Elegant and Easy Rooms: 250 Trade Secrets for Decorating Your Home

I loved the insider tips. You can avoid mistakes while finding the ideas that work for your particular home. A decorator friend actually took notes from me after seeing our remodel. The color chapter saved so much money and time allowing me to get exactly what I wanted without experimenting.

I've seen a lot of mixed reviews for this book, and I can understand that it's not for everyone. What I like about it is that it not only gives you ideas but tells you how to carry them out. The skill/expense level can vary, but there is a broad range of ideas to choose from. There are no photographs in this book. I think the idea is that you have looked elsewhere for inspiration, and now you receive the practical know how to make it happen. If you are a creative person who has ideas of your own and wants to learn how to create a highly personal environment, this is the book for you.

I have garnered enough advice to revamp virtually some feature of every space in my home--sans the cost of an interior designer. From the insider info on paint colors and techniques to the advice on display (which was invaluable for anyone with an aquisitive nature), this little book is a fabulous primer for anyone who wants to spruce their space up (or even give it a total overhaul). There are no impossibly prefect pics to lead you on a wild goose chase. Charming drawings give you a good idea of your options without encouraging false aspirations, and sensibly organized chapters give you access to the information you need without pouring though pictures to distill it yourself. Best of all, this bridges the divide between the do-it-yourself and designer camps, giving sound advice on how to do it either way. As home design tomes goes, this is one of the best investments you can make.

This isn't the book for people who need to know the rules of interior design (how much space to leave for pathways, how high lamps should be, etc) but it's great if you're looking for suggestions on creative and cheap things to do with your house (or help deciding what to splurge on). It lets you know the variety of ways you can use a professional. The absence of photos didn't bother me--a lot of the suggestions are supposed to jog your imagination, so imagine! Loved the information on paint and colors--that chapter alone is worth the price of the book.

I liked this book a lot, its well worth the money! This is a smallish book with lively little drawings. Its not one of those lavishly photographed books which show rooms so breathtaking you can barely relate to them. What it does do is provide elegant tasteful ideas which work no matter what your budget is. Some ideas were meant to stimulate your imagination while others were clear cut, direct answers to your problem. If anyone has ever stood in the paint store looking at a jillion shades of white paint and not being able to decide, what a comfort it is to have a book which says, if you want to achieve XXX look, then buy this brand of paint in these exact shades and they'll look great. There's no fluff in this super little book!