Decorate Workshop: A Creative 8 Step Process for Transforming Your Home

by Holly Becker

Holly Becker offers a very personal approach to decorating advice in the Decorate Workshop.

Genres: Interior Design, Nonfiction, Design, Crafts, Art

192 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2012

About the author

Author of decor8blog.com and Wall Street Journal Best Seller, "Decorate" 1,000 Professional Ideas For Every Room In Your Home," published by Chronicle Books."

Reviews

[Relyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I requested this book from my library and I absolutely love it. The only problem is that I need a copy for my own. I need to write in it. Read it for yourself and you'll see what I mean.

[April Whitlock · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book unexpectedly after subscribing to a magazine so it may not have been my first choice to purchase it. That said, when it arrived, I was really pleased: I liked the matt finish to the dust cover, the pictures are bright and interesting. Excellent, I thought, as I am making certain changes in my home according to my personal criteria (a joy of second-hand/little cost, environmental impact and fitting out a small space) so the book was a welcome springboard for ideas of my own. She features design ideas from her own home and the homes of other arty types within a range of styles that are currently fashionable (a mixture of contemporary and vintage). I have two main criticisms though. While the pictures are pretty - she has gone in and grouped objects to complement each other in colour, texture and line - on closer inspection, it becomes obvious they have been placed together solely for the sake of the photo making everything look very contrived. I do love beauty for beauty's sake, but I find more beauty in the accidental and the natural and need a much greater balance with utility. Also, as if to confirm my visual conclusions, the text is full of repetitive waffle and platitudes that could've been distilled down to a few important points over a couple of pages. Initially, I was so put off by this that I rated only as 2 stars, but I keep turning the pages to look past the fancy clutter and just enjoy the images as they are, so I've upgraded to 3 stars.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 8 steps were easy to follow, and there were lots of great, easily implementable ideas at each step of the process. I did think that the sample interiors all looked too similar, and there wasn't a whole lot that caught my eye in terms of "eye candy," like I found in the original book. But Becker's text is great, and as a hands-on tool, this is good stuff.

[Sara Q]

Glanced through it but definitely want to check it out from the library again sometime for a closer look. Although I might not agree with many of the techniques, the exercise of looking through the 8 steps has already given me ideas.

[Moi · Rating 2 out of 5]

good enough ideas and sweet, encouraging prose, but, sadly, the aesthetic was divergent enough from my own that i was unable to fully appreciate what she had to offer. this will be an enjoyable book for someone with tastes a titch more bohemian and eclectic than mine.

[Karyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and cheerful book that will hopefully inspire me to keep at it with this new house. :-)

[Karyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did a quick skim through this book with the intention of coming back to it this summer.

[Justv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book! It's like Pinterest in print.

[Mustafa Hasan · Rating 3 out of 5]

good ideas and information

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has good tips.