本书是一部住宅概要，包括那些已经被改造以适应当代生活方式需求的公寓和独栋房屋。生活空间的翻新往往是为了为那些现存的且因时间的流逝而变得不实用或者过时的建筑重新注入生命力。挑战在于让这些现存的建筑在适应当代标准的同时，保持那些可能仍然有用或我们喜欢的部分。大多数老建筑划分地非常精细，反映了他们那个时代的人类习惯和可用的建筑技术。如今，我们喜欢住在更加开放和宽敞明亮的空间——而新的建筑方法也使拆墙成为可能，从而最终解放了空间。我们在不同程度上翻新和升级居住空间，从升级固定装置和家用电器到拆墙重新砌墙和扩大建筑物的空间。虽然有时候需要大规模的工作，但这些翻新会带来令人惊叹的转变。许多翻新增加了舒适度、提升了实用性，更不用说这项投资通常是在为房产增值。这本给人启迪的书展示了一系列翻新过的项目，有为了一块干净的石板瓦一开始就把室内全部卸掉的项目，有规模小一点项目（可能**于表面的改变或简单收尾和固定装置升级）。现存的住宅已经证明自己可以灵活适应改变中的必需品，它们对重建我们的居住环境至关重要。

The book is a compendium of homes, including apartments and single-family houses, that have been remodeled to suit contemporary lifestyle needs. Rehabilitations of living spaces are often done to reanimate existing constructions that, over time, have become impractical, if not obsolete. The challenge is to adapt these existing buildings to contemporary standards while maintaining what might still be useful or what we like about them. Most old buildings are very compartmentalized, reflecting the human habits of their time and the available building technology. Nowadays, we like to live in much more open and airy spaces-and new building methods allow for the removal of walls that ultimately free up space. We renovate and upgrade living spaces to various degrees, ranging anywhere from upgrading fixtures and appliances to removing and reconstructing walls and expanding buildings. While extensive work is sometimes required, these rehabilitations can result in stunning transformations. Many add comfort and increase utility, not to mention that the investment generally adds value to the property. This inspirational book showcases a range of rehabilitated projects, from ones that begin by totally stripping out interiors to a clean slate, to less extensive work that might be limited to cosmetic changes or simple finish and fixture upgrades. Existing dwellings have proved themselves flexible to changing necessities, and they are key to the regeneration of our living environment.