Reviews (1)

A must for all who are engaged in store design!
There are numerous books on store design, but only a few with real class. This is one of them. Otto Riewoldt shows us interior design jewels like the Herman Miller showroom in Chicago, the Swatch Timeship shop in New York, Alan Journo Shoes in Milan, shopping centers like Bluewater in London and the Munich Airport Center. Progressive design and foreward looking shop concepts that help selling even of today. - This book makes expensive and strenous trips seem unnessary and inspires our design creativity and commercial will power. ... Read more

Book Description

Exceptionally authoritative and applied, this handbook/tutorial/workbook provides a firm foundation in the basics of color harmony and usage and explores the vast and often hidden ways in which color affects our everyday lives—culturally, psychologically, and physiologically. Based on well-controlled, scientific studies, it separates color myth from color fact, and shows readers how color affects, for example, our health, spending habits, perceived image, communication, weight, sex lives, and consumer brand preferences. Self-contained segments on different aspects of color or specific application areas provide convenient handbook use. Detailed experiential exercises cross over into many fields—e.g., interiors, fashion, graphics, healthcare, architecture, environment and landscape, hospitality, etc.The Color Connection. Color: Pigment and Light. Color Myths and Biases. Color and Health. Color and Psychology. Color in Interiors. Color in Architecture and Landscape Design. Color in Advertising and Marketing. Color in Fashion and Textile Design. Color in Culture and Society. Color Order Systems. Color: Pushing the Envelope.For Interior Designers, Interior Decorators, Product Designers, Graphic Designers, Architects, Product Designers, Fashion Designers, Healthcare workers (specifically Physical Therapists, Chiropractors and alternative medicine practitioners such as Aromatherapists, Color Therapists, and Holistic Medicine Practitioners and well as holistic Veterinarians), and Education Administrators. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Fabulous Book!
This is the best book on color I've ever found. It gives a really comprehensive overview of how color affects your entire life. If you want to redecorate your home, or influence people by how you dress, or learn how to use color to make your life healthier you absolutely must read this book. Color: The Secret Influence really goes way beyond anything I've ever read about color before in showing how it totally affects our lives. It clearly states that the serious study of color is in its beginning stages but it also gives an amazing amount of information that anyone can use today, right now to make their lives better. You've gotta read this book!

Disappointed
This book is like Reader's Digest. It trys to cover too much subject matter and winds up turning into a survey. It says a little about a lot. I returned it.

Tickled pink:)
Color affects everything, "Color The Secret Influence" examines the science, psychology, and history of color. The information and studies discussed within touch on many facets of everyday life. The book begins by defining color, and discusses it in the context of it's affects on health, psychology, architecture, landscape design, sales, marketing, packaging, fashion, and culture in general.

If you have the slightest interest in learning about color for commercial purposes, designing and decorating your home, improving or understanding your color preferences, or how your everyday color choices and preferences affect you, buy this book!. It's is phenomenal, absolutely the best all encompassing book on color I've ever come across. While the information contained within, can be applied to web and graphic design, the depth of this book goes FAR beyond anything else I have read! It covers MUCH more than just creating attractive color combinations.

Color: The Secret Influence
I think this book will really help me in my work. I have a floorcovering business and I have read a lot of books on color trying to learn things that I can use in my business. This is the first book that has given me really solid information. I now understand color for the first time. I really recommend this book to anyone who wants to know how to use color as a way to make their lives better.

Great Job!
This book has lots of info and is put together really well. It's amazing to learn how much color affects your life and to realize that you can make your life so much better by knowing how to use it. This is a great book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great book!!
This book features many amazing pictures- of exclusive hotels as well as private homes. I was most impressed with the pictures of Amanjiwo- a famed Aman resort - and with Begawan Giri in Bali. This book is also well laid out and well written. Highly recommended for people who are interested in Balinese and tropical architecture and design. ... Read more

Book Description

Painting Your House Inside and Out explores today's range of paint and special effects products and offers instructions for choosing, mixing, and using them for a variety of home-decorating purposes. Here is practical advice on everything from preparing surfaces, choosing colors and equipment, and understanding paint properties to mastering techniques. It includes tips on avoiding common and costly pitfalls as well as a step-by-step plan forgetting the desired results. Over 250 photographs and illustrations are featured. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

This book has the answers
I like this book very much. Not only does it answer color questions for inside my house, but it gives me color guidance and inspiration for the outside of my house (which is in dire need of a paint job). The photography in the book is lovely . The detailed instruction for choosing colors makes it easier than I thought it would be. This beautiful book is a useful tool.

Very good resource
My wife and I found this book very helpful in determining colors for the outside of our house. I learned what was needed to prep and paint the house as well. My wife enjoyed the information on color for our rooms and is planning a color scheme. This book is worth the investment.

Quick and Easy Paint Color Solutions
I gave this book to several friends as house warming and wedding gifts. Both friends said they loved the book, but more than that, they were able to get use out of it. One friend found a beautiful putty paint color for the outside of her house. Her house looks amazing with charcoal colored shutters. She is so happy with the result. My other friend chose a color scheme for her living room, dining room and family room. She said the book made it easy. I have since purchased a copy for myself. I'm reading it now and am getting very inspired to make changes in my own home.

It's Got It All!
This is a very comprehensive guide for choosing colors for both the interior and exterior of your home. It includes everything you would ever need to know about color, painting techniques, and everything in between. This is the only guide that I will need to accomplish my goals. There is simply nothing about the color selection and painting process that isn't thoughtfully addressed in this book. Plus, the photographs and are beautiful! It's got it all. ... Read more

Book Description

Mention the French and most minds overflow with symbols of their panache: sensuous velvets, leopard prints, toile, silk taffeta curtains, deep bullion trim, and eighteenth-century furnishings. The truth is, it is difficult not to fall under the influence of the French, whose uncommon grace is inherent in everything they do.

Following on the heels of Provençal Interiors: French Country Style in America and French by Design, in French Influences, Betty Lou Phillips delves into the world of design français once again, illustrating through lavish color photography how, room by room, French elegance remains the crème de la crème.

From living rooms to kitchens, bedrooms, dining rooms, media rooms, gardens, and baths, French Influences reveals the means for creating French-style rooms in the home. Furniture, linens, floor coverings, window treatments, accessories, color palettes, lighting fixtures, and antiques inspired by their rich cultural heritage, including rock-crystal chandeliers, Aubusson rugs, exquisite tapestries, feather-filled armchairs, and painstakingly carved armoires are all part of this style. And the resource guide makes it possible for anyone to locate these objets d’art and decorate à la français, creating a gracious mingling of old-world charm and ease.

Author of Provençal Interiors: French Country Style in America and French by Design, Betty Lou Phillips is a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers. Her design work has appeared in such publications as Southern Accents, Bedroom, Bath & Wall, and Decorating, and has also graced many magazine covers. Additionally, her design talents were featured in an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show. She lives in Dallas, Texas. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Puts the French on Pedestals
The book is written as if the French have a monopoly on good taste. B. Phillips gushes over the French lifestyle to the point of annoyance. I found myself saying, enough already! I got the book because I've travelled to France since I was a kid and now I'd like to decorate my home with French influences. But after reading her book, with its genuflecting and contradictions, I was turned off. An example of contradiction: At one point the book states that the French are not ostentacious and prefer simple, tasteful items in the home. But from the interior pictures of mansions, that hardly seems to be the case. Also, I couldn't see any children being happy in these homes. They look like hotels and museums. The book had one very redeeming quality. The guides outlining "must haves" are very good.

French Details
"Detail is the difference between ordinary and extraordinary." ~Unknown

If you are dreaming of a book filled with rock-crystal chandeliers, Aubusson rugs, exquisite tapestries, feather-filled armchairs, carved armoires, sensuous velvets, leopard prints, silk taffeta curtains and eighteenth-century furnishings, you may fall under the influence of "French Influences." The magnificent picture of a French-inspired kitchen complete with French antiques is enough to make any cook envious.

Betty Lou Phillips work has appeared in Southern Accents, Traditional Home & Bath, Window and Wall, and Decorating as well as many magazine covers. She is a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers and has a penchant for quotes.

Welcome to the World of French Style:

Making a World of Difference
The American Way with French Style
Reflections of Good Taste
Fluent French
French Class
Unmistakably French
Vive la France!
Garden Shows
Designer's Notebook

The pictures in this book are inspirational and the pink dining room is a fantasy princess dream. I was surprised at how much I really did love the vintage chairs covered in playful leopard prints. There are little tidbits of information throughout the book.

Finally, I understand why the rooster is a favorite motif.

I would have love to have dissolved into page 146 and taken a stroll through the row of trees on the winding gravel path leading to the unknown.

~TheRebeccaReview.com

The Nicest Room is on the Cover
The rest of the book is page after page of heavy, ornate rooms that lack individuality and warmth. The decor is superficially beautiful because all the "signals" of wealth are there: expensive sofas and chairs, brocade curtains, period furniture, "French" bric-a-brac, but ultimately it's a collection of overly-designed showpieces.

Good for French Decorating Ideas
While a little "Dallas" in style. This book captures a mixture of French styles. Betty Lou's books are well illustrated. Most importantly, she lists the sources of the items & fabrics. I find it insulting when designers are secretive regarding sources. Keep it up Betty Lou, I wish more coffee table books on decorative arts & design were like yours. I recommend this if it fits your style.

This book is delightful!
I place this books among my top favorites in the decorating category (and I own many). Each time I flip through this book I see some new ideas that I didn't notice before. The are many beautiful pictures but the text is fun to read as well. The book helps to give you a feel for the way the French live and feel about their homes. Betty Lou Phillips also wrote French by Design which I also enjoyed, but of the two books French Influences is my favorite. ... Read more

Book Description

An interior designer's best work is often measured by abstract standards.The designer's talent and skill can dazzle the eyes and win clients, but creative ability is not enough to ensure long-term success.The less glamorous side of interior design is one ofnegotiations, contracts, and finances.A designer ill-prepared to cope with the inevitable business and legal complications ultimately loses time and money, but now help is on the way.Attorney Tad Crawford and design business professional Eva Doman Bruck have teamed to provide interior designers with Business and Legal Forms for Interior Designers, a powerful new resource for building the the foundation for a successful design business. ... Read more

Book Description

8 1/2 x 11 300 color photographs US and Canada Distribution Gourmet & Specialty Shops showcases 60 examples of excellence in retail outlet design, along with the schematic plans that made these designs great. A variety of innovative shops are featured, including upscale retail outlets for gourmet, freshly prepared, or packaged foods; wine shops; specialty coffee and tea stores; patisseries; spice shops; cheese stands; natural and organic food stores; and more. ... Read more

Book Description

/*0-13-048399-0, 4839J-7, Riggs, J. Rosemary, Materials and Components of Interior Architecture, 6/E*/ Taking into account the dramatic advances being made in materials and technologies, this innovative book on interior architecture offers a refreshing, synergistic approach to the field while exposing readers to many exciting nonstructural materials available to today's designers. With an eye on the environment, it provides a firm understanding of the products, properties, and uses of all materials, covering everything from floors, walls and ceiling to installation, and recycling. Progressing from the ground up—literally—it looks beyond the more decorative aspects of design to study the properties and uses of both finishing materials in the design field and structural materials in the architectural field. For interior designers and specifiers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Broad Outlook on Interior Products
This book is a good reference for anyone who is currently designing or building a luxury home, but for a general education on construction interiors, this is not the book. There are many references to the latest products, which include both color and feature description that will be quickly outdated. Most of the discussion centers around materials that would be used in an affluent home rather than your typical family residence, and product descriptions focus on the unique product, not the typical. Dimensions for comfortable clearance and layout hints are useful for residential layout, but the commercial references are very limited. ... Read more

Book Description

The most comfortable rooms in the world are those that have aged gracefully. Bearing the traces of their owners' lives and tastes, these spaces beckon you to enjoy them, to make yourself at home. The Well-Worn Interior is an illuminating tour of these beautiful rooms, visiting older residences and historic houses in the United States and throughout Europe and exploring the evolution of these special places over time. There is much to learn from these timeless interiors.

Evocative photographs explore the warmth, charm, and beauty of faded and gently decayed interiors-the peeling paint, vintage fabrics, worn floors, and other testaments to a place's history. This "lived-in" look will appeal to anyone seeking the comfort of home. As subtle as the loving wear of decades can be, there are simple strategies for achieving such an intimate aura without working, or waiting, all those years. The Well-Worn Interior is the essential guide to helping you make decoration decisions that are sensitive to your existing home. A reference section illustrates how long-neglected techniques such as limewash, graining, and gilding can be applied to today's interiors, and a directory points you toward the right materials. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Warm, Rich Photographs of Beautiful Lived-In Rooms
This is one of my favorite decorating books. The photographs are rich and warm, revealing the interiors of beautiful, aged, classic homes. If you like the look of distressed original walls, furniture, rugs, and paintings, you will enjoy this book. There is no chrome, plastic, or formica here.

Many of the photos in this book remind me of the classic "Ralph Lauren" look, featuring English or European country style with the patina of age. The interiors have the "shabby chic" look, but without the overabundance of white paint on everything that "shabby chic" usually implies.

There is a lack of fussiness and frilliness in these rooms. They look lived in -- these are not museum-type rooms, for show only. These are rooms where you can sit down, kick off your shoes, read a book, enjoy a meal, or sleep comfortably, without worrying that you're going to ruin something.

I give this book my highest rating -- five stars. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

They say you can't judge a Book by it's Cover, but I did.
I knew from the cover this would be a book to indulge
my senses.The small house pictured with a white couch,
with a black embrodiered pillow,centered in the middle
along with a vintage candolier drew me in.

Every page has a treat for the eyes.White panelled
walls,stone walls,and small white beadboard in the
bathroom's.A beautiful blue fabric couch centered in
an old-fashioned three window setting.Simple but
elegant.

It shows some new cottage rooms,some a combination:
Vintage with new,and some with more vintage style.
There is a smorgasbord for every type of decorating,
and true appeal for every age group.Some very talented
designers left their mark in the rooms.

I keep going back to this book for ideas and just
pleasure.It helps me to relax.

Some fascinating finds were the gothic arches for
book storing.Also,the crisp white porches with pillars,
that seem to be making a comeback.Hoorah!
Their were multiple bathroom choices allowing you
a different vision.

The flea market style in this book was above what is
usually associated with the words flea market.
It is used successfully because the objects found have such
potential.

At the end,are shown easy displays to copy if you
are starting out,and don't quite know what to do to
achieve a personal look.

A Visiual Treat
This book is full of wonderful pictures and ideas for the cottage look. The pages are not overcrowded or overwhelming. It has become my favorite of the "Cottage Style" design books. ... Read more

Book Description

Matching Paul Duchscherer's authoritative text with striking photographs by Douglas Keister--the team that made The Bungalow so successful--Inside the Bungalow will thrill Arts and Crafts aficionados. Chapters devoted to all aspects of bungalow interior design include the front door, with its sense of arrival; the fireplace, a major Arts and Crafts symbol of hearth and home; the living room, hub of bungalow living; the den, study, or library; the kitchen and dining room; and bedrooms that range from nursery to sleeping porch.Finishing touches of the period abound: textiles, pillows, wall treatments, lighting fixtures, millwork detailing, art glass, and more. A special section shows eager enthusiasts how mundane interiors have been transformed into beautiful, exciting Arts and Crafts environments. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Beautiful photographs of interiors
This book contains big color photographs of interiors; reference guide at the end of the book detailing resources of Arts and Crafts literature and furnishings

Friendly Resource
This is a user friendly book to have close at hand. If you're like me I am always looking at ways to incorporate colors, designs and arts and crafts style into our 1922 Chalet Arts and Craft's home. I especially appreciate all the colorful pictures and the textiles shown. Paint, stenciling and wallcoverings being modest in cost and are realistic changes that are indeed affordable. Lots of ideas and examples to pull a room together. I refer to the book frequently and I am pleased I bought it.

Bungalow owners idea book
For newly into the arts and crafts movement and restoring our bungalow, this book concentrates exactly where we needed it to -- the interior. From shots of wonderful restored homes to our favorite section (before and after), this book will become our favorite resource. Excellently focused!

What an inspiration....great book...buy this book!
As soon to be purchasers of an 'arts & crafts' home in the Hudson Valley (NY), my husband and I never heard of 'arts & crafts' style homes. This book has been such a wonderful inspiration for us. The book is filled with color photos, wonderful ideas, themes and history! We will borrow from what we've learned and put those concepts, colors etc to great use in our new home. What was especially dramatic was the before and after pix of rooms/homes. You won't be disappointed in this purchase.

EXCELLENT IDEA BOOK FOR OWNERS OF BUNGALOWS
ANYONE WHO INCLUDES BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES IN THEIR BOOK GETS MY VOTE. BEAUTIFUL HOUSES DON'T JUST HAPPEN, THEY ARE THE RESULT OF HARD WORK BY THEIR OWNERS. THIS BOOK SHOWCASES SOME WONDERFUL INTERIORS AND PROVIDES INSPIRATIONS TO THOSE OF US STILL WORKING ON OUR HUMBLE BUNGALOWS. ... Read more

Book Description

Trompe L'Oeil Interiors provides a hands-on approach to the tradition of using murals and painted illusions in interiors. For home decorators who want to create something unexpected or adventurous, this book gives clear, step-by-step instructions for carrying out a range of exciting trompe l'oeil projects in any room. Small stand-alone projects, such as marble blocks, vases, greenery and balustrades, serve as an introduction to the different elements of trompe l'oeil painting. More ambitious feature projects, such as a cloudy ceiling with greenery and birds, as well as a stone urn in a niche with a drape, demonstrate how basic techniques can be combined to create trompe l'oeil features with real impact.Inspirational photographs provide variations on each theme, encouraging readers to recombine the basic elements in their own way. ... Read more

Book Description

"If you can put together an outfit, you're already overqualified to decorate a room," believes Emmy Award-winning Christopher Lowell. Now, the most popular and colorful personality on the Discovery Channel brings his proven Seven Layers of Design system to readers in a lively blend of design theory and hands-on advice for do-it-yourself projects. In this book, as on his program, Lowell brings his humor, wit, and charm to a host of decorating projects and ideas, making them simple, fun, and rewarding.

Christopher Lowell's Seven Layers of Design solves decorating dilemmas by encouraging you to look at a room piece by piece, layer by layer, from the floor up. By following this process, home decorators can avoid costly disappointments and learn inexpensive tricks for changing the personality of a room. With his colorful presentation of the Seven Layers (Paint & Architecture, Installed Flooring, Upholstered Furniture, Accent Fabrics, Non-upholstered Furniture, Accessories, and Plants & Lighting), Lowell lays the groundwork for simple yet stunning home design. He demonstrates how color is the foundation of a room, why decorating a room around a favorite upholstery fabric is a recipe for disaster, how to create fabulous fakes using paint and plywood, why you should never paint a ceiling white, and how to deal with an interior designer.

Each chapter of Christopher Lowell's Seven Layers of Design walks you through room makeovers with dramatic before, during, and after photos, and solves a variety of design problems. In "Even the Kitchen Sink," Lowell works his magic within the constraints of existing walls and appliances, countertops, and cabinets. "Home Office Haven" demonstrates how to create an efficient home office and still welcome houseguests. "Living Large" helps you to reduce clutter by making use of space you never knew you had. "Dining Room Drama" shows how to bring romance into any room of the house. There are also plenty of tips, secrets, and shortcuts to tackling a stylish Deco bathroom mirror, faux-finished kitchen cabinets, a chic chaise lounge made from plywood, and more. Best of all, most of these projects can be completed for under $100. ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Help for the decorating dazed and confused
I enjoy Christopher Lowell's television show, and found his book equally terrific! The advice about interviewing and working with an interior decorator is worth the cost of the book by itself. The projects are challenging but definitely add to your home's look without putting you in the poorhouse. The best thing about Christopher Lowell? He starts with *paint*. Paint is cheap, and can simply be painted over without incurring thousands in re-dos and "buying mistakes." Paint also makes a huge impact, and you don't have to change furniture or buy expensive accessories.

It's not brain surgery, but home decorating can reduce the most self-assured woman to a tearful wreck. This book can either be followed to the letter or used as a springboard to other decorating books and magazines. Christopher's breezy writing style and easily understood explanations make the most fearful home decorator ready to finally pick up that paintbrush and get busy!

Christopher is AMAZING and so is his book!
Of course we all love Christopher, but I'm not praising his book just because I think he's fabulous. His book provides us with hands-on material we can read and re-read until we completely understand. The book explains each of the 7 layers of design and makes it sooooo simple to decorate an entire room. He also has instructions for projects and they're so easy to understand. You'll love the chaise lounge in the back! The book is written the way christopher talks. It's fun, and easy to understand. He even gives you a list of basics to have in your "tool box"! If you're planning on re-decorating a room this book is essential!

Pictures were nice, but pretty over powering.
It seemed like everything in the book was just as over the top as he is. Instead of showing you a really tastefull way of going about decorating something, everything was just bigger, and more colorful, and fluffier. I think that is kind of his style, and I guess I'm just not a fan of it.

I think if you really enjoy him, you will like this book. I guess I don't enjoy him or this book.

Fun and informative
This is a fun book. However, if you already have furniture and can't afford to buy a lot more accessories, this might not be the book for you. He advises doing things in layers, which, in theory, is a great idea. I just don't have the time or money to do all the things he suggests. If you have an empty room and are starting from scratch with no paint or paper on the walls and can fill it with furniture and accessories, then this is great. Also, the big problem that I've noticed with some of these interior decorating books is that they don't offer a lot of different ideas. I have one book that has quite a few color palette ideas in the back and I've found that I use this a lot more, since it gives some definitive "use these colors to look coordinated" advice without being restrictive.

A Great Read!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had very high expectations for this book...and Christopher sure came through!!!!!!!! All the tips were great and Chris looked great as always!!! I love his show and now i love his books!!!!! I can't wait to read his next book. thanks lowell...i love you man!!!!! ... Read more

Book Description

The first lifestyle book to show groups of colors inspired by nature and how they work on the interior walls of 26 homes. Kaufman's colors are distinctive in that they are designed to capture the nuances of color in nature. The authors reveal their paint-mixing techniques, and recipes for five neutral Donald Kaufman paints are included. Illustrations. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

I was a little disappointed....
that there wasn't more info on what pigments the author used to create the colors for each of his beautiful palettes .

I later found on the web that he sells his paints (called, surprisingly enough, the Donald Kaufman Color Collection) for $40 to $75 per gallon. They are available only through the Color Factory (Englewood, NJ) or Painter's Supply (Santa Monica, CA).

Other than that, a beautiful book with plenty of pictures and in-depth discussion of each house.

the best book on color for interiors on the market
As an artist, I believe this book is, by far, the very best book on color for home/office interiors on the market. I have gotten so frustrated at paint stores as the language usually spoken there is very different than that of visual artists. Alas, Donald Kaufman has filled the gap! An intelligent, stunning book that reaches a place in my spirit that Martha Stewart couldn't reach........right up there with the recent book by Suzanne Butterfield, using Kaufman's color system.

At last... colors that are ALIVE!
Are you tired of shuffling and comparing paint sample cards and agonizing over coordinating a palette, finally selecting what looks like the closest match only to find the colors you selected look positively DEAD on your walls?

This book will explain why. The concepts behind Kaufman's color palettes really open up a whole new world of color. If you never took an art class (or even if you did), you'll treasure this book because it explains very simply the basic problem with off-the-shelf paint colors and why, no matter what you choose, they have no life to them. There is even a chapter at the end of the book that shows how to mix and select your OWN palettes.

Anyone wanting a refreshing outlook on using color in home decorating will find this book essential reading. ... Read more

Book Description

The aim of The Curtain Sketchbook is to show, in clear line sketches, hundreds of ideas for curtains and window treatments. This is not a "How to do it Book" - it is a book of window decorating ideas.First published in England by Shoestring Book Company. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Mainly Classic Designs
This book will not teach you how to sew curtains but it will give you loads of ideas for your window treatment.However, it is only ideal for those looking for classical designs since no modern styles are shown.

It also lacks new creative designs, I always felt that each design is familiar to me.

Great source of ideas for elaborate window treatments
The book contains line drawings of styles for all the various elements of a window treatment as well as ideas for dealing with different kinds of windows. The book decomposes window treatments into pelmets, valences, etc., etc., etc., with pages of line drawings of styles for each element. Then, it pulls the various elements together into a total look.

I was leant this book, but I found it so helpful I bought my own. It has drawbacks. If you want something simple and/or you plan to make them yourself, this probably isn't the book for you. There are no instructions or measurements of any kind, just the drawings. But if you're working with a decorator who knows a professional, or are a decorator yourself, then this book will help your imagination run wild.

The Curtain Sketchbbok 2 by Wendy Baker
This book is really great for any windows. Mostly if you are a interior designer. It gaves you lot of good examples which curtains will good in what rooms with different types of furnitures. This book gaves you something that no one esle has. You will be the first one to have that design in your room before someone esle does

Curtain Sketchbook 2
This is a great book if you're looking for unique window treatments. I wanted something everyone else didn't have. It is not a how-to book but the illustrations are very detailed. ... Read more

Book Description

Rachel Ashwell's trademark design style features a lovely palette of soft, feminine colors, fresh white paint, and a love for the finishing touch that may be slightly imperfect yet is filled with meaning. But her style is about much more than simply decorating an attractive home -- it's an intimate, warm approach to creating thoughtful occasions and comfortable environments for those we love.

In Shabby Chic: Sumptuous Settings and Other Lovely Things, Rachel uses six very different celebrations and locations to show how to make a joyful, lovely setting -- whether it is casual or formal, large or small. This beautiful, accessible book proves that entertaining need not be expensive or intimidating; it's simply a matter of inspiration and imagination -- and it all starts with the beautiful things, carefully chosen, that you surround yourself with every day. As Rachel says, "A sumptuous setting is a place of abundance and generosity, the necessary backdrop for any party. This is easy to accomplish when you allow a love of beauty to be the foundation of your daily life."

From a baby shower with the playful theme of a tea in an English country village, to a magical bat mitzvah celebrating two lovely young girls who adore the arts, Rachel provides hundreds of sweet ideas and imaginative details that will add sparkle and whimsy to every occasion. And this inspiring book will also help us find the beauty and freshness in our lives every day. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

447 Pages of Visual Decorating Candy
Large formate hardback with full page photos color each page, minimal captions, how to sections for creating your own unique interpretations of what you see. Compilation of photos from previous issues of Country Living Magazine condensed and available in one book. Abundant creative stimulation for moments when I just want to relax and allow myself some visual candy, snuggled comfortably listening to Miles Davis. Jazz and country? you bet! ... Read more

Book Description

Foreword by Robert Rosenblum. Preface by Andr*e Putman. French Style captures the celebrated art de vivre of the contemporary French life-style. 450 full-color photographs. ... Read more