Nora Murphy's Country House Style: Making your Home a Country House

by Nora Murphy, Duanne Simon (Photographs)

In Nora Murphy’s Country House Style, you will discover how to make your home a country house, a place where everyone is always welcome, where comfort is always in style, where there’s always room for our favorite things, where there’s always a reason to celebrate, and where home extends well beyond our walls.

Nora Murphy has turned her passion for country house style and its embodiment—her own home in Newtown, Connecticut—into a multimedia juggernaut. Her blog, website, e-magazine, strong presence on social media, and increasing visibility in print media and on TV have earned her a devoted following all over the country. Now she has distilled the essence of her knowledge about country house style and how to achieve it in this irresistible volume.

The first part of the book lays out the universal elements of the style; the second reveals how she has incorporated these elements into her own home; and the third shows how the elements of this comfortable, comforting, easy aesthetic and approach to life can be applied in different ways and in different locations to striking, individual effect. Five homes, each of which expresses a unique take on the style, are featured.

Part primer, part wish book, Nora Murphy’s Country House Style is all inspiration.

Genres: Interior Design, Design, Nonfiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I look at a lot of design books but only count ones I read word-for-word in the challenge. This one hits all the right notes for me: not too many words, but enough to set the stage; not too many close ups, but enough to give a fuller understanding of the space; and gorgeous full page photographs all the way through. Not every page is my style (nor should it be), but every page afforded me inspiration and pleasure, which, to me, is the sign of a timeless design book. I could have stood for a few more details of the items shown, but that’s just because I love good stories about old things.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I really enjoy Nora Murphy's instagram and was excited to get this book, I found it to be very generalized. Many lovely photos but they are often close up of vignettes in rooms instead of photos that encompass the entire room. I read the book cover to cover in about an hour. As a design and architecture enthusiast there are definitely other books that are more interesting, detailed and informative.

[Suetr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually can manage the “buy beautiful coffee table book” urge by checking them out of the library. This one I’ve already renewed once and I think a copy may need to find a home in my library. Beautiful photographs, loads of ideas and I love the profiles of 5 different takes on country houses ! Great book.

[Naomi Brearley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good easy breezy read chock full of calming interior inspo. Got it for my mum for Christmas and flipped through it myself after she opened — what a wonderful escape. Loved the farm house and seaside house sections the most but honestly all the homes, from the photography and the design were so so comforting. If I ever move to the country, Nora Murphy’s homes will totally be my inspiration.

[Dawn Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me awhile to read this oversized, coffee table book that is lavishly filled with beautiful styling in a variety of country homes. I never tire of reading about decorating styles & looking at beautiful homes & designs.

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was going to give this one a fairly poor review but then I looked at British Designers at Home and all of a sudden Nora Murphy's style looked great. Heavy, coffee table book with lots of lovely, airy photos of somewhat overdone houses but at least the photographer turned the lights on.

[Mary Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gorgeous photos, beautiful book. But nothing new here, more about styling than decorating.

[Michele Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The photos were amazing!

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I particularly liked a house in the city with the pale blue walls and white ceiling.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book, especially how there were examples of country homes in different locations.
I now have an obsession with purple transferware!

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice decor book.

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful photography.

[Jackie Cesanek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book sits on my coffee table. I pull it out and go through again and again. Beautiful