I loved the photos in this book. Once again, it was a decorating book that suggested things such as tearing down walls or putting in skylights, which are beyond my capacity as a renter. But it was more helpful than most, offering suggestions such as paint color, furniture placement, and lighting solutions for a variety of problems. The chart in the back, suggesting remedies for rooms with more than one problem, is particularly helpful.
I liked the chapter near the end about making a place "your own." It suggests buying things that you love, rather than buying things because they go with your existing decor, which jives with my personal decorating philosophy. The book also suggests decorating a room in "layers" rather than all at once--gradually adding and changing elements until it has the feel that you like, rather than trying to decorate or redecorate all in one go. For those of us who don't have the budget for a complete overhaul, this advice is refreshing. It also makes sense for those who are at a loss about where to start: start by weeding things you don't like and replacing them with things you love, and your home will gradually become more of a reflection of yourself.
I'm surprised this book doesn't have more reviews on Goodreads. The photographs are beautiful and the advice is helpful. Best of all, I think, is that it provides advice for a variety of decorating styles. You can take the principles in this book and apply them to your own style, whether it's modern, traditional, romantic, spartan, or whatever.
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