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Books on Decorating
Books on Decorating
Country and Funky and Lots Between Chic Lovers
Country
Living Country Chic: Country Style for Modern Living
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Reviewer: kathehemmer2 from Syracuse, NY United States many decorating
ideas and styles within the framework of Country. Although, I turn
to this book when i am about to paint a room and need to study the
effects of a color.Another person might find it useful to learn
the skills of simplifying a type of decor. It starts with the stark
simplicity and ulitarian work of the American Shaker and brings
in English Country and proceeds to modern Cubism. The pastel colors
in this book are a feast to the eyes, in their subtle combinations.
This book shows how details of life are important, but in natural
way without clutter prevailing in a room. Except for the Bazaar
Style and the Ethnic section, most of it would be welcome in your
home. It even spruces up a trailer for those who prefer to live
on wheels.I highly recommend this refresing look at Country "Chic."
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Rachel
Ashwell's Shabby Chic Treasure Hunting and Decorating Guide
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By now most readers even marginally interested in home decorating
are familiar with the democratic principles of decorating elaborated
in Rachel Ashwell's first book, Shabby Chic: namely, that well-made
vintage furniture and home accessories can add a cozy grandeur to
your home, even if the paint's a little thin or the fabric a bit
faded. In her second book, Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic Treasure
Hunting & Decorating Guide, Ashwell shares her processes, from a
stall-by-stall description of a flea market trip to pictures of
her design boards scattered with photos, fabric swatches, and paint
chips. Ashwell doesn't skimp on details: she tells how to decide
on a fair bargaining price at flea markets, how to clean old items
without harming them, and (step by step) how one ugly glass-fronted
cabinet topped with old linoleum and mismatched shelf paper became
an attractive, roomy storage piece that houses her daughter's books,
dolls, and bedding. This is a friendly, intimate book in which Ashwell
shares pictures of her own home and those of her friends--some of
whom live in roomy beach houses and some of whom live in 450-square-foot
cottages, and all of whom use the main Shabby Chic concepts of comfort,
function, and beauty in deciding which objects to share their space
with. Fans of the original Shabby Chic will find this follow-up
every bit as useful, attractive, and accessible.
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Retro
Revamp: Funky Projects, from Handbags to Housewares
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Book Description So the dresser doesn't match the nightstand, the
four kitchen chairs are from four different sets, and the necklace
is no Tiffany's original. Well it doesn't mean you can't have style,
and how. Thanks to Retro Revamp's fun-filled ideas, you can turn anything
so-so into so, so fabulous. Filled with gorgeous, full-color photographs,
and decorated throughout with bright, nostalgic collage art and illustrations,
this book is a treasure in itself. The projects inside range from
necklaces to nightlights and are made from a variety of materials
that are readily accessible. For an evening out, you'll need a Holly
Golightly's Dream Bag fashioned from ribbon scraps, and a made-in-a-minute
Chopstick-do hair accessory to keep your tresses intact. Indoors,
a nostalgic Mystery Date End Table and some Ugly Chair First Aid helps
you entertain with elan. And the Car Carma Dashboard Shrine and Mr.
Potato Head Beach Bag will help you take your style on the road. You
don't have to know how to knit, and you don't have to be a psycho-crazy
coke bottle hoarder. All you need is some extra junk you don't know
what to do with, and one copy of Retro Revamp. |
La
Casa Loca: Latino Style Comes Home 45 Funky Craft Projects for Decorating
& Entertaining
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Latino style is a huge and growing trend in home decorating and fashion.
Latina personality Kathy Cano-Murillo takes the explosive colors and
iconography of Latino style and merges it with pop art to create an
inspirational craft book with a hip, contemporary sensibility. The
twist: readers can create their very own casa loca crazy house by
hand. Cano-Murillo offers a fabulous array of easy, inexpensive projects
to liven up the interior and brighten the garden, to throw killer
fiestas and take restful siestas, to live—and look—the Latino style.
Use T-shirt fabric to make toss pillows with fringe or turn inexpensive
soft-drink bottles into fabulous glittery vases. Use a glue gun to
transform an ordinary garden into a Mexicali masterpiece complete
with a Bonita Birdfeeder and Milagro Tree Ribbons. Heighten the hues
in any home with Margarita Candles and Campy Terra Cotta Patio Lights.
Ditch standard party fare for playful Loteria Wine Glass Charms, spicy
serving bowls, and Frida Kahlo placemats. This is the stuff of La
Casa Loca—an ethnic treat for the senses that brings the exciting,
classy-meets-campy Latino style home to hip decorators everywhere.
Kathy Cano-Murillo was named one of the "10 Latinas to watch" by Latina
magazine in July 2001. newspaper. She lives in Phoenix, Arizona. |
Fresh
Paint: Fun & Easy Ways to Decorate Your Home (The Fresh Paint Series)
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Reviewer: Susan Boos from USA I'm pretty familiar with books on painting
and decorating and have quite a few. This book will soon become one
of my staples. Not only are the decorating ideas fresh and good looking,
but he gives whole room views instead of a little color swatch of
what the finish looks like. I ordered 10 painting books at the same
time and this was the only one I kept. I'm starting on my first big
project out of this book next month. I would even rate this book and
author higher than Debbie Travis because his instructions are easier
and his projects are less "primitive" looking than hers. She was my
previous mentor so this is saying a lot. |
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The
Shabby Chic Home
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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. The Shabby Chic Home
shows how an older home can take on a shabby chic appeal by being
brought up to date without sacrificing any of its charm. In The Shabby
Chic Home, Ashwell walks readers through the renovation of her own
1920s home, from the purchase of the originally dark and gloomy house
through the repainting (using layers and layers of white paint) of
the home and the rebirth of the garden, yard, and pool, to the final
decorating of the home for herself and her two kids. Along the way,
readers receive advice on how to choose from among the thousands of
paint colors, how to decide whether to live with the old or buy new,
and why remodeling an older home might not be such a good idea. The
latter part of the book explains how to add touches of shabby chic
style to every room of a home--old or new--for a finished look. The
result, shown in dramatic before-and-after pictures, is a home that's
comfortable enough for a family to relax in, but still elegant and
beautiful. Don't let the floral patterns and chenille bedspreads fool
you: Ashwell's advice throughout is common-sense and economical. For
instance, she recommends not wasting your time looking through every
decorating option--if you like the first idea, color, or plan well
enough, save yourself the time and stress and go with it. She also
suggests resisting the immediate desire to throw out the old and bring
in the new; try living with things as they are for a while, and you
may find yourself surprised at how well you've come to like the funky
tile in the bathroom or the noisy glass-door refrigerator. Here lies
the appeal of a shabby chic home: sometimes old has a charm and lived-in
look that can't be purchased from a home improvement store. --Kris
Law |
Shabby
Chic
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Reviewer: motherlodebeth from Northern California Contrary to what
one reviewer wrote, while the book is a few years old it is still
very much useful in 2001. Maybe one has to have lived in France, rural
London or even in Greece to fully appreciate the authors wisdom. And
page 141 has the ONLY non-fitting slip cover that could be described
as "loose fitting and shabby". Fact is the 7 Chapters are well written
and well photographed. The topics of each Chapter are: Diverse Styles;
Rooms; Hidden Treasures & Inspirations; Fabrics; Seating; Lights &
Lighting; and Flowers. Have used the crisp and very neat fitting slipcover
ideas she has on page 23 and 27 as well as the setting idea on page
27 where two same covered, sofa's are used in the viewing/screening
room of a clients home. Now... I am the only woman/female in this
family. So with a husband, sons, male cats and dogs I love to save
money as well as have furniture that men like and which looks good
as well. Ms Ashwells book wins on all counts. Showing what works and
what doesn't and why. She isn't just a woman who pays others to do
what she says, she does it herself. The flea market piece and photos
reminded me of the awesome Pasadena flea market that is so awesome!
It is also nice that she shows a variety of living styles from country
garden homes, to zen simplicity, to more a seaside or Mediterranean
mode. She offers wonderful information on choosing the right fabric
for the piece of furniture and home environment. And information that
even I did not know about picking paint. Appreciated the section on
furniture restortaion and the photographs that remind me of my favorite
haunts in SF and Oakland. The book is one that you will actually pull
off the shelf and read often. In my opinion it is worth the price
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The
Art of Faux: The Complete Sourcebook of Decorative Painted Finishes
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Aimed at professionals and dedicated amateurs, The Art of Faux is
packed with gorgeous examples of faux finishes. Internationally acclaimed,
award-winning decorative painter and instructor Pierre Finkelstein
covers every aspect of the art form in tremendous detail, beginning
with extensive specifics on all tools, materials, supplies, and planning,
and including preparation and cleanup considerations. Each of the
other 10 chapters concentrates on a wide variety of faux finishes
in different categories: marble, semiprecious stone, limestone and
sandstone, wood, patinas and textures, metals and gilding, tile, organic
materials (such as ivory, leather, and mother-of-pearl), stenciling,
and trompe l'oeil. There are even instructions for uncommon faux finishes,
such as bamboo, Delft tile, snakeskin, and damask, that are not generally
taught in other books on the subject. Every finish is presented as
a complete recipe, and the list of ingredients includes not only paints,
glazes, and tools, but also difficulty ratings and lists of preparatory
exercises for techniques that are part of the complete finish. People
seriously involved in any aspect of faux finishing--particularly people
considering careers in the field--should invest in the information-packed
The Art of Faux. |
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