Browse Forums Interior Decorating Lounge 1 Feb 17, 2010 8:43 am Hi all This is my first post here, but have loved reading this forum for ideas and tips. I did a search, but couldn't find what I was looking for. My hubby and I have just brought a house, and it's going to take a while to furnish and decorate it - it doesn't need any major rennovations, just cosmetic updating. I was wondering if anyone could recommend any interior decorating books that they found helpful / inspiring when decorating and furnishing their homes? Oh, just an edit to say that we're pretty much starting from scratch in terms of furnishings etc. Thanks Jasmin Re: Home decorating books? 2Feb 17, 2010 5:13 pm Hi Jasmin, welcome to the forum The best inspiration for decorating IMHO are decorating blogs these days. You have the most innovative, gorgeous and simply stunning interiors throughout the world at your finger tips. Start by visiting someones blog on this forum and most often they will have a blog roll list of their favourite blogs....then just have fun looking at pictures for the next year or so I havent really bought decorating books as I am a magazine junkie. Hope to see you around on the forum. mrs B Re: Home decorating books? 3Feb 17, 2010 8:10 pm Hi Jasmin, I'm a huge fan of decorating blogs too, here's my top five of about 50 that I read regularly (and somehow I still have time for homeone everyday!): http://www.designspongeonline.com/ http://ishandchi.blogspot.com/ http://decor8blog.com/ http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ http://www.remodelista.com/ There are a couple of books I'd really like to get: A Girl's Guide to Decorating by Abigail Ahern Downtown Chic by Robert Novgratz but I prefer decorating magazines over books, as they're cheaper and more up-to-date. Re: Home decorating books? 4Feb 18, 2010 10:04 am Thanks for the blog rec's. I will definitely check them out. I'm also after some "how to" blog's/books etc that help with the interior design process ie. arranging a floorplan, best use of space, color, etc. More like interior design lessons IYKWIM. I have 5 weeks before settlement and need something to pass the time. Thanks again! Jasmin Re: Home decorating books? 5Feb 19, 2010 3:56 pm Hi Jasmin Remember your local library - if you're lucky you'll find current magazines such as Home Beautiful, House and Garden, Better Homes and Gardens, etc that you can flick through to your heart's content. I love them and have had great inspiration from mags like these. Happy reading! Re: Home decorating books? 6Feb 20, 2010 2:04 pm shell83 Hi Jasmin, I'm a huge fan of decorating blogs too, here's my top five of about 50 that I read regularly (and somehow I still have time for homeone everyday!): http://www.designspongeonline.com/ http://ishandchi.blogspot.com/ http://decor8blog.com/ http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ http://www.remodelista.com/ There are a couple of books I'd really like to get: A Girl's Guide to Decorating by Abigail Ahern Downtown Chic by Robert Novgratz but I prefer decorating magazines over books, as they're cheaper and more up-to-date. Hey, shell 83, thanks for that last blog, remodelista, it's FANTASTIC!! "A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality" -John Lennon Re: Home decorating books? 7Feb 20, 2010 4:02 pm Some books I have found useful: General decorating theory: Idealhome - The Interior Design Bible (Hamlyn) The Complete Book of the Home - Creative Inspiration & Design Solutions (Murdoch Books) Inspiration - real interior design porn: Dream Homes - 100 Inspirational Interiors & More Dream Homes the sequel (Merrell) Style specific books such as: New French Interiors French Essence Provencal Style I love interior design blogs too, I buy magazines but I really don't find them worth the money, the styles are too varied, out of maybe 6 homes featured in Belle or Vogue Living I might get something out of one or two of them. Re: Home decorating books? 8Feb 20, 2010 9:44 pm Thanks Mishb Will check out your rec's. Yes, I'm the same. Although I do buy the magazines, and they do provide some good ideas, they are a bit lite on information and often don't go into depth about the design/colour rules and the "how". Does anyone have the book "Domino"? Is it worth getting? It's supposed to have lots of tips about how to design a room, arrange furniture etc. I'd love to hear if anyone else has an interior design "bible" that they always refer to? Thanks Re: Home decorating books? 9Feb 20, 2010 11:08 pm hi guys, check out my style blog www.aviewondesign.blogspot.com and go through the blog roll down the right hand side... heaps of good ones there. Right now, blogs I can't stop visiting are: http://simplifiedbee.blogspot.com/ http://stylestruggler.blogspot.com/ http://roomremixblog.blogspot.com/ http://theinspiredroom.net/ http://cotedetexas.blogspot.com/ http://vtinteriors.blogspot.com/ that should get you a taste of the gorgeous homes around the world right now! As for Domino, I have that book. It is very much a "text book" style decorator book. EG. It says "this is what a square table looks like, and this is what a round table looks like!!!" lol But it does have a few good pics too, if I remember right, I paid over $40 for, so it's not cheap, (although on Amazon you can probably pick it up cheaper than what I paid!) A comparable book on the market right now is House Beautiful's Design & Decorate, Living & Dining Rooms (US). It's a better quality book than Domino, but it's really much a muchness. If you want text book, go for it, if you want inspiration, consider Style & Substance (by ELLE), Glamour at Home (Nancy Corzine) or my fav right now, The Finishing Touch (Carol Spier) and House Beautiful edition (all of which I have, and a few more $$$ ones out right now, I can't get enough of them - forget $8 for Aus H&G, like others have said, you'll only see 1-2 stories of interest, the rest is unremarkable). You can pick these books up between $20-40 US and they are 20 times better, for what you want anyway. Good luck, let us know if you buy it what you think! A thankful person is a happy person. [/color]My hobby design blog: http://aviewondesign.blogspot.com/ Re: Home decorating books? 10Feb 21, 2010 5:49 pm Jazzy88 Yes, I'm the same. Although I do buy the magazines, and they do provide some good ideas, they are a bit lite on information and often don't go into depth about the design/colour rules and the "how". The Jan/Feb issue of Real Living had a 66 page how-to section called "the decorator rulebook" written by a couple of interior designers and went into a lot of detail on how they put rooms together. I'm not sure if that issue is still available but it would be worth checking out if you can. Something I found extremely helpful is doing mood boards like the ones these guys do: http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/11/a ... ma-solved/ Re: Home decorating books? 11Feb 21, 2010 5:52 pm Annietom hi guys, check out my style blog http://www.aviewondesign.blogspot.com and go through the blog roll down the right hand side... heaps of good ones there. Right now, blogs I can't stop visiting are: http://simplifiedbee.blogspot.com/ http://stylestruggler.blogspot.com/ http://roomremixblog.blogspot.com/ http://theinspiredroom.net/ http://cotedetexas.blogspot.com/ http://vtinteriors.blogspot.com/ that should get you a taste of the gorgeous homes around the world right now! Thanks Annietom, I had promised myself I wouldn't follow anymore blogs , but had to add a few of those Re: Home decorating books? 12Feb 22, 2010 1:38 pm Thanks Annietom. Will check out some of those books. Your blog is great by the way. Can't seem to get many of the decorating books in Borders... will be ordering them online... much cheaper. Once I get my hands on some decorating books, I will let you know what I think. Re: Home decorating books? 13Feb 22, 2010 2:57 pm yeah I occasionally get a book bargain on ebay, but not often because they are new releases, but despite being from US on Amazon, you still usually get them within a week or so! A thankful person is a happy person. [/color]My hobby design blog: http://aviewondesign.blogspot.com/ We already paid for somfy motors for the blinds. The quote above was purely for “pre-wiring” so the blinds company can install the motors and blinds. That’s why we… 5 16829 go upvc window frames ensure insulation under colorbond. not just sarking, lighter color roof also not sure if you have seen this viewtopic.php?t=5823 last couple of pages… 4 111046 7 12166 |