The Decorated Home: Living with Style and Joy

by Meg Braff, Charlotte Moss (Foreword), J. Savage Gibson (Photographer)

In her first book, interior designer Meg Braff presents the building blocks of a pretty, polished home.
 
Everyone wants a house that is filled with grace and charm. Classic yet cheerful, Meg Braff’s style has a formality that is never studied, an elegance that is approachable and pretty. In seven chapters that cover the basics of her look, Braff shares advice on creating rooms that are both livable and attractive. In the first two chapters, she explores the key elements of her look—color and pattern—and how to employ them for maximum impact in your home. She discusses the essential elements of stylish bedrooms ( bring back the dressing table), explores the fundamentals of inviting baths and breakfast rooms, and gives tips on making chic outdoor spaces. Finally, Braff explains the importance of finishing touches, the little extras that elevate a room’s decor from good to great. All of her advice comes together in an overall theme of gracious living that will be warmly welcomed by readers looking to impart polish, color, and grace to their home.
 
Lushly illustrated with vivid images of Braff ’s lively work, The Decorated Home is an inspiring, idea-filled resource that readers will turn to again and again.
 
“Think Slim Aarons meets Technicolor elegance.”
— Traditional Home

Genres: Nonfiction, Interior Design, Design

240 pages, Hardcover

Published April 11, 2017

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 I guess. I feel mean not loving this book, because I do believe the author put her whole heart and soul into it. The problem for me was reading about her aesthetic didn't match with the rooms she showcased. Most felt very dated to me, not timeless, and I was dying to add some hits of black for contrast, because most felt like the interior of a mid-grade Florida hotel or condo. I get that she attracts a lot of clients from resort areas, but I could also tell which were Floridian, which were Hamptons, etc. Same colors, same "mood" etc.

There were maybe 3 rooms that were stunning and timeless and near-perfect (one being her own living room, and another a hallway with a gorgeous antique settee eclectically styled) but most looked like '90s hotel decor ... so matchy, no contrast, etc.

Oh, I forgot to add that her outdoor spaces were infinitely better than her indoor ones, and that was the section I enjoyed the most.

If you like the cover photo, if you enjoy chartreuse everywhere, and if you think that any home by the ocean has to be all blue, all the time, then you might enjoy this book more than I did.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to look at and offers some good tips. We have very different styles though, so I don't think this will be useful for my own decorating.

[Lexy Kelleher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty great for some inspiration for decorating. Her range of style isn't huge, but many pattern and color combos were represented in her book. I am now definitely inspired to look for some unique pieces and grass cloth wallpaper after reading this.

Some of her designs I really didn't like, though. She relied pretty heavily on distractingly patterned wallpaper for many rooms, which isn't really practical. Also I was not a big fan of her obsession with tiger print and chinoiserie. Sometimes it would fit well into a design, but often it looked a little dated and tacky in my opinion. Her best work was with blue-themed rooms.

Also, her tone seemed a little out of touch occasionally throughout the book. We don't all have 3 houses and a summer home. Or know what a butler's pantry is.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book. Lots of colorful designs. This would be a nice coffee table book.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely