THE ADIRONDACK CABIN

A distinctly American style of home design—marked by twig art, natural log railings, bunk rooms, rustic furniture and covered porches—gets enthusiastic treatment by Obomsawin and Battaglia in this attractive yet functional book. As inspirational as it is prescriptive, the work celebrates not only the forms and lines of Adirondack architectural style (which, Obomsawin explains, "blends with nature's own structural décor"), but also the environs in which such architecture is typically found, which abound with rock formations, mountains and lakes. Obomsawin (The Arts & Crafts Cabin ; etc.) does provide some building plans and technical detail, including diagrams of vertical log siding, floor plans for an upstairs loft complete with multiple bunks and a reading nook, and renderings of multiple variations of trusses (although the book hardly serves as a do-it-yourself guide to building a cabin). But even readers who aren't planning to construct or renovate this kind of home will appreciate the warmth and character of the book's style and might want to add it to the stack on the coffee table—preferably a rustic-looking one made from rough-hewn logs and natural wood. (May)