Reviews (6)

another good book from this author
I have many of Mary Emmerling's books. I like the older ones a little better as she used more New England style decorating. Now she has shifted to Southwest which is not very appealing to me. She does present her style well no matter what type of decorating she uses.

Mary Emmerling's Romantic Country: Style That's Straight from the Heart
One of her best.The subject resonates with all of us, we want cozy and intimate and practical and affordable ways to achieve such.Her suggestions go straight to the heart.We can all identify with her view of her life now and how important it is to do the small things NOW!

A very personal book ...
Mary Emmerling does tell us A LOT about her own life - I felt I was kind of intruding, but she is obviously SOOOOOOO happy with her new husband - and who can begrudge her that?But the photos and the explanations of how things were acquired or made or modified to fit into the very lovely personalized homes - are really priceless!And she goes IN DEPTH into each home - 4 or more pages of writing and gorgeous photos of insides and outsides on each home plus a description of the people who own it.The groupings are very well planned, too - sections on simple cottages progressing to romantic, traditional and some rather elegant places -
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Subjects:  1. Decorating    2. Decorating - General    3. Decoration & Ornament    4. Home Improvement / Construction    5. House & Home    6. Interior decoration    7. Interior design    8. Psychological aspects    9. Residential Interior Design    10. House & Home / Decorating   

Editorial Review

Most Americans are pack rats, and Mary Emmerling seems to be noexception, but Read more

Reviews (5)

Inspiration generation
I have a shelf full of "country" decorating books, but this is the one I pick up most often when I worry that things around here have been the same for too long. It's full of little ideas that can make it look as if you have spent longer re-vamping than you have done. Some of the suggestions are more long term and perhaps Mary shouldn't try to catagorise them as "quick" projects, but she has loads of quick ideas to perk up rooms around the house. Fantastic Book - full of inspiration!
I loved this book! The many different styles covered by Mary (everythingfrom Southwestern to Shabby Chic) was my initial reason for purchasingQuick Decorating. Also, this book is filled with many examples for placingand arranging ordinary items for an extraordinary look! I refer to thisbook often for inspiration and loan it to friends when they are in need ofsome too!

Another Mary Emmerling gem!
Don't pass this one up.It is full of excellent, easy to achieve ideas ondecorating and living comfortably.Whatever you collect and whatever yourlifestyle, Mary helps refine it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Decorating    2. Decorating - General    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House furnishings    5. Interior decoration    6. Interior design    7. Home furnishing & decoration    8. House & Home / Decorating   

Subjects:  1. Cooking / Wine    2. General    3. General cookery    4. Non-Classifiable    5. Reference    6. Cookery    7. Entertaining    8. Cooking   

Reviews (4)

So-so
This book wasn't as large and the homes featured in it weren't as fresh and interesting as I had hoped. But I love all aspects of cottage design, from home interiors to exteriors. Thanks to another review, I picked up two other cottage books that do a great job. One is Second Home from the Better Homes and Gardens editors----------I love Second Home because it takes me on tours of cottages around the country while also giving me tips I can use for decorating or even building. It's a great book for just paging through also. Big photos, lots of information but yet it quick to read. I also like The Cabin-----------It's a beautiful book to look at but it doesn't offer the wealth of information that Second Home does.

Smaller than I expected
This book was smaller than I expected. A small book with lots of small pictures. Kind of disappointing. Other books on cottages and second homes do the job getter. I have found these are my favorites: Great Picture Book
We bought a small beach cottage and continually look through this book for great ideas. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Cottages    3. Decorating - General    4. Decoration and ornament, Ameri    5. Decoration and ornament, American    6. Decoration and ornament, Rusti    7. Decoration and ornament, Rustic    8. Design & Construction    9. Home Improvement / Construction    10. Interior Design - Style Books    11. Interior design    12. Pictorial    13. United States    14. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles    15. House & Home / Decorating   

Reviews (5)

GREAT BOOK
I FOUND THIS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST DECORATING BOOKS AROUND.I DO NOT HAVE ALOT OF MONEY BUT WITH THE IDEAS IN THIS BOOK YOU DON'T NEED ALOT OF MONEY -JUST TASTE AND SOME CREATIVE THINKING.IF YOU ARE A YUPPY WITH NO INDIVIDUALITY AND YOU WANT A HOUSE THAT LOOKS LIKE EVERYONE ELSES THAN SKIP THIS ONE.IF YOU WANT A CREATIVE,UNIQUELY BEAUTIFUL HOME AND ARE WILLING TO INVEST SOME TIME IN DECORATING THEN BUY THIS.AND YES THERE IS A SHABBY CHIC AIR TO SOME OF THIS,HOWEVER I THINK IT IS QUITE LOVELY AND VERY TASTEFULL.ONE OF THE BEST DECORATING BOOKS I'VE SEEN. IF YOUR'E A FREE THINKER AND LIKE TO MAKE YOUR OWN THINGS THEN IGNORE SOME OF THOSE REVIEWS.EVEN IF IT'S NOT YOUR'E STYLE THIS IS AN EXCELLENT BOOK.

But, this is how my house looks now!
One simple word sums up this book: Yuck!

Sticks and stones may not break my bones, but ...
... they make for lousy decorating.I like Mary Emmerling, and enjoyed her "American Country Cottages" book a lot.It was beautifully photographed, with lots of images of comfortable, lovely, livable rooms. But this book is all rusty wires and birds' nests and peeling lead paint,like a house decorated by the witch from "The Blair WitchProject."I recommend Mary Randolph Carter's "AmericanJunk" for a truly charming book about decorating on the cheap. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Decorating    2. Decorating - General    3. Handbooks, manuals, etc    4. Home Improvement / Construction    5. House & Home    6. Interior Design - Style Books    7. Interior decoration    8. Interior design    9. Residential Interior Design    10. Home furnishing & decoration    11. House & Home / Decorating   

Subjects:  1. Country furniture    2. Decoration and ornament, Rusti    3. Decoration and ornament, Rustic    4. Folk & Outsider Art    5. Folk Arts    6. Folk art    7. Gardening/Plants    8. General    9. Home Improvement / Construction    10. Indian art    11. Native American Art    12. West (U.S.)    13. Non-Classifiable   

Reviews (1)

Not just for the coffee table!
Mary Emmerling has always been one of my favorite authors.She has a dramatic, signature look that stands out in all of her books, and NEW COUNTRY COLLECTING continues to portray Country decorating at its' finest.After you look at all of the wonderful photographs and read about thecollectors, you will race out the door to shop for new additions to yourcollections. I own all of her books, and eagerly look forward to newpublications for my country bookshelf. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antique dealers    2. Antiques    3. Antiques business    4. Arts And Crafts    5. Decorating    6. United States    7. Antiques & Collectables    8. Non-Classifiable   

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. General    3. Handicraft    4. Heart in art    5. Hobbies/Crafts    6. House & Home / Decorating   

Subjects:  1. Arts And Crafts    2. Christmas    3. General    4. Holidays (non religious)    5. Photography    6. Poetry    7. United States    8. Non-Classifiable   

Subjects:  1. Blank Books / Diaries / Memory Books    2. Blank Books/Journals    3. Christmas    4. Christmas cards    5. Christmas decorations    6. Non-Classifiable    7. Stationery items   

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cookery, American    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Menus    6. Regional & Ethnic - American - General    7. Non-Classifiable   

Subjects:  1. Americana    2. Antiques & Collectibles    3. Antiques / Collectibles    4. Antiques/Collectibles    5. Collectors and collecting    6. Folk art    7. Folk art, American    8. United States    9. Non-Classifiable   

Subjects:  1. Americana    2. Antiques / Collectibles    3. Flags    4. Flags in art    5. Folk Art    6. Historiography    7. History    8. History: American    9. Pictorial works    10. United States    11. Antiques & Collectibles / Americana   

Subjects:  1. Country life    2. Gardening/Plants    3. Gardens    4. Gift books    5. Landscape Horticulture    6. United States    7. Non-Classifiable   

Subjects:  1. Bargain Books    2. Decoration and ornament, Ameri    3. Decoration and ornament, American    4. Decoration and ornament, Rusti    5. Decoration and ornament, Rustic    6. Interior decoration    7. Interior design    8. United States    9. Non-Classifiable   

Subjects:  1. Decorating    2. Decoration and ornament, Rusti    3. Decoration and ornament, Rustic    4. Interior Design    5. Interior decoration    6. Social life and customs    7. Southern States    8. Non-Classifiable   

Subjects:  1. Handicraft    2. Heart in art   

Subjects:  1. Antiques    2. Decoration and ornament, Ameri    3. Decoration and ornament, Rusti    4. Decoration and ornament, Rustic    5. Folk art    6. Interior Design    7. Interior decoration    8. United States    9. Antiques & Collectables    10. Non-Classifiable   

Editorial Review

Have you ever visited a friend's home and found yourself saying "what a great idea" when you saw how they displayed a quilt collection or had seen how they had painted an old piece of furniture? That is exactly what you will find yourself doing a hundred times over when you open this book. This will be the place I go for a new design, decor or craft ideas.The best part is Mary will probably not be stopping by your house and noticing you copied her ideas. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Mary Emmerling's American Country Details
Don't judge a book by its cover!This fine small book is loaded with those 'small things' that let people know you know what you are doing.I found this book on a library shelf, checked it out and sat down and read it, not just looking at the pictures -- which is what I usually do -- but truly reading it all.Mary Emmerling IS the word 'details' ... this is a book to study, to learn by and one to have for reference.It's in my shopping cart!

Mary Emmerling's American Country Details
It was a great inspiring book for the person who just love country living. This book is good for anyone who would like to bring a little country home with them. If you love country then this book is for you some great ideasthrough out the whole book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Decorating    3. Decoration and ornament    4. Decoration and ornament, Rustic    5. History    6. Interior decoration    7. United States    8. Home furnishing & decoration    9. House & Home / Decorating