Reviews (1)

its about time!
This book is very thorough about principles of color- it has tear out color charts and about every conceivable color combination that will look 'smashing" together. I absolutely love it and i will be using it to decorate my new home- The author has simplified a seemingly complex visionary task to a method that is foolproof for getting that designer look. I would have paid over $ 300.00 for the book to have the information that she supplies and i would like to have more by this author . fabulous! thank you ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Color in interior decoration    2. Decorating - General    3. Decoration & Ornament    4. Design & Construction    5. Do-It-Yourself    6. Home Improvement / Construction    7. House & Home    8. Interior Design - General    9. Home furnishing & decoration    10. House & Home / Decorating   

Editorial Review

Most people are familiar with the hallmarks of Rachel Ashwell's shabby chic style: fabrics in pastel florals and stripes, chintz sofa covers, antique-store and yard-sale finds turned into home furnishings and accessories. At the heart of this breezy style is a very practical idea: don't buy new--use what you have or can find at thrift stores and secondhand shops and enjoy the old-fashioned charm that only aged pieces acquire. The same idea goes for houses. Read more

Reviews (34)

The Shabby Chic Home
I received The Shabby Chic Home on Friday, and it was such a joy to spend a night with the beautiful and warm-hearted book of Rachel Ashwell, her family and sweer home. Nothing luxuary, only lots of love!

Fabulous!
I look at this book again and again.The colors inspire me, and I seem to notice something new everytime I look at it again.

Admirable.
This woman is truly admirable. She is financially successful, yet it is clear from the way she organizes and decorates her dream home that she values her family life and simplicity above all. Shabby Chic is not my style. However, I find myself benefiting from her advice again and again. Mostly to help me find my own sense of beauty every time I need to purchase something for my home. This is a wonderfully useful book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Decorating    3. Decorating - General    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. House furnishings    7. Interior Design - Style Books    8. Interior decoration    9. Interior design    10. Residential Interior Design    11. Crafts & Hobbies / Decorating    12. Home furnishing & decoration   

Reviews (3)

Can't review a book I never received
I waited 6 weeks and Amazon never sent the book so I cancelled the order and gave up.

Very good general overview
This was a great book for an overview but did not go into great depth for some of the topics. The book does have a lot of great picture and I think it is well worth the read.

Good overview for textiles
If one is studying interior design or one wants to learn about textiles, this book is very informative. This was used as a textbook for a textiles class in an interior design program.
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Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Decorating - General    3. General    4. Interior Design - General    5. Interior Design - Professional Reference    6. Interior decoration    7. Reference    8. Residential Interior Design    9. Technical & Manufacturing Trades    10. Textile Fabric (Applied Arts)    11. Textile fabrics    12. Industrial / Commercial Art & Design    13. Interior design    14. Textile arts   

Reviews (15)

Should add to title "And Owners who did a lot of work themselves"
Lovely book, love the idea, got some great ideas for my remodel. However, the author makes clear that one of the most cost-savings measures the owners took, house after house, was to do the work, or some of it, themselves. That's great, if you already work with concrete or metal or can use autoCAD, but for the rest of us, it makes some of the ideas as expensive as before. In addition, the author relied on pictures in the book, which is always great, but the text didn't really cover all of the cost-savings ideas seen in the pictures. Going through the book, I kept wanting more and more detail.
ideas for the house
The book has some very good, inexpensive ways to update your home.definately worth the price !

Disappointing
Most of the book dealt with improving existing construction, not building new .... & most of it was very modern & brightly coloured. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Decorating - General    2. Design and construction    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. Dwellings    5. General    6. Home Improvement / Construction    7. House & Home    8. Interior Design - General    9. Residential Construction    10. Home furnishing & decoration    11. House & Home / General   

Reviews (13)

Great reference book
Although I have a much smaller home, I am using much of the design elements by Ms. Phillips in the renovation of my home.

A Decorator's Dream
So many lovely pictures!I am using many of the design ideas in decorating my new kitchen and breakfast room in the Country French style.I would recommend this book to everyone who is a visual learner.

Not bad, but pretty much the same look throughout
This decorating book has plenty of pictures, but I was a little disappointed that the only color scheme included was monochromatic.This is a very soothing look, but after a while the pictures start to look the same. I was hoping for some different ideas, but this book showed pretty much one idea throughout.
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Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. France    3. Influence    4. Interior Design - General    5. Interior Design - Style Books    6. Interior decoration    7. Italy    8. United States    9. House & Home / Decorating    10. Interior design   

Reviews (10)

Fantastic, Helpful, Informative Book about using Stone in your Home
We are considering having our kitchen remodeled and definitely want to replace the current Corian with some type of stone. This book covers stone used in kitchens and baths. Besides the gorgeous photographs, the book includes lots of helpful tips in helping you chose the right stone for your project. Each photo is described with caption of what the stone is, including the pattern or color. The chapters include the stone kitchen, bath, floor and architectural stone. What is really nice is that it addresses various possible focal points, such as the stone vent hood in the kitchen or a beautiful stone fireplace.
I love this book!!
This book describes the nature of various types of stones and the recommended usage inside and outside the home.I've used this book as a guide to show my local stone dealer what type of stones I'm looking for.And also used it to illustrate the concept of my dream home to my Interior Designer, she understood immediately without us having to go through many rounds of interview to get it right.As a result, my dream home is now almost complete with stones from all over the world, marbles from Spain, Italy, Iran.... granite from Norway and Indonesia... coral stones, tumblestones, slates, and many more....Wonderful pictures and illustrations, I'd recommend this book to anyone!Suitable for modern Asian homes too!

Excellent Stone Resource & Nice Pictures
I work for a natural stone retailer in Texas, and this book gives me ideas for customers.Many of my store's clients want to take this book home or buy it.I don't let them take it home of course; I suggest that they buy one on Amazon.com.
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Subjects:  1. Decorating    2. Decorating - General    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House & Home    5. Interior Design - General    6. Remodeling & Renovation - Bathrooms    7. Remodeling & Renovation - General    8. Remodeling & Renovation - Kitchens    9. Stone in interior decoration    10. Architecture / Interior Design    11. Home furnishing & decoration    12. Interior design   

Reviews (29)

Floorplans and great photos
I really like it that the floorplan for each place is included.
Does anyone LIVE like this?
Seriously, the book is beautifully photographed and the rooms are very well designed if you like rooms where no one actually has to LIVE...
My bad?
Perhaps it's my misunderstanding of the purpose of this book. or the implication of the title. In sum, it's stuffed with pretty pictures of overdecorated spaces - and nothing, & I mean N-O-T-H-I-N-G remotely useful for utilizing small spaces.
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Subjects:  1. Apartments    2. Architecture    3. Decorating    4. Decorating - General    5. House & Home    6. Interior Design - Style Books    7. Interior decoration    8. Interior design    9. Personal space    10. House & Home / Decorating   

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Decorating    3. Decorating - General    4. House & Home    5. Interior Design - Professional Reference    6. Home furnishing & decoration    7. House & Home / Decorating   

Reviews (1)

Ideas Galore
If you're doing trimwork but have never spent a lot of time looking at various ideas out there, this is an excellent book to get your creative mind going.There are numerous variations of trim possibilities within these pages.But the best thing for me was the pages of molding profiles showing the various types and styles of molding available.Not all of it is available in my market, but it gave me ideas for molding I could make using my tools.Overall a really good book - I keep it by my bedside and go through it regularly just to create new ideas for trimwork. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Construction - Carpentry    2. Decorating    3. Decorating - General    4. Home Improvement / Construction    5. House & Home    6. Interior Design    7. Woodworking    8. DIY    9. House & Home / Decorating   

Subjects:  1. Art / Design / Decorative    2. Art / Folk Art    3. Art / Individual Artist    4. Decorating - Painting/Wallpapering    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. Aarseth, Sigmund    7. Art    8. Decorative arts & crafts    9. Design - Decorative    10. Folk & Outsider Art    11. Folk art    12. Individual Artist    13. Norway    14. Rosemaling   

Editorial Review

One lovely feature of this volume is that it shows the real material that inspired different faux finishes next to the excellent painted imitations. After extensive coverage of all aspects of getting started (tools and materials, preparation, safety concerns, and design and color considerations), and of working with glazes, there are dozens of detailed recipes for various marble and graining effects. The final chapter, "Professional Practice," explains how to set up your own decorative-painting business, including assembling a portfolio, identifying and reaching your market, financial planning, calculating rates and expenses, preparing samples, organizing the workspace, and working with clients. You'll even find a prototype contract and a checklist of supplies to bring on the job. Those who want to produce spectacular faux-finish results will learn a lot from Read more

Reviews (10)

Not really recommended but OKAY
I was looking forward to this book but was rather disappointed due to the extensive written instructions but the rather sketchy illustrative photos.

The best of the best
I bought this book more than ten years ago, I have an almost complete collection of books on painted finished, especially of wood and marble. The "Professional Painted Finishes" is absolutely the best I have, it is oozing QUALITY throughout. It is not for beginners but is The reference to return to again and again. It is also lovely just to browse through.

Good variety
I liked this book because it contained great illustrations and it also had helpful information about the business side of faux finishing. The text is compact, so each page contains alot of data. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Color decoration and ornament    3. Commercial Interior Design    4. Construction - General    5. Decorating - Painting/Wallpapering    6. Engineering - Chemical & Biochemical    7. Finishes and finishing    8. Home Improvement / Construction    9. Paint materials    10. Painting, Industrial    11. Study & Teaching    12. Technique    13. Art techniques & materials    14. Interior design    15. Painting & paintings    16. Small businesses & self-employed   

Reviews (3)

Decorating Outside the Box
If nothing else, Mary Carol gives us a few new ideas of decorating outside the box, so to speak. Her style is a mix between traditional and eclectic, so she gives us a bit of everything in this book. I bought my copy of the book for my design library for just a few dollars and worth that price.

move over Martha Stewart--Ms. Garrity is *the* diva of decor!
I am fortunate enough to live within driving distance of Mary Garrity's stores in Atchison, KS. Visiting Nell Hill is an amazing experience. Atchison is a little town out in the middle of nowhere, but on the weekends, chartered buses arrive...the store opens at 9 on Saturday and by 10 it's packed. And the chic & cheerful Mary C. Garrity is always on the floor, greeting customers by name, personally carrying garden statuary out to their station wagons...
Awesome book!
Mary Carol Garrity has writen a book that deserves a place in every 'home decorator's' library! It's easy reading and pictures a lay person can relate to~inspiring is an understatement!! ... Read more

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

Reviews (4)

upol.review
very informative, both books.The home book, was helpful in learning how to recover an armchair, and the auto book was helpful in seeing what I needed to do to mend a door panel with material.Very happy with the results.

FINALLY! A BOOK THAT'S MORE THAN I WANTED!!!!!!!
I ordered this book because I wanted the "baby steps" version of upholstery.I have several books on this subject, this is the only one that motivates me, knowing--yes I can do it!

Upholstery:A Beginner's Guide
I have glanced through the book. I am a self-taught upholsterer, with projects all around my home to do. I pretty much copy the existing pattern and method of upholstery as each project was originally put together. There have been challenges along the way with a few upholstered chairs. This book has color and detailed illustrations.I do own two other books by David James. I wish I had owned this book earlier. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Decorating - Upholstery/Fabrics    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Furniture    4. Home Improvement / Construction    5. House & Home    6. Textile Arts - General    7. House & Home / Furniture    8. STUDY AIDS - SPARKCHARTS    9. Upholstery   

Reviews (4)

Interior Design Illustrated
I got this book earlier than i expected and it is everything i expected.

Great Resource
I am currently getting my degree in ID, and I think that this resource is invaluable. The drawings are great and they really help with perspectives and rendering.

Excellent but abit outdated
The auther is fantastic, the book is well written otherwise he wouldn't have got the 4 stars, the book covers the subject from A to Z literally speaking, a must have, BUT it is too much outdated. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Architecture    3. Decorating - General    4. History    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. Interior Design    7. Interior Design - General    8. Interior Design - Style Books    9. Interior architecture    10. Interior decoration    11. Space (Architecture)    12. Architecture / Interior Design   

Reviews (6)

Not For Lazy Holiday Types Like Me
Admittedly, I'm a big holiday geek, and I thought I'd save some of the inevitable end-of-the-year indulgences in new decorations by actually making stuff myself.Cool stuff, with nails and tree branches and things.This book, it turns out, is pretty, but it's more about glue guns and glitter.The crafts are not particularly suited to sharing the creative impulse with children.It's for adults--among whom it seems I should not be counted.But, if you've got lots and lots of time to glue, this is your ticket, your flying carpet, your Great Holiday Testament.

A "must have" if you like to try a little bit of everything
This book has a place of honor in my collection of various craft books. It is packed full of absolutely gorgeous crafts that you would proudly show off in your home or give to your friends and loved ones. What I particularily liked about this book is the wide representation of different craft techniques from all (and I mean all) types of needleworks to working with gourds, floral crafts, folk art painting, food crafting etc. My main craft passions are crochet and floral crafting but as I already have many books for these two crafts, I was looking for something that dabbled in a little bit of everything and this book did not disappoint me. The stunning projects will inspire you to try your hand at other types of craft techniques no matter what craft you are most passionate about. Wonderful crafting and decorating ideas
This book is filled with beautiful ideas and inspirations.It's well laid out and the directions are clear and easy to follow.It does however contain a lot of recipes.If I wanted a cookbook that's what I'd buy.I find many of these wonderful books end up using recipes as ways to add to the number of pages.Many of recipes are nice but I have my own collection of holiday recipes and recipe books.If you like recipes mixed in with holiday ideas, great!If you don't, this book is still worth having as the craft section is super ! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christmas cookery    2. Christmas decorations    3. Crafts & Hobbies    4. Crafts / Hobbies    5. Decorating    6. Decorating - General    7. Handicraft    8. Hobbies/Crafts    9. Seasonal    10. Christmas books    11. Crafts & Hobbies / Decorating    12. holiday   

Reviews (2)

Apparel Product Development (2nd Edition)
this book is a must for people seeking knowledge in the field of fashion & textile ,help in perparing for the gound realities of the trade ...

Great Book for Apparel Industry
This book is the only book I found so far that has bring me up-to-speed in the apparel industry. It has explain a lot of details of the general business practices within the apparel industry and also give me a direction on how to start my apparel business. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business/Economics    2. Clothing trade    3. Crafts & Hobbies    4. Decorating - General    5. Fashion    6. Material Science    7. Technology & Industrial Arts    8. Textiles & Polymers    9. Vocational guidance    10. Art / Design / General    11. Fashion & beauty industries    12. Fashion design   

Editorial Review

Many books on feng shui are geared toward homeowners, but Webster applies feng shui principles to individual rooms as well as the whole house, which makes Read more

Reviews (20)

A fun book to read w/ lots of interesting tips!
I enjoyed this book so much I bought another Feng Shui book by the same author. I've read a few books on this subject and so far this is my favorite. Simple and to the point.

Great for beginner
This is a great book about the basics of Feng Shui.
Look at your home with new eyes
I read the 10-Minute Clutter Control (Easy Feng Shui Tips for Getting Organized) before trying this book.That one was easier to grasp, but this one expanded my understanding of placing the grid on my living space.I didn't quite grasp how to use the trigrams in this book though.
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Subjects:  1. Body, Mind & Spirit    2. Decorating - General    3. Feng Shui    4. Healthy Living    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. New Age    7. Body, Mind & Spirit / Feng Shui   

Reviews (16)

Very useful for ideas and techniques
This book is wonderful. Starting with some carpentry skills of my own, I was able to design and trim out my entire dining room with crown molding, chair rail, wall frames etc. This book was invaluable in helping me design and execute the project.

Yes, it is really a decorating book
Well, I should have known.The title "Decorating with..." tells it all.It is first and foremost a decorating book that the wife would love.This book has the best and sharpest color pictures of any decorating book and is very tastefully presented. But it is skimpy or just plain bad at helping you to DIY.There is little that is useful in technique and little that is useful for tackling the complexities of say installing crown moulding.But, I can't fault the author.After all, the title is "Decorating with...".

Pretty Pics, Spotty Advice
If you're interested in ideas for interior woodwork, this book offers some nice photos that may inspire a project ... and sometimes inspiration is just what's needed to get us out of the chair and actively working. However, if you're interested in executing the work that's shown, an inexperienced carpenter will be hard pressed to succeed based on the information here. No book can substitute for experience, and this book is great for dreamers, but there are better carpentry guides out there if you actually want to do the work. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Decorating    3. Decorating - General    4. Do-It-Yourself - Carpentry    5. General    6. Home Improvement / Construction    7. House & Home    8. Trim carpentry    9. DIY    10. Home furnishing & decoration    11. House & Home / Woodworking   

Reviews (4)

Beautiful and eclectic
This is a beautiful book and the author and photographer have done a splendid job in choosing a variety of homes so the book is very eclectic which also makes it a fun book.
New French Country
Photography is beautiful throughout entire book.Very informative and inspirational. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking knowledge of french country design.

One of the Best Source Books So Far!
Of the many books I've read and collected on French Country style and decorating, this is the best and most thorough.The book is set up into categories and is concise, beautifully depicted in large color photos, with accompanying text.NOT a coffee table book, but a true reference book for French Country decorating. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Decorating    3. Decorating - General    4. Decoration and ornament, Rusti    5. Decoration and ornament, Rustic    6. Design    7. Design - General    8. Europe - France    9. France    10. House & Home    11. Provence    12. Provence (France)    13. Residential Interior Design    14. Social life and customs    15. House & Home / Decorating   

Editorial Review

Finally, finally, a practical home-decorating book for the reader who is not a millionaire! Rather than call in a professional design consultant to tell you which walls "must go" and throwing out everything you own in favor of new and expensive designer fabrics, furniture, and fixtures, Ward starts with what you already have and makes dramatic transformations by arrangement, use of color, and a few inexpensive additions of objects or materials. Her idea is to use what you already have and like, and operate on a budget you can afford to make your home more satisfying and aesthetically pleasing to you without being a slave to passing trends, fads, and radical transformations that end up making you feel like a stranger in your own home.Read more

Reviews (119)

Finally, some good basic principles for home decorating!
OK, so this book is a bit old now and I found it late.But- the advice is timeless and very useful.Unlike so many decorating books that are just filled with pictures of beautiful rooms in beautiful homes, this book gives you some basic principles so you can make your own stuff beautiful in your own home.Some of the decorating that I had already done in my home I really like, and this book tells me the principle behind what I did - why I like it.Some of the decorating I have done in my own home I don't like, and this book tells me what I can do to fix it.
This book is the real deal!
For those who say this book is boring and has too many rules, I would ask: if all the 10,000 books out there full of glossy photos and little explanation were all that helpful, why did you need to buy this book in the first place? Decorating is like any other creative profession; the foundation of the "magic" that a good decorator can provide actually consists of basic principles that can be learned by anyone. Oh, and I think the reason some of the photos appear dated is that we are used to seeing design books incorporating the latest trends. She used photos of real homes, which, I'm sure, contained furniture that the owners had been collecting for years. That's kind of the point of this book.
The best book for do-it-yourself decorators
No other book has ever shown us novice decorators how to light a room, arrange our art and furniture as well as this one. It is easy to follow and sticks to its promise that we do not have to buy all new furniture to make our home look really pretty.
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Subjects:  1. Decorating    2. Decorating - General    3. Handbooks, manuals, etc    4. Home Improvement / Construction    5. House & Home    6. Interior decoration    7. Interior design    8. Home furnishing & decoration    9. House & Home / Decorating