticks and inserting some stock windows, Michaela Mahady's Welcoming Home will shatter that myth. For her, architecture is enriched by the breadth of her life, the perception of her eye, and the sweep of her brush stroke. -Dale Mulfinger, FAIA Michaela Mahady has written an indispensable guide to creating a welcoming home. Her stories and photographs unlock the secrets to rooms and cottages that steal your heart. With this gifted architect's advice anyone can build a house they'll love coming home to. -James H. Schwartz, Editor in Chief, Preservation magazine Michaela Mahady, AIA, is a principal in the firm SALA Architects, Inc. Since joining the firm in 1987, she has been involved in all phases of the architectural process on a wide variety of project types in locations including Minnesota, Colorado, California, Montana, Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa. She has won numerous honors and awards for her architecture and glass work, which have been featured on PBS and in magazines su