A fun and interesting survey in words and photographs of this brief, wonderful, and strange California architectural style. ( )

Well designed book explains the origins of storybook style. A multitude of examples. A great idea book with great pictures.
The only drawback is that there isn't a hint of how to implement these styles. There's a mention of a book with some designs and instructions on how to build some storybook features, but I can't even find that book. I would have liked more resources on how I can use this style. ( )

Storybook Style is an alternate history of California. It uses architecture to evidence the influences both internal (the Spanish) and external (Medieval) and of course Hollywood that together to make southern half of the state the hodgepodge of styles, attention seeking devices and creativity that can still be seen today. The authors trace the evolution of style from the Spanish through the big developers, notably Hollywoodland, and the near impossibility of storybook style today, with all the codes and regulations that stifle such offbeat construction.

Since the region was chock full of highly skilled carpenters, employed by the film studios to create phony architecture from all over the world and ages, the storybook style used them to jumble false elements of French, Italian and English architecture from the Norman through the Tudor and into the Renaissance. This is a complex matrix that can really confuse a viewer, and was used to that effect. Turrets with escalating windows did not contain expected stairways, but turned out to be simple closets. Receding stucco that exposed stone underneath was applied that way for effect. Stone steps that are actually solid concrete, but scored, stamped and textured. And roofs. It seems to be mostly about roofs, with built-in sags, undulating waves, catslide steep descents, and thatch. The other signature elements are phony half timbers, rounded front doors, and turrets. The effect is eyecatching in a sea of conformity.

Interestingly, the homes are not 8000 sq ft Hollywood mcmansions, but 1800 sq ft bungalows with small rooms and low ceilings. The biggest and most common trompe oeil is to make the building seem larger than it really is. The style spread via some individuals to farther reaches, notably Hawaii, British Columbia and Kentucky, where the examples are exceptional if not unique. The bulk of them – and their numbers are tiny – are in California.

This is a great, fun book, with a lot of character itself. There are fairytale drop caps, different color texts for different purposes, and of course gorgeous images of outrageous homes.

David Wineberg ( )