Illustrator Seiji Yoshida has released a book with thirty different houses that he’s created. Each one comes with an illustration, a floor plan, and a few notes about the house and its occupant. There are also a number of side bars as well as commentary in the back of the book.
This book is a delight and the perfect thing to spur imagination. There’s a wide variety of setting and styles. It would be easy for a writer to use them as a jumping off place for a story. The art style is very Studio Ghibli-esque and whimsical. The whole book gives off a cozy vibe. As someone who has a fascination with architecture and design, this was a real treat. I definitely have some favorites like the lighthouse, or the library, or the treehouse. It’s a book you can read all in one sitting or slowly make your way through a couple of houses at a time.
My one quibble with the book is that I would have loved some insight into how he develops the illustrations. Does he come up with the house first or its occupant? How does he choose the time period and style to use? But those are really minor complaints. The book on a whole is fascinating, and I’m going to have to get a copy of my own. It’s definitely a book I’m going to want to go back to multiple times. Four out of five stars.
CBR 16 Sweet Books – Cozy