5 comments about Modern Glamour: The Art of Unexpected Style.

1. The book is really great when it comes to interior decoration. Ms Wearstler definitely has a knack for colour, and I like the creative way she used fresh colours and chic furniture to create new looks.
   
   Beware though. Ms Wearstler seemed to like Asian religious icons in her decoration. I do not think that this gives due respect to our religion. As this is common amongst western interior decorators, this use of objects sacred to others as mere decorative items, Ms Wearstler could be forgiven for this.



2. Not only are her featured interiors stunning (as always) but the fab Ms. Wearstler goes the distance with great photography and writing to highlight it to its fullest. Honestly, a real gem and a must-have for any book collection on interiors.



3. I purchased this book for my sister, who is a design student about to graduate in 05/08, because Kelly Wearstler is her favorite designer. My sister already had one of Ms Wearstler's books and loved it so much that when she asked for her newest book I thought it would be a great Christmas gift. However, I didn't realize that the book she already had was Modern Glamour: The Art of Unexpected Style. When I gave her the book and she said that it was the one she already had I was very let down, but she did not want to return it. She said the copy she had was so worn out from use that she could never put it on her coffee table and that she loved it so much that she was more than pleased to have a brand new copy. Both my sister and I love Ms Wearstler's bold colorful design style and I was disappointed that her more resent books did not get better customer reviews, which is why I did not order one of them. I have since ordered Domicilium Decoratus anyway, since I was able to get such a good deal thru [...], and I'm looking forward to giving it to my sister for valentines' day.



4. She has the most amazing style. If you appreciate great design, you need this book!



5. My review says 5 stars. It should say 1 star. I couldn't edit it for some reason.
   
   Boy you can't fool Stylemaven (yours truly). I have every design mag and book written (no brag, just fact). I had to buy this one just to be able to say I have every design mag and book ever written. . . . Anyway, this chick should stop having her assistants buy all the old House & Garden mags from the 1960's and 1970's and then regurgitating it in different colors. She's hit on a trend (dying trend? hopefully) doing the 70's stuff (and it wasn't that great then), but it's gonna date really fast. Part of her appeal is the model-thinness and being semi-photogenic I think. But overall, a design lightweight. All the graphic stuff photographs great. But see it in person? It looks really, really cheap.

5 comments about Country French Kitchens.

1. Carolina's joie de vivre burst forth on every page! She not only writes about joy, she lives and breathes it-
   Regardless of whether you a bigger, better newer person or an older, quaint and time-worn person - you will find inspiration in this book, thru its pictures but more importantly through its written message.
   For Friends!
   Lexington, KY



2. I am thrilled that this is not yet another showcase of photos of kitchens in France, rather this book shows you numerous country french kitchens that are authentic and absolutely true to the style, yet there is no sacrificing of practicality. The book stands on its own if you just want to see beautiful and inspiring kitchens or just like french country style, but goes the extra step for readers who want to see how the style can be creatively adapted to kitchens in which real people actually cook, entertain and congregate with their families here and now in the US. I also was impressed by the quality of presentation and photographic excellence.



3. I love French Country style, and was happy to learn about this book. My happiness didn't last. After I bought it, I was stunned to discover that not one photograph in the book was taken in France, and in fact there is not a single authentically French kitchen anywhere in its pages. The majority of the kitchens seem to have been photographed in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New York. Instead of true French style, this disappointed reader discovered clichéd American takes on French style -- large ceramic roosters, ceramic rabbits, a wall emblazoned with the word `EAT,' built-in cabinets painted with flowers...
   When I bought this book, I looked forward to being inspired by real French kitchen design, with photographs and text that captured the charm and individuality of a kitchen in the French countryside. Instead I discovered garishly hued suburban American kitchens masquerading as French. Many photographs, including the cover, have a yellow cast from electric lighting. This book is going back!



4. "Carolina Fernandez has done a remarkable job of selecting a wide range of real kitchens from real people who clearly have a real passion for what is arguably the finest room in the home. There is no question that the kitchen is the place where family, friends, great food and conversation all come together, and Country French Kitchens is testament to that. Thank you for opening these doors and inviting us into your world and perspective of what will surely become a go-to book for everyone's favorite room."



5. Carolina Fernandez's Country French Kitchens" is a beautiful book. With stunning photography and attractive layout--no holds barred by the publisher here!-this is an exquisite addition to my design library. Fernandez's writing, polished and professional, transports the reader to each kitchen. Every artistically selected design detail has you wanting to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee with her. For anyone thinking of renovating a kitchen...or simply wanting to vicariously peek into someone else's...this is a dreamy way to accomplish both.

4 comments about Cottages on the Coast: Fair Harbors and Secret Shores.

1. I love to read and I love houses on the water. When I need to relax I grab this book. It has also given me some ideas to use in my own home to give it that cottage look. Very inspirational and easy to read.



2. Great source of architectural interior details and inspiration for small residential structures.



3. When I picked up this book I was surprised to find it so filled with a wonderful variety of cottages. Cottages on the Coast is a small and wonderful glimpse of styles around the coasts of the United States. A small "photo album" near the beginning shows early pictures of some of the cottages that are featured later and as those same cottages appear today. A great selection of cottage styles, representing different regions of the country, are fascinating with their accompanying stories. This is a book I will go back to over and over again, to look up something I remember, to find something new and to just plop down with it in my lap for pure beach imaginings. I love this book!



4. Wherever they are located, seaside dwellings share several common traits. These hearty homes are crafted from tried and true materials that age gracefully in the sea air and reflect local building traditions and styles. They balance the storms of winter with the peaceful days of summer and maximize beautiful views whatever the season.

   Cottages on the Coast presents an extensive variety of homes from sea to shining sea. Linda Leigh Paul selected more than 25 examples from Bainbridge Island, to Big Sur, from the Florida Keys, to Tybee Island, and north to Maine. You will be captivated by hundreds of beautiful photographs of vernacular exteriors and very personal interiors.

   Cottages on the Coast stands out because the interiors and exteriors exude a lot of personality, and they seem authentic and attainable. New England is well represented with houses in Maine, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. The tranquil cover image, Treasure Cottage on Key West is truly a cottage at a mere 500 square feet. Treasure Cottage is filled with the owners carefully arranged antique collection, which does not clutter the small space but gives the home so much personality. Other examples, a modernist cottage designed by a Frank Lloyd Wright pupil in Carmel, complete with loads of natural light, and built-in furnishings. Or a cottage recently built on a private island in the Puget Sound, built on a solid rock foundation, with enormous interior beams to withstand the fiercest storms, decorated in a simple manner re-using found materials such as driftwood for a mantel and stair case railing.

   Cottages on the Coast will be a source of inspiration for readers who are considering rehabbing, designing, or decorating a seaside dwelling. Or if you are an avid armchair traveler Cottages on the Coast will fill you with travel ideas for your next coastal break.

5 comments about Flea Market Style.

1. This book rocks-it has funky ideas and is beautifully presented, not like many of the other recycled furniture books out there.I mean, do you REALLY want to learn how to make a distressed-finish-powder blue-decoupaged candlestick holder out of fence pickets?If so, this is not the book for you..this one shows how you can TASTEFULLY decorate your place with some original pieces and not spend a fortune.Accept no imitations-this book is awesome.



2. This book has some really good ideas as far as example rooms set up for you to go gaga over, but only an upholsterer could really carry through with a lot of these ideas. It shows some samples of remarkable flea market finds though. I personally thought that a lot of the spaces that were set up in the book were too cluttered and not usable realistically.



3. i found this book on Amazon after searching for another by Emily Chalmers called Style On a Budget. I bought this one blindly and really loved the ideas. The photos and layout are beautiful and the ideas are creative and fun. i love the combination of colors used, which is lively yet still maintaining a mature ambience. I do think these "finds" are not as lucky for just anyone unless you are an avid flea market goer. But still it will help me keep me motivated, with eyes open.



4. Very creative and innovative! Low cost and stulish ways to add beauty and charm to your surroundings. There's alot of Flea Market & Junk mavens out there, but at an actual cost that's out of this world when you delve into it. Nice going!



5. I live in suburbia, in a newer development where all the homes pretty much look the same. I am always on the look-out for creative ideas on decorating because I don't want my interior to look like it stepped out of one of the well-known home decor stores and catalogs. This book was an inspiring find! Lots of pictures and informative text...I have looked at the pictures over and over again. I'm not much into the step-by-step instruction books on transforming found objects so this book was right up my alley. For me, its purpose was served in that it filled my head and notebook with creative ideas for my home. A great book to look through before you head off to the nearest architectural salvage yard, flea market, or out for a day of garage sales.

5 comments about French Home.

1. What is a French Home anyway? Is there such a thing as an American Home?
   
   I was smitten by this book -- it was love at first sight. I'm not necessarily a big fan of French decorating per se. I do like the European country look, however. I also happen to like Japanese home-decorating style, which has a lot more in common with the look presented in this book than you might think, and I actually mix the two in my own home.
   
   The reviewers who were disappointed in this book probably associated "French" with rich, opulent, fluffy, and even ornate. This book isn't about ornate. It's about rustic. It's about valuing history and character in the homes you live in and things you live with.
   
   It of course is not the way ALL French people live.
   
   And as a response to the reviewer who were disappointed because the book showed photos of objects, not of rooms, I'd like to say: In decorating you need to see the big picture as well as the small pictures. Often, it's the small things that really tell the story. If you are looking for ways to add that special touch to your rooms, this is a great book because the photos give you lots of ideas and inspiration. If not, you may not get much out of the book.
   
   All in all, I am very satisfied with the book, and I've been looking at it every day.



2. Happy to report that I found this book had lots of useful and chic ideas that can be easily translated to "Kiwi" New Zealand interiors. I happily recommend this book. Sumptuous images and an easy style. There is even a painting in one of the rooms by a New Zealand artist whose work I also have...what a small world!



3. Happily, for those of us who truly love French style, viewpoint and decor, there are some very fine books available. This is one of them.
   
   I was dismayed at some earlier reviews because this book truly captures the french respect for time and process, connection with Nature and the eye for placement based on function,soulfulness and items well loved. It is entirely appropriate that one reviewer who missed the point praised the Betty Lou Phillips books which are always only a sterile surface amalgamation of what rich Texans GUESS french style is about.
   
   Like all the important things in life, you either get it or you don't. HOCKEY FAN needs to stick to hockey.



4. Absolutely fantastic book! Great ideas, great style! Highly recommended to any with a keen interest in interior decor - french style!



5. Very disappointed! I wanted to see beautiful rooms this was more objects. Nothing like Betty Lou Phillips beautiful books. Will be returning it.

5 comments about Bungalow Style: Creating Classic Interiors in Your Arts and Crafts Home.

1. My wife and I appreciated this detailed book and incorporated many ideas we found in our new (old) residence



2. I was very excited to get this book as we plan to incorporate some craftsman style elements into the 1970s bungalo we're buying. The interiors in the photos were not terribly attractive and leaned towards kitschy. Unless you want to turn you house into a museum to 20th century cheasiness, don't buy this book.



3. This is a good book if you are looking at remodeling a craftman type home or if you are planning to build one. I did like some of the idea's and the pictures.



4. If you are planning any kind work where you are going using allot of wood this is a great book, it is full of ideas. The photos have great detail. One of best books I have on Craftsman/Arts& Crafts interiors.



5. So you've bought a bungalow--now, what do you do with it? Maybe it's a fixer-upper; maybe it's too small, or doesn't have enough storage space; maybe you're just not sure what kind of furniture to get. This book is a great start toward deciding where to go next. Illustrated with hundreds of full-color photographs, it shows not only many of the features by which you can tell an Arts & Crafts house when you see it (I was surprised to learn that the big old foursquares such as my grandparents lived in for 40 years are included in this classification), but gives actual ideas carried out by other homeowners, even unto before-and-after floor plans. The author's advice is thoughtful and well suited to the houses she writes about, too. And if you just like to look at pictures of vintage American homes, this would be a good volume to add to your collection.

5 comments about Colonial Style: Creating Classic Interiors in Your Cape, Colonial, or Saltbox Home.

1. The book was purchased to help guide an authentic restoration of a 1925 Saltbox in Atlanta. The cover was among the best photographs in the book, but many others were helpful in establishing a general sense of the colonial aesthetic, with which we were unfamiliar. The mouldings section was far briefer(and less helpful) than I was hoping for, but suppose you can't expect a full chapter devoted to base boards. Because we were adding a fireplace and bookcases, pictures from the book proved invaluable in communicating trim details to the contractor. In summary, the book well served our purposes. A heady read on colonial design it is not.



2. What it lacks in substance, it makes up for with pretty pictures. For historical zealots (such as myself) this book will leave you hungry for more information about Colonial homes and their historical roots, but for what it is, it's pretty decent. This book has good artwork, clean pictures and an interesting array of different Colonial styles.
   
   That being said, I was profoundly disappointed in the book's lack of images and information on the ubiquitous Colonial Revival. That was my reason for buying this book, as I wanted to learn more about that style of housing. "Colonial Style" had very little on this incredibly popular genre (and derivation) of domestic architecture.
   
   Then again, I am a purist. If you want some decorating ideas and like to look at pretty pictures of old Williamsburg-era Colonials, you'll love it.



3. This is a book which explores (mostly) middle class home interiors of the 18th and early 19th century. Yes, there are some odd digressions, but by and large it's a fine work brimming with great photos and ideas, mostly taken from original homes. This book is a solid effort, showing what appropriate 18th century interiors should look like when cleaned up in a modern restored house, or a recreated one. Those who like authentic interiors will like this book. Those who do not want an authentic interior, but want to mix and match taking a bit of this and a bit of that, but still want to call it colonial, will possibly find these interiors "dark and provincial". Well - news flash: 18th century middle class and lower class interiors in North America were, by their very nature, both dark (candle light, small windows, soot, dark paint) and provincial (being the colonies, after all). The word colonial has its own cachet, and many people insist on applying it to their house, no matter what kind of eclectic mish mash it is.



4. This book has pretty pictures, but focuses on a more rustic colonial home. Think charming, yet squeeky, New England Inn. I was hoping for some pictures and ideas for a more "updated" Colonial with larger rooms. A little less "shabby chic" and more "classic decorating".
   
   I only write this review to guide others. The book is nice and is perfect for that person who likes the older, historic-feeling home.



5. As proud new owners of an antique home in Marblehead, MA -- built circa 1720 -- we were thrilled to find Treena Crochet's "Colonial Style." It helped greatly in getting our creative juices in motion. And the author even took time to respond to my e-mail inquiry about a ceiling issue which had us stumped. The book is a real pleasure to own -- just like our antique home! Ann and Mike

5 comments about The French-Inspired Home, with French General.

1. Bring the look of French decorating to your home. I love this book, never having been to France and only seeing limited books on French decorating, I find this to be one of the best, it is kind of a more laid back decorating approach than the more formal French decorating books I have seen, it is well done and gives you some projects you can tackle as a beginner sewer. This book looks at french tickings and uses for them throughout your home, if you have ever come across French tickings and the like, you will find they are so versatile in your home, and you will keep wanting to get more. A 5 star book.



2. A beautiful book--if you like shabby chic, it's for you. Good ideas, but not always practical unless you have access to a lot of estate sales and flea markets where dealers don't price themselves out of the market.



3. I cannot tell you how disappointed I was with this book. Having read the glowing reviews, on receiving the book, there is really nothing in this book of value, creativity or the "oooh" factor. This one will be quickly dispatched to the second hand book store!



4. I read this book from first page to last right after I opened it from the mail. It is filled with inspiration, helpful hints, decorating ideas, and an archive of full colored images that you can scan into your computer and use yourself. I love how she does not force her shop onto the reader, she states that you can find the items that she is explaining at flea markets and antique sales all over the world. I would rate this book 5 stars, for helpful insight into creating a "french inspired home." Cant wait for the next one!!



5. I must say I was disappointed in the book. I thought that it would have been more ideas of what furniture and fabrics to use to create a French inspired looking home.
   I am in the processing of trying to create a French looking kitchen and I had hoped that would be inspiring.
   But unfortunately for me it wasn't.

5 comments about New French Country: A Style and Source Book.

1. This is one of the best books on Country French that I've found. The illustrations are wonderful, whether you prefer the older designs or are looking for something with a more modern feel. I loved just looking at the pictures and getting a feel for the colors and styles. This is a book I'll return to again and again to get the feel of the French countryside.



2. The book was very informative. It gave me many ideas on how to include my furnishings with a French feel.



3. I can see this book is going to sit on the top of the coffee table book pile for a long time to come. Aside from the fabulous photos of French Provincial homes, Dannenberg delicately picks apart the details that make a typical Provincial home and garden. It does the job so much better than we sitting in another continent can grasp from a few photos in a book. It teaches us how to copy this style and really appreciate the quality of each piece of furniture, artwork or chattel we acquire for own little pretend patch of France.
   I love this book!



4. Really a wonderful book - both beautiful to look at and informative. Very interesting reading, as well as artistically lovely with wonderful, colorful photography. I am not a decorator or designer by trade, but go to this type of book for creative inspiration, and this one was a winner.



5. Wonderful book on French Country Style. This book is packed with lots of vivid photos but what sets this book apart from all the other styling books is the wealth of information that the author shares with the reader. It is truly a must for any Provencal styling fan.

5 comments about Island Life: Inspirational Interiors.

1. You may or may not receive this book. Like another reviewer, my order was never completed. I ordered it THREE times, waited 6 weeks each time...and then was informed my order was cancelled because it was unavailable. The last time I ordered it, I called them and they "assured" me it was "IN STOCK". Later, I was notified it was unavailable once again. Its bizarre! Don't hold your breath waiting for this one. It may be a great book, but I will apparently never know.



2. I found this book an absolute dream. The pictures are superb and the text is so unpretentious and simple. I loved the way the family has created such a simple and beautiful house (or houses) unlike so many of the gaudy mansions of the rich that inhabit the Bahamas.
   I have visited Harbor Island and the lifestyle appears so slow and easy that it really appears to be a paradise. India points out though that there is a price to be paid. The climate does make it difficult to maintain property.
   In summary, I loved the book, the words and the pictures and I read it from cover to cover in a little under two days. It left we wanting a simpler, more balanced life and sunshine!



3. I find myself reaching for this book over and over again. In it the authors generously give us a glimpse of the life they have made on a small island in the Bahamas. With a lot of hard work and no pretension, they have gotten it mostly just right. Their houses are neither overdone nor underdone, but pleasing to the eye, soothing and liveable. Highly recommended.



4. Never got item - waited several weeks and then was notified.



5. The cover was very appealing. First impressions etc;. The inside photos even more so. The writing however sounded like the ramblings of a spoiled child living in an unreachable reality sometimes and at other times, the snobbery of an aristocracy only appreciated in the mind of the writer and those who really believe that paradise can only be created by the writer.

   I live in the Bahamas and so yes I have a paradise of my own, but does anyone really care about 'my personal paradise' so much that they would read about it. I think not. The thing that makes simple beauty, well simply beautiful is simply leaving it alone.

   Final thot; Nice to look at.....PERIOD.

   other books I own - CARIBBEAN STYLE; CARIBBEAN ELEGANCE; ISLAND STYLE.