Decorating 1-2-3

As always, Home Depot always make things so easy. I read about how to select paint and equipment/ technique. I ended hired a professional to do the job but at least I knew the right question to ask the painter and understand his procedures.

As someone who has endlessly watched design shows like Trading Spaces and While You Were Out for ideas, I feel at a loss when it comes to actually making those projects happen. This book focuses on not so much design, but the "how to" on how make the projects happen. The book is filled with projects such as various moulding and painting techniques. One can get ideas for stenciling, tiling, wallpaper, windows, doors, etc... The beginning of the book give basic design styles and color schemes that usually go along with them. The projects are easy to follow. This book won't help you pick out a theme or interior design, but if you use your creativity and design ideas, you can make just about anything happen.

_Decorating 1-2-3_ begins with the "Color and Style" section. This section explains the colors, hues, tones and intensities used in the "Seven Basic Styles." The theme of these styles continue to re-appear throughout the book. Country style homes are comfortable, efficient, work places. Common everyday objects (antique tools, garlic cloves, pots and pans) adorn the walls. Paints imitate colors created in a simpler age using milk, dirt, and metal oxides. Colonial style, like George Washington's Mount Vernon home are decorated with furniture from the 17th and 18th centuries and use more sophisticated historical colors developed in Europe. Other styles described are Southwestern, Traditional, Victorian, Arts & Crafts, and Contemporary.The book is better organized than most on the market. Eight sections of the book are color coded and can be seen even when the book is closed. Step-by-step intructions with clear photographs cover a great variety of activities including cleaning a paintbrush, hanging doors, stenciling a floor, and resurfacing an old tub. This book has been very helpful in many of my projects. I especially found the section on faux painting handy for my office at home. The information in this book is very dense and fills over 400 pages. This is the most comprehensive book on decorating I have seen. It is also a good value!

The Home Depot Decorating 1-2-3 is a comprehensive, "user friendly" instructional resource for anyone seeking to make their home or apartment look better by guiding them step-by-step through a spectrum of more than 100 decorating projects ranging from painting woodwork and trim to stenciling a wall. Enhanced throughout with color photography and more than 450 decorating tips, each project was reviewed for accuracy by Home Depot associates. Ideal for the novice and with much to commend it to even the seasoned and experienced home redecorator, The Home Depot Decorating 1-2-3 is a very highly, easy-to-follow "how to" reference for anyone seeking to spark creative interior design and decoration ideas.

Wow--what a great primer for organizing any decorating project in your home! Not only is Decorating 1-2-3 well organized, but it's so easy to use. This book starts out with a solid foundation of color, styles, and design and then walks you through your decorating project one step at a time. Each chapter contains tips from the pros, a list of things you'll need for each task, and absolutely nothing is left to chance. I recommend reading through the book once, then referencing it as needed for future home decorating projects. From novice to experiened DIY, any homeowner can benefit from Decorating 1-2-3.