Houses: Inside and Out

A true inspiration. An absolute must for anybody who wants to decorate their house.Clear layout, beautiful photos and a very interesting text. After I finished reading the book, I opened it again and browsed through all the wonderful photos. I am going to buy another book by the same author, "Rooms".

I had seen this book in a bookstore and so I knew what I was getting. It's a good read and the pictures are lovely and interesting. If you like these kind of books, I think you'll like this one.

Ms. Gomez's style is timeless, classic. I enjoyed reading this book (in addition to the beautiful photos.) In my mind, she captures in words a great sense of how a house should "feel" in addition to how it "looks". I also appreciated her articulation of the necessary relationship between all of the parts that make up a home (the rooms, porch, landscaping, pool, etc.)

'Houses Inside and Out' is an excellent companion book to 'Rooms' also by Mariette Himes Gomez. I was a Gomez fan prior to her first book, 'Rooms', which I think is one of the most useful interior design books available. 'Houses inside and Out' features Gomez's understanding of a house being more than its interior. The book chronicles the harmony found in thoughtful design from the ground up. I like the photographs for their visual detail and because they showcase good design in collaboration with good architecture in environments suiting the homes. They also showcase Gomez's artful arrangement of shapes and forms in the volumes of the homes she designs within. I reviewed 'Rooms' when it first came out and was followed by a review alluding to my being in the publisher's camp. Not the case, but as a fan of Gomez, I still sticky-note my issues of 'Architectural Digest' whenever a Gomez interior is featured. Gomez's second book is a good read like her first. I'll refer to 'Houses Inside and Out' (as I do with 'Rooms') for useful inspiration and when the company of a good interior design books beckons me. Gomez's writing style is refreshingly open and steeped in designer wisdom. I enjoy absorbing her thoughtful approaches to color choices, furniture groupings, scale and texture and placement of art and accessories. 'Houses Inside and Out' is a delightful complement to my collection of interior design, architecture and landscape design books.

Beautiful photography of gorgeous interiors & useful, informative text on decorating, illustrating how interiors can be gorgeous, functional and practical at the same time. Also looks at starting out buying and decorating your first home. Not terribly oversized like some recent decorating books - compact & neat looking. All color & good quality glossy paper used. The cover is seductive because it makes you feel as if you're being invited into that house! And the cover is just the beginning - the rest of the book is just as tempting!