House Comfortable: The Art and Science of Comfortable Living

Directed at those who feel that their ""house and its equipment for living are inconvenient, unworkable or even downright hazardous to your health,"" this practical, unpretentious guide shows the way to functional, cozy living. About half the chapters take on such topics as color, window treatments, lighting and security; others consider individual rooms (""Dining In/Dining Out""; ""The Home Office""). Readers looking for a decorating guru will be disappointed--there is not a whit of poetry in the McMillans' no-nonsense prose. But there's a wealth of usable tips for those who are interested in knowing, for example, the National Kitchen and Bath Association's Bath Design Rules for a comfortable bathroom (e.g., ""Leave 21 inches of clear walkway space in front of the toilet"") or how much of a kitchen's square footage to devote to windows and skylights (at least 10%). The authors, a daughter-mother team based both in Florida and New York (Katherine is a design writer, Patricia an interior designer), also pay particular attention to adapting homes to the needs of the elderly and handicapped. A valuable mail-order resource list is included. (Sept.)