Room Redux: The Home Decorating Workbook

No, there are no photos, just sketches. But I have plenty of decorating books with pretty pictures. This one teaches how to decorate in a way that surpasses any other book I own. Each chapter starts with questions about the topic of the chapter and what you feel you want to do with your room in response to that question. By the end of the chapter, you can answer the questions for yourself. For example, the chapter on color has ten questions: 1) Are you worried about keeeping colors consistent from one room to the next, 2) Are you using color to adjust the personality of your room, 3) Do you want just white, 4) Are you trying to revise the look of the colors of your room wothout overhauling your entire scheme, 5) Are you trying to duplicate a color you fell in love with on vaction 6) Is the quality of the light getting in the way of you color choices 7) Are you wondering whether you should paint the same color over everything on your walls, including the moulding, 8) Are you looking to color to make your room feel larger, smaller, taller, shorter, or wider, 9) Are you nervous about using a wild color you find yourself attracted to, and 10) Do you like the color you chose for your wall, but find its effect somewhat bland.Determining the answers to these questions is well presented in the text. Topics in the color chapter include how light in your part of the world(northern hemishpere, though it would be easy to adapt to the southern hemisphere) affects color, depending on which window it's coming in through and the season. How changing light bulbs can change the effect of the color. How colors interact with each other and why you should be careful about what background you place those carpet squares against when trying them out. I've tried combining contrasting colors and this is the first book that really tells me why it didn't work when I did it and how to make it work better. It tells me why I hate my kitchen. What you learn here will let you look at those picture books so you can decide what makes the room work.So many good sections and tips. Many of the tips can be used by someone in an apartment who can't paint the walls, and there suggestions in all price ranges. It may be common knowledge to someone trained in this stuff, but to me most of it was new and valuable. What wasn't new was so well presented it makes this book a one-stop guidebook.

Room Redux is by far the best decorating book out on the market today. There is an incredible amount of information in this book, but it is presented in an abundantly clear and easy-to-access format. To me, it's like the Joy of Cooking for home design--for anything you need help with, an answer resides within. You also get the feeling that the authors are good friends talking you through each step, unlike so many dry and boring decorating books out there. Lastly, there are wonderful features to this book like pockets for paint chips and fabric swatches and cut-out furniture pieces for floor plans. If you're going to buy one decorating book, this is the one to buy. And, believe me, I know--I've read just about every book out there!

The problem with all those Other decorating books is that they're all glitz and no brain...or all money and no real world budget...or all fancy-shmanzy photos and no explanations, helpful pointers, etc. You get the picture. This book, on the other hand, EXPLAINS things (what a concept). For example, I was delighted to find a chart listing different kinds of wood, what they're typically used for, how well they take staining, etc. Another list describes fabrics, and how formal/informal they are. Wonderful for the clueless and dirt-poor freshly college-graduated couple.

my wife and i finally found a book that has helped us over our biggest obstacle: the inability to make a design decision. and the authors don't just dictate their own decision--they helped us to find our own. the quizzes were especially helpful. they helped us express what it was we were trying to accomplish, and then we could talk about it and act on it.