HomeMade Modern

January 1, 2016

You don't have to be an expert to have a house full of modern and ecofriendly furnishings. Designer and first-time author Uyeda (cofounder, HomeMade-Modern.com) presents a selection of 30 different furnishing projects with a distinct industrial vibe. Arranged by room, the projects are outlined by time, cost, supplies, and tools needed. Cutting lists and exploded view are included. However, step-by-step illustrations are few. Standout pieces include wood and iron pipe tables and console, using Lego for concrete forms, concrete stools, and pendant light from a metal baseball bat. One of the table projects includes three-dimensional printed brackets to piece together inverted pyramid legs. The book pairs nicely with Will Holman's Guerilla Furniture Design and Philip Schmidt's PlyDesign: 73 Distinctive DIY Projects in Plywood (and Other Sheet Goods). VERDICT These projects are appealing and achievable, but there is no tools instruction and more detailed construction illustrations are available on the designer's website. Still, it's a solid addition to modern furniture DIY collections.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2015
Does DIY mean loving hands at home construction, which can result in lopsided, wobbly, somewhat off-center creations? Not necessarily, and not if readers consult designer Uyeda's debut book. He fervently believes in the reuse, recycle, or do-without doctrine, and his 30 designs for every room in the house (and outside as well) prove it. Some items are more refined than others, varying between student specials (i.e., a bookcase of plywood and iron-pipe fittings) to a well-thought-out geometric doghouse. Yet the patterns do cater, for the most part, to novice woodworkers; many feature straightforward uses of plywood, concrete, and iron-pipe fittings, with occasional fillips such as a knitted bench cover. The instructions are detailed and illustrated, complete with tool icons for each step and answers to such questions as: What can go wrong? Are there alternatives? What if you don't want it anymore? Smart and practical DIY household ideas from an entrepreneur who started with a how-to YouTube video.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)