5 comments about Becoming an Interior Designer (A Guide to Careers in Design).

1. I bought this book because I am interested in going back to school for a 2nd degree in Interior Design. This book gives a great breakdown of the industry. It breaks down the different specialities and highlights the major points in each specialization. It also discusses education and certification. I love the Questions to Interior Designers section, because they interview practicing interior designers. I have made my final decision to go back to school and this book has helped alot in my decision making process.



2. I purchased this book for my high school aged daughter who in interested in a career in interior design. The book is ideal for someone like her. It provides a good overview of the design process, design specialties (residential, commercial, hospitality, etc), educational preparation required, where jobs are, and general business aspects of the field. A defining feature of this book is that author includes several interviews with people in the field asking practical questions such as "How did you become an interior designer?", "What is the greatest challenge of your work?", "What is the single most important skill an Interior Designer needs to be successful?", "How important is Interior Design education/Certification in today's industry?", "What do you look for in Hiring a new designer?", etc. This aspect allows the reader to hear from several real people rather than just getting a dry Occupational Outlook view. The interview responses are practical, sobering (you realize how much work it is!) and inspiring. Just right for helping someone make an informed choice.
   My only knock against this book is that at $23 it is a bit pricey for a paperback with only black and white photos. It strikes me more as a $15 book. I might look for a used copy. That said, it has been very valuable and I would buy it again.



3. Piotrowski writes about the steps on how to become an interior designer. There are several chapters describing the design process and the different types of design. There are detailed accounts of what is put into residential and commercial spaces. She takes a look at the future of the profession. There are several testimonials and showcases for active designers giving their opinions and advice on the profession. This book offers an in depth account on the profession and what is to come in the interior design field. As an aspiring interior designer, this book talked too much about current designer's experiences and not strictly about the profession. The book overall was helpful and knowledgable and I suggest those interested in the field get this book and take it to heart. This book is a fairly easy to read book; it rates only at the twelfth grade level on average. It is appropriate for those in high school and older. It helps inspire those that are looking at the profession and those already in it.



4. I recently read Becoming an Interior Designer by Christine Piotrowski, ASID, IIDA, for a critical analysis paper in my english class at OSU. After reading it, I would agree that interior design is more complex than the average person might assume. Throughout this selection, Piotrowski discusses the types of design, the changes in the profession over time, and the educational preparation to gain a better understanding of the career overall. This informative "how-to" book discusses commercial and residential areas of interior design and what is important to know in order to become successful in the rapidly growing field. In her attempt at writing an educational book, Piotrowski uses techniques, variety, and tips that ultimately reveal to readers whether this career is suitable for them. This book is best for anyone who is interested in the field and is looking for a quick light read. I found the book to be repetitive, not necessarily intellectually challenging, but a fun read that can either discourage or encourage one to follow their dream to become an interior designer. So if one has the desire to learn more about this book check out this guide to careers in design.



5. This book is an excellent source of information for those interested in becoming designers and those already studying interior design. This book explains commerical design well and gives truthful information on what potential employers will expect from a design education. If you are serious about becoming an interior designer, read this book - so you will be completely informed on this fun and dynamic profession. It is not decorating!

5 comments about Interior Graphic Standards.

1. I got this book well before I thought I was going to and it was in amazing condition :)



2. If I had to keep but one reference book on my shelf as a Professional Interior Designer, this would be the book. It contains in-depth and well-formatted information on virtually every subject in the field, and the graphics are outstanding. One of the authors, Maryrose McGowan, is a powerhouse and has done a remarkable job with this guide and I hope she comes out with many other useful books to advance the profession. This book has quickly replaced several books I previously owned that attempted to do what this book has done with great simplicity, completeness, and accuracy.
   
   The chapters are well-organized, the graphics are abundant, clear, and easy-to-understand, and they contain information from all ends of the spectrum. The price tag of the book is steep, but well worth the investment. Save your pennies and make a point of buying this book, or look for used versions as they come available on Amazon.com. You will be glad to have this book in your collection!



3. This book is very helpful for upcoming designers. It gives you standard codes for everything you could imagine. Very helpful when doing my design projects.



4. If your an Interior Designer or practicing to be one this book should be amongst the many in your personal library. The details are well written and displayed.



5. I've purchased this book for 2 companies that I've worked for and for myself as well. I am an Interior Designer and find Interior Graphic Standards to be extremly resourceful and helpful when it comes to design & planning. It covers a wide range of topics such as basic electrical, mechanical, accessibility standards, plumbing fixture considerations; material finish's, door frames/types, acoustics, etc. and provides enough information on each subject so that you understand what is required to plan. My only complaint is that in many cases, measurements and dimensions are not shown where you would think they should exist. That being said, I highly recommend the book for people of all levels in this industry.

2 comments about The Rustic Home.

1. I liked this book (I actually bought it for my mother, and she absolutely loves it). I prefer one of Kyloe's other books--Cabins and Camps, but this one was pretty good. If you're not a multi-gazillionaire, you can't think of actually building any of the homes in this book, but it might give you some good ideas. For myself, as I said, I found more ideas I liked in Cabins and Camps.



2. Yet another gorgous rustic book written and photographed by no other than the expert of all things rustic- Ralph Kylloe.
   I own all his books and RAN as fast as my legs would carry me to pick up his latest new book-"The Rustic Home". It is another great addition to my ever growing collection of his finest books ever. If you love anything rustic and decorate in this theme, or even if you don't, but love to flip thru the gorgous pages and dream of living in each and every one of these fantastic homes with a good hot cup of coffee in hand, then again this one is for you. I cannot tell you how often I pick up one of his beautiful books and gaze and dream of owning a home such is found on these pages. I gain new ideas and insight each time i re-open them up! Drives my husband crazy with all the remodel ideas I keep coming up with to create hopefully something similiar to what is found on the pages of all of Kylloes books, only in a smaller scale. I did find a few of the homes in this book outright "funky" if for a better word- like "Montana Lalu", "The Cape" and "The Rookery" ones that maybe I personally would have not included, but that is only my opinion. I do understand where Kylloe is coming from in including these to show that rustic varies depending on each and everyones different interpretation. To me these homes left me somewhat cold- compared to the others with their captivating rustic appeals reminesant to lodges and cozy cabins -some even towering giants so large its hard to fathom even cleaning homes of this size and scale, but none the less absolutely breath-taking!!!
   Thumbs up Kylloe- I would be happy to own just one! But for now we will keep plugging away painstakingly ever changing our home into one of these greats and hopefully some day maybe ours can be featured in one of your magnifient books as well!!

5 comments about Domicilium Decoratus.

1. This book really is gorgeous. Of course, most of the style and emotion in this book was appropriated from design much earlier in the century, and books on this movement are cheap and plentiful in thrift stores. However, it is really nice to be able to see what life would be like if you were a playboy playmate and married to a real-estate tycoon. I am really not trying to put Kelly down, because her vision is mind-bendingly impeccable. It is truly rare when people with wealth also have taste.



2. As a practicing, professional Interior Designer I have to say I found Domicilium Decoratus inspiring. Being exposed to all types of design, I love it when I am actually left remembering a house...and this one is hard to forget. Although Kelly's style is not my particular taste, the house is full of beautiful color combinations, architectural details, and antiques. I would have to compare this book to looking at a Picasso--you either get it or you don't. If you are looking for a how to book, this is not the book for you. There is no text like in her first book--Your eyes have to do all the work spotting the curious, imaginative details. This is a living art book. If you want to view some images of her home before you buy the book go to her website and Hillcrest estate is under her residential projects.



3. Kelly Wearstler is undoubtedly one of the great interior designers of our time. Her style may be too much for most, and her critics pan her for her ego-centric couture gown wearing, but she has an incredible eye for style. She has managed to create a sophisticated home that is visually arresting, textured and comfortable. No, it may not be toddler safe, as she claims, but who's is?
   Kelly Wearstler appears to live a perfect life, a globally renowned and successful interior design business, a wealthy property developer husband (who happens to throw a few projects her way), two beautiful children and a gorgeous home full of antiques and art that is a wonderful backdrop to her all-round fabulous lifestyle.
   She may not have created the style she has made so popular (see Tony Duquette, David Hicks, Billy Haines or Dorothy Draper), but her almost single-handed revival of a myriad of styles that are as far flung from minimalism as I care to think about has brought a smile to the face of all us maximalists around the world.
   I won't dwell on how disappointed I was to find out she was a playboy playmate in a previous incarnation, but it has not changed my view of her talent.
   Domicilium Decoratus is a beautifully produced book full of gorgeous photos of Kelly, her children and her home. I can't wait to see how her new home turns out!



4. I wish I had have taken notice of the other reviews. I loved Kelly's first book and found it very useful, however this book is entirely over-rated and I'm so pleased I didn't pay full price for it. There is absolutely no text in the book - just pictures from Kelly's house showcasing her furniture and herself and none of them look at all practical for everyday living. Save your money for the many other fantastic books on offer.



5. I'm so glad that I didn't pay full price for this book. The Hillcrest Estate is grand and refreshingly unique; however, I have to laugh at the kid safe reference. As a mom of two young kids, I'm constantly looking for sophisticated kid-friendly decorating. I was thrilled when Kelly, herself,refers to her home as "toddler-safe and visually sophisticated". Huh?!? This home is about as warm and toddler safe as a museum. There are only a few pages dedicated to the kids rooms and only one plastic toy visible. Also, any pool fence?

No comments about Beautiful Windows: The Ultimate Window Treatment Design Book.

1 comments about At Home With White (At Home With...).

1. I am a passionate lover of white and shades of white in interior spaces. This book is both elegant and accessible.

5 comments about The New French Décor: Living with Timeless Objects.

1. I appreciated another look at the eclectic school in how to combine the old with the new. Good book.



2. Wonderful reference book for French Decor, fabulous pictures and french inspiration for those of us who can't get enough of the French influence.



3. Fabulous addition to their first book. Good photographs, writing and, above
   all, great objects and antiques.



4. I just purchased this book as a gift for myself for Christmas. I would say that it is not for everyone who loves to decorate with French style. For some it may be "too cluttery" as it is how to do the current new design style of "assembling many disparate objects" to create a display where you have to study the whole and then its many parts to understand the composition. The book is basically photographs with short descriptions of the photo. There really is no text to the book discussing decorating techniques, etc. I would have liked to see more text to explain the details of the photos. There is no French elegance "candy" here - no gilded rooms with Louis chairs - but mostly items that you would find in flea markets in France or even things taken from trash bins. What the book does do is make you think about the vignettes you create in your own home with a different "eye". It also makes you want to take the first plane to France to scour the flea markets for unique items. I loved LaLandes book published last year better than this one on 18th Century style but they are really an extension of each other in describing this style of decor. I would say that this book helped educate my eye and provided many hours of enjoyment studying each photo. I paid full price because I was anxious to see it, but I would say that getting it at a discount would make it a great addition to your library if you truly love all things French. I find myself pulling it off the shelf to review time and time again. I'm glad I purchased the book.



5. "The New French Decor: Living With Timeless Objects" is the collaborative work of journalist and interior decorator Michele Lalande and the photographer Gilles Trillard. 250 full-color photographs beautifully illustrated and showcase Michele Lalande's commentary about the sophistication, symmetry, minimalism, and other elements that make each of the featured rooms successful with respect to their thematic design conceived and executed by top stylists, decorators, and antiquarians. An intrinsically beautiful book, "The New French Decor" is an impressive contribution to the growing library of Interior Design literature and a welcome addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

2 comments about Country Living Shortcuts to Decorating Country Style (Country Living).

1. I have a great time every time I open the book. It has simple ideas and projects that can make a change in your home. I highly recommend it.



2. I couldn't wait to flip through and absorb the images in this book. The photos are so inviting! Anyone who loves the textures and colors that make up the country look, will luxuriate in this book.
   Then I began reading the tips which are set off in numbered paragraphs. That format made it so easy to read and absorb the ideas.
   Whether your preference is for English country house or for a cottage, this has ideas to create it in your own home. A lovely book.

4 comments about 150 Best Apartment Ideas.

1. 150 best house ideas is much better, this one is ok



2. This is a great inexpensive book to get you thinking about design ideas. There are excellent pictures and a little text to briefly describe what is happening. It would have been nice to get a more detailed description of how things are actually built... but a great book to casually look through.



3. Apartment living presents decorating challenges unlike homes, and this book will show you how to get around them.



4. The design of an apartment presents several challanges not imposed on the designer of a free-standing house. The most restricting is probably size, and second having to deal with walls that probably can't be moved. Even more interesting or challenging is dealing with the confines of an older building that may have beams in strange places, or in one instance in this book a now abandoned water tank on the roof to be converted into a penthouse.
   
   As you might guess from the title, this book consists almost exclusively of pictures of 150 apartments from around the world showing how some of the best architects in the world have handled the challenges presented. The apartments are not your low end Government supported housing, but top of the line units in New York, or Milan, or perhaps Melbourne. It makes this an 'idea book' suitable for any architects office.
   
   The book itself is beautifully printed on heavy weight paper and the book has a sewn binding with headbands, features that will make it last a long time even with heavy usage.

No comments about Jeffrey Bilhuber: Defining Luxury: The Qualities of Life at Home.