Fantasy Rooms: Inspirational Designs from the BBC Series

My previous experience with Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen comes from his presence on BBC America's "Changing Rooms" therefore, I am not familiar with the show upon with this book is based. Never the less, this is truly Lawrence at his best. His creativity and talent come through both in the projects themselves and the great photography. The introduction to each section is well written, giving a history of the specific genre of design (Art Deco, Roman Bath, Egyptian...) as well as Lawrence's personal reactions to the space and the theme (as well as his wit and humor). Each section has brief excerpts from 'experts' in the field, such as an Egyptologist and a mosaic artist that are also useful. While previous experience with DIY is necessary, and as an American, some of the terminology can be tricky, the projects are all things that can be done in a labor-intensive weekend. And while not everyone wants a dining room that looks like an Egyptian tomb, each theme has basic elements that could be applied to any room. Truly a worthwhile read, if for nothing more than to see how Lawrence matches his outfits with each theme.