Global Style: Exotic Elements in Contemporary Interiors
by Lesley Dilcock Jo Leevers Catherine Gratwicke
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 April, 2000)
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Reviews (2)

Not very global
The photos are beautiful, but I was disappointed in the narrow range of styles present in the book.Most of the pictures are of asian style with a little South American and India style thrown in.As far as I could tell, there were no pictures of tribal/african style, or other less-well represented styles in mainstream decorating books.

I gave the book as many stars as I did for the photos and for the authors at least trying to publish a more diversified book on style.I would have liked to give it more stars, but I was too disappointed in it.

great resource for creative world-travellers
This book is a really exciting read for people looking for elegant ways to display all the fabulous souvenirs they picked up on their world travels. At the very least, it really opens up your mind to new possibilities of decorating beyond the Pottery Barn/Crate & Barrel aesthetic... ... Read more

Isbn: 1841720496
Sales Rank: 494291
Subjects:  1. Decorating    2. Decorating - General    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House & Home    5. Interior Design - Style Books    6. Interior decoration   

Tracy Porter's Dreams from Home
by Tracy Porter Deborah Hernandez Ann Porter Deborah Pacini Hernandez Katy Rowe Dale Stenten
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 October, 1998)
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Reviews (5)

It's a dream even for a French woman
I absolutely loved this book in spite of the fact I'm French and I sometimes must search words I don't understand in the dictionnary.
Tracy Porter's ideas are incredible and a little crazy, but as I'm an artist and a designer too, I think I'm almost as crazy as she is, but it's very pleasant to find someone who go further in the crazyness. Her joy of life brought me a lot, at a time I had troubles in my inspiration, because of family problems, political difficulties (I love USA and it's not well seen in France these times).
I already wanted to move to USA before but by seeing all her funny and sympathitic animals, it convinced me more. People in Paris have lost their fantasy, I think.
Suddenly, I thought, I'm not alone... Well, it's a book about love. Everything in it is about love and it makes us feel so good.
Thanks Tracy.
Yael from Paris

A REFRESHING DELIGHT - A REMINDER TO DREAM
Having been a long time fan of designer Tracy Porter's enchanting products, I had the pleasure of curling up with her first book DREAMS FROM HOME over a relaxing weekend.How refreshing to read a book of such honesty that captures the spirit of dreaming and taking risks.Having moved from the city to the country to start her design business, Tracy shares an inside look of the changes and challenges that she and her husband faced to follow their dreams.The photography in this book is completely inspirational filled with Tracy's signature layered look.Tracy shares personal tales of how they transformed their 100-year old stone farmhouse into a place of comfort.She shares decorating and entertaining tips without being preachy or too instructive.What makes this book even more intriguing is the way in which Tracy weaves in personal stories - from her love for her grandmother to her family's Easter celebration to a suprise birthday party for her husband in an abandoned silo!This book is fun, inspiring, and reminds us all to dream and play and live life to its fullest.DREAMS FROM HOME is a must have for anyone who dares to dream!

Have fun, be yourself, dream Baroque (or is that "bark?!")
Are you a decorating addict, collecting books on decorating, stashing them with your horde of ribbons from past gifts, little trinkets left over from craft projects, and snips of favorite rooms from those shelter magazines? Don't bother buying any more books--Tracy Porter will show you what to dowith all your precious mementoes, and offers you the freedom to do EXACTLYWHAT YOU WANT WITH THEM.Unlike Shabby Chic guru Rachel, or major painMartha, Tracy says YOU are in charge.Like chartreuse and red velvet? Gofor it.After reading her book, you'll be dying to throw partiesforlittle foo foo bunnies and pulling all your treasures out of those boxesand putting them out to admire.If I could get Tracy to come play at MYhouse, I'd be the happiest person ever.This book will NEVER wind up on abookshelf; I keep referring to it far to often to not have it at myfingertips!!Buy it, love it, and go for some heavy-duty, grab-your-honeyromantic Baroque!! ... Read more

Isbn: 0836267737
Sales Rank: 247312
Subjects:  1. Decorating    2. Decorating - General    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House & Home    5. Interior decoration    6. Interior design    7. Porter, Tracy    8. Themes, motives   

American Junk
by Mary Randolph Carter
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (30 March, 1994)
list price: $32.95 -- our price: $32.95
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Reviews (13)

FOR JUNKIES
Colorful picture book boasts fine loving photographs of junk collected in American junk shops by the author, a self confessed junk junkie. The minimal text is sometimes awkward, the author is a more accomplished photographer than she is a writer, and the hundreds of photos are brilliant eye-catching motifs of both, truly collectible antiques and other people's garbage, like amateur paint-by-numbers paintings of dogs. Although the author pays very little for her vast array of objects; $20.00 seems to be the average price,she seems to purchase a home every time she runs out of space to display her treasures, and her constant references to places like "the summer home in Millenton" become a bit daunting.

Great Pictures, Few Ideas
This book was great on pictures--pictures that showed the "after" of transforming junk.The book, though, lack information on exactly to transfer that junk.It did not get down to the "down and dirty." I have seen better information given on the television show, Decorating Cents, on HGTV.

If you like pictures and use them in your transformation, this is the book for you.If you want detailed instructions, there are other well-informative books that can do a better job.

Fun to Give and Receive
American Junk is not a how-to book as its subtitle suggests.Far more specific advice about hunting and haggling is available in flea market directories, and there really is no rescue or transformation involved: items acquired move directly to the table top, shelf, desk, floor, wherever.This is a celebration of cheap old stuff that others might ignore or take pains to avoid, an annointment of its value by someone of influence (the author is a vice president at Ralph Lauren, I believe). It's a quasi aesthetic, with loving photographs of the items in assembled in haphazard tableaus.It is of an innocent age, published before e-bay seized collectibles from the trash, before absolutely everybody got into flea market hunt, before Antiques Roadshow--and that was less than 10 years ago! The author does not explain to a doubter's satisfaction how one lives and cleans with so much stuff.Not all of it is really junk, of course--a vintage set of Zane Grey novels, some folk art carving, old textiles are not what I'd call junk.Dirty old Tupperware or small harvest gold appliances that no longer work are what I call junk and they are not to be found in this book. Ah, well; it is fun to give or receive, but take the author's approach and try to get it cheap. ... Read more

Isbn: 0670844004
Sales Rank: 204216
Subjects:  1. Antiques    2. Antiques / Collectibles    3. Crafts & Hobbies    4. Decorating - General    5. General    6. Hobbies/Crafts    7. House furnishings    8. Interior design    9. Secondhand trade    10. United States    11. Antiques & Collectibles / General   

Garden Style (Better Homes and Gardens) (Better Homes and Gardens)
by Better Homes and Gardens Linda Hallam
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (March, 1999)
list price: $34.95 -- our price: $29.71
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Editorial Review

Garden Style is a rich book of ideas for those who have sun porches, glassed-in plant rooms, areas in the home that seem to be neither outside nor inside but somewhere in between. There's advice on how to accent plant life with bright patterned rugs, glass topped tables, or wicker chairs. Also included are ideas for kitchens and living rooms "inspired" by garden style: a few gaffes here, including curtain rods made from twigs, which look, well, weird. Much more successful are pages devoted to a "miniature conservatory," like the terrariums kids buy in kits, but these are built carefully and delicately--an ecosystem small enough to fit on a kitchen shelf. For those whose potting sheds have become dark caverns full of lost tools, there's a section devoted to this often neglected but highly important room, one that, if bright and well-organized, can inspire even the most weary gardener: all the tools lined up, all the seeds and bulbs labeled and in order, full of promise. For the city dweller there's advice on roof gardens designed around the skyline, and these have a wonderful feeling of oasis and secrecy. --Emily White ... Read more

Reviews (11)

You will drool over this one...
This has quickly become one of my favorites.Every vignette has ideas popping off the page.I'm a designer in a small design firm and we have used it with clients. The other designers got excited about it as I did.Clinets are asking us to bring the outdoors in and indoors out. This book is loaded with ideas that are practical and don't break the pocketbook.

Beautiful and inspiring home design book for nature lovers.
This inspiring book is a wonderful guide for incorporating the pleasure of nature and garden accessories into a welcoming home decor. The author provides a wide range of possibilities to blend with the wishes and desiresof any home decorator. Within the pages of this beautiful resource, thereader will uncover whimsical, country, cottage, mountain, old world,British Colonial, and a bounty of other styles that are adapted to thenature lovers vision of tranquility or fun. The interiors of thevistasthat have been photographed are each the product of real people who haveopened their homes to the author. The author also includes a visual displayof home gardening boutiques and shops from around the country which presenttheir lovely wares to assist this enchanting approach to home decorating.

Highly recommended
This book has inspired me to redo many of our rooms usingsimple and easy to find garden-style accessories. ............... the fabulous sequel to this book, Garden Style Projects. Imay need a new house now so I can keep using all these ideas. ... Read more

Isbn: 0696209292
Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Decorating    3. Decorating - General    4. Decoration    5. Garden ornaments and furniture    6. History    7. Home Improvement / Construction    8. House & Home    9. Interior Design - Style Books    10. Interior decoration    11. Outdoor living spaces    12. United States   

The Shabby Chic Home
by Rachel Ashwell
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (04 April, 2000)
list price: $35.00 -- our price: $23.10
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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. 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 ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Not So Shabby
Not a lot of helpful advice here,just a lot of pictures of her, not a lot of ideas either.If you want a book with pretty pictures this might do.Otherwise,buy a good decorating magazine.I gave this book away.

Very Disappointed
Browsing the free pages shown on Amazon I thought I was going to get a book with lots of Photos of "shabby" style furniture and tips on how to get the look.Instead what I got was a book that reads like a 'day in the life of' story.I didnt want a biography.This book takes you along on the authors trips to assorted flea markets and whatnot and tells you what she bought and where she is going to use it.Not at all what I expected to get.

I'm workin' toward this house...
Except, mine will be on the Indiana or Illinois coast of Lake Michigan.I love Rachel Ashwell's frugal, classy style.She gives you a truck load of inspiration and understands empowering people to design, no matter if they are wealthy or shopping in ritzy alleys or at estate sales for goods.The results create sentimental elegance. If nothing else, you learn the power of white paint and good hard do it yourselfing.This book takes you there and Rachel does an excellent job of pulling you into her home.She leaves nothing out and the photographer deserves enormous credit.Buy it or check it out at the library today. ... Read more

Isbn: 006039319X
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   

Pad: The Guide to Ultra-Living
by Matt Maranian
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 May, 2000)
list price: $24.95 -- our price: $15.72
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Reviews (63)

oh my god!
i found this book thankfully before i moved to the seattle area. And was amazingly inspired by the ideasm projects, and houses that were in it (not to mention loved how most of the people lived in apartments). I made the birdcage hanging light i saw there and every person who sees it thinks it is totally awsome.

Great Coffee Table Book.....YeeeaaaahBaby!
I was in the middle of remodeling my house and bought several different books to help inspire me.This book can be very useful if you're trying to get a feel for retro-modern, bachelor pad or lounge atmospheres.The photography is great and the author found some great examples to display in the book.You can spend a lot of time just going through the book and marveling at the pictures.This will also help to familiarize a beginner with many aspects of lounge culture.

On the down side, I would say that I only found a few of the project ideas useful or workable to any degree.There are some neat ideas but some people may find them rather difficult to execute.

I would recommend this book to someone looking for decorating inspiration or someone who just has an interest in pop culture and wants a nice conversation piece for the coffee table.

To those who had negative reviews of the book
Ya just don't get it so don't get it...this is for those of us who have a very different vision compared to those of you who pay someone to "design" your house. We know who we are and you ain't one of us so stop ragging on a book for us...go pick up Town & Country or something.
A great hands-on book for us crafty and creative types who don't wanna live in Martha's house. ... Read more

Isbn: 0811826538
Sales Rank: 75485
Subjects:  1. Decorating    2. Decorating - General    3. Home Furnishing    4. Home Improvement / Construction    5. House & Home    6. House furnishings    7. Interior decoration    8. Popular Culture - General   

Country Living Country Chic: Country Style for Modern Living
by Liz Bauwens Alexandra Campbell
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (31 December, 2001)
list price: $29.95 -- our price: $29.95
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Editorial Review

Many people dream of the perfect country home: inviting and bright,imbued with a warm sense of comfort and a timeless simplicity. In CountryChic, authors Liz Bauwens and Alexandra Campbell show how to mix and matchdifferent colors, materials, and furnishings, combine fine antiques withinexpensive "finds," and blend old with new to create today's fresh and moderncountry style.

The authors present myriad ideas for using country style to turn any space intoan airy and comfortable place to be. They include information on how to bringvarious specific country styles--such as New England, Shaker, and "ModernEthnic"--into a decorating scheme.

The chapter on simplicity shows how to create a sense of freedom and anuncluttered lifestyle by reinterpreting how traditional materials and patternsare used. For instance, a spare room with sophisticated gray-tinged white wallsmaintains the original rough floorboards and fireplace bricks as a contrast tothe sleek modern lines. The chapter on decorating with color and pattern showshow to create an eclectic atmosphere by borrowing from old-fashioned traditionsand giving them a modern twist. Mismatched wooden chairs around a rustic kitchentable, for example, give a room a relaxed and informal feel. Juxtaposed with amarble fireplace that would be more expected in a formal dining room, the scenetakes on an appealing air of faded grandeur.

More than 200 color photographs will certainly provide plenty of inspiration tothose hoping to manifest their dreams of the perfect country home--wherever thatmay be. --Robin Donovan ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Your Own Definitionof "Country" .....
The first few times I paged through the book I thought I didn't like it much, but then [FLASH!!!] I realized that the book's strength is that it shows so many different variations of "country" that it forced me to define, redefine and narrow my choices until I knew what I liked and didn't like, what I wanted, and I was then ready to buy, build, re-do, scrounge, beg, borrow, etc.It really helped me devise a Plan of Action.

The fairly in-depth chapters showed homes that I labeled Shaker-style plain, claustrophobically crowded, boarding house depressing, great house-ugly colors, great colors-ugly house,
junk store mismatched and then finally Warm and Wonderful - Just my style.The chapter on the very Retro Airstream trailer-van is also a really nostalgic throwback to my childhood in the '50's - when you really saw these on the roads -

I recommend this book for anyone with a yen for country, but no [as yet] very clear idea of how they will go about getting it.

A Beautiful Book That Teaches and Inspires,
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. ... Read more

Isbn: 1588160165
Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Decorating    3. Decorating - General    4. Decoration & Ornament    5. Decoration and ornament, Rusti    6. Decoration and ornament, Rustic    7. Home Improvement / Construction    8. Interior decoration    9. Crafts & Hobbies / Decorating   

Mary Engelbreits Home Companion
Average Customer Review:
Magazine
list price: $29.70 -- our price: $19.95
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Reviews (11)

surprisingly un-sugary
I've sampled about every home-decor mag out there, and Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion is now on my short list of staples (Elle Decor, Met Home, House & Garden being the others). My taste runs to Hollywood Retro--a little bit sexy, citified and uncluttered, with a dash of humor--and makes use of a lot of thrift-store finds I've customized to the space. Like an earlier reviewer, I'm an unlikely candidate for ME paraphenelia, but her magazine is loaded with clever inspiration, and you won't suffer an overdose of sweetness. I especially like her concentration on the homes and work of independent artists ... and attention to animal causes, which are close to my heart.

The BEST Magazine EVER!!
I truly do my happy dance when I go to the mailbox and find Mary's Home Companion Magazine.Then I spend at least two hours thoroughly delighted as I read it from cover to cover, and I can't wait till the next one.I, too have every issue since 1996 and I often go back and look at some of the great ideas presented over the years.

Great discovery at garage sale!
I came acrossed an older stack of this magazine at a garage sale for $1.00. I have never spent such good money, not only have I poured over every magazine at least twice, but everyone that has been to my home and picks one up, begs to take them home with them. I have now subscribed, and plan on saving every one indefinitley. ... Read more

Asin: B00005N7UD
Sales Rank: 184
Subjects:  1. Home & Garden    2. House & Home    3. Home Economics    4. Home (Houses, Homes)    5. Women's Interest