Residential Lighting: A Practical Guide (ISBN 0471450553)

Residential Lighting - A Practical Guide:
This is an excellent practical and technical book for learning about and designing lighting for a home. It's aimed at the professional, which I appreciate as an intern architect. Part of my job is to design sophisticated lighting schemes for custom homes, which takes a lot of experience and knowledge. This book has really helped me to pinpoint the different kinds of lighting needed for each space and how to place it and specify it in a professional way for the greatest effect. Most architects take years to learn this, but I'm getting a crash course by having this resource. It's not a fluffy coffee table book, it's a technical manual that teaches HOW to properly understand and design lighting for a residence. I highly recommend it.

No better than an out of date Sunset Volume.:
Sorry to differ with others, but this does not even qualify as a "book". It is closer to a magazine article in its subject depth. The photos are all out of date. The side bars for the first chapter contain all the knowledge offered. The rest is just redundant filler. Expect no more than you would get from some old Sunset "book".

For profefessionals only...:
This book is a good (not great) reference for home planners, engineers or interior designers but if you are looking for inspiration and the newest lighting ideas, well...try somewhere else. I expected a book with nice color pictures, beautifull layout and ambient lighting ideas and felt most disappointed. Almost every picture reminds me of my grand mother or my old aunt home, they are so outdated! and the quality is so poor!! So don't get mislead with the front cover picture!!!...

A most excellent book:
Well detailed, provides basic info about lamp types, color, and specific information/suggestions for each room, even outdoors/landscape lighting. A bit pricey, but still worth it. Read it cover to cover.

Excellent comprehensive overview:
At last a book that does not just contain pictures of extravigant architecture and lighting techniques. It contains real applicable information for all involved in the lighting industry.