New Decorating Book

by Paula Marshall

Thoroughly revised and updated 9th edition shows readers how to achieve today's newest decorating styles—fresher, more personal, and more eclectic than ever—without losing sight of their budget.

Gorgeous photos of new featured rooms demonstrate up-to-date styles.
A complete resource for home decorators who want to create a great look, with or without professional help.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Design

432 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

Reviews

[CrystalIsReading on StoryGraph · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got this to flip through out of curiousity. I made myself go the whole way through the book, just in case there was anything I found attractive to get ideas from. No, there wasn't. I quit reading any of the text about two pages in, after I realized I didn't like the style of decor. In general, the rooms were fussy and stuffy and cluttered and looked uncomfortable. The nicest room was pictured on the cover. no thanks. I'll come up with something on my own.
(by the way, loved their "what's your style" test--you could get one of three styles--or, if you got an equal balance of answers from each category, you had an "eclectic style" not bound to any one style. no, really? you think?)

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gave me a lot of ideas and had wonderful photos! There's a section for every part of your house

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good ideas in here.

[Ligaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book (much more than other decorating books I've recently read) because the abundant photographs show interiors that are not overly staged, that are actually lived-in! I didn't read all the text, but what I did read was intelligent and not frou-frou (unlike other decorating books I've recently read...) and I learned from some of the hints and helps. There is a lot of variety shown here, something for everyone. I enjoyed the interiors that showed two versions of the same space, showing how simple changes can make a huge shift. It sparked a lot of ideas for me - a good indicator of a good book, for me.

[Sonya Feher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have absolutely no idea what good decorating principles are? This book will more than school you in the basics. With guidelines for where to place furniture for best TV viewing, how to aesthetically balance chairs and art, and what effect different color choices have on a room. Full color photos on just about every page illustrate many options and ideas, which may or may not correlate to to your taste but which you can generalize to your own home.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mom loaned me this book when I moved into my home in Lawrence where the entire place was (and as of 7/24/10) still is) painted a neutral buff color. I'm starting to get my bearings. This book was mildly helpful. Most of the ideas in it are too formal or fussy for me, but there were some color ideas that I may refine.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very practical and helpful. Although many of the styles depicted aren't to my particular taste, the advice and suggestions could apply to any style and help you to think about both aesthetics and usefulness of the items in your home. Unlike some books which are really good for a flip-through, I actually read the text of this and am glad I did.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up with a coupon from JoAnn's. A really nice book with lots of good ideas and beautiful photos. Covers all rooms of your home from color choice to furniture style to clever organization ideas. Includes a chaper on decor for small spaces. I'll be glad to keep this on my shelves!

[Richelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few good ideas in this book. I wasn't blown away, but I wasn't disappointed.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Might have to buy my own copy for future reference. Great idea, and wonderful pictures!