Reader's Reviews
***
This book is extremely well written, with exceptional photographic accompaniment that perfectly illustrates the material being discussed. The chapters are appropriate, succinct -- yet fulfilling -- and I found it hard to put the book down once I began.
***
I ordered this book because I aspire to be an atomic rancher, meaning I really appreciate the 50s ranch style but with a modern twist. I found most of the ranch renovations in this book to be a bit more on the traditional side, or to have a bit of the 80s modern flavor. However, if you are interested in more traditional ranch style, you may appreciate it.
***
Updating Ranches would be better titled Transforming Your Ranch to Look like Anything but a Ranch. Updates in this book transformed ranch homes into, Bungalows, Capes, Colonials, Contemporaries, English Craftsman's, Ultra-Moderns, and anything else that would disguise the spirit of what a Ranch home was meant to be. If you are a true retro-Ranch lover, this book is probably not for you. There was not much of interest in ho-hum interiors and total re-dos that turned the homes into horses of another color. I am glad I bought it used for a fraction of the list price and will probably donate it to the local library. Disappointing.
***
If you are fan of midcentury American ranches, this book teaches you how to ruin these examples of classic American architecture. It gives suggestions on how to turn them into boring mini McMansions complete with granite counters and stainless steel appliances.
***
Writing a book is a huge undertaking so hats off to the authors. I can't give this book a favorable review however. This is not a book about mid-century architecture. The ranch-style homes in it have been substantially remodeled and very few mid-century details remain as you can readily see from the photos. As a fan of that period of architecture, this was a disappointment. But for someone who finds their rancher to be too low, too spare or too retro, this book shows how to get rid of all that and turn a rancher into something more like a bungalow or a shingle-style Cape Cod with a new kitchen. The furnishings in the homes are often brightly colored Scandinavian, early American, Native American, or craftsman. Many of the shots look very much like they are from a 1992 Metropolitan Home magazine although there are quite a few kitchens with stone countertops. If you want to convert a rancher, this might be for you. If you want to restore one, you'll need a different book.
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