No comments about Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples.

5 comments about Home Therapy: Fast, Easy, Affordable Makeovers.

1. Lauri Ward brings affordable decorating advice to her readers, once again, and this time via stories about 25 clients. Each person has an interesting tale to tell, such as the woman who survived the collapse of the twin towers on 9/11 and sought help creating a tranquil environment, to the family of a world-famous dancer who needed help making their too-large space comfortable.
   Each home provides clear examples of everyday decorating challenges that most people are confronted by, but never know how to solve, and the author corrects each one. She offers practical solutions that anyone can apply to their own home and, at the same time, a very interesting read.



2. This is a horrible book. I have Use What You Have Decorating, which is a very good book. This book shows a black and white before picture with an endless list of every piece of furniture, pictures, etc. and where they are located in the room, followed by a color after picture with an endless list of where every piece of furniture, pictures, etc. are located. After reading this same format in each chapter (over and over again) for each of her customers, and not being able to relate any of this to my own home and with little or no explanation of why she changed what she did, I dumped this book in a box of books to give away. Don't waste your money. There are lots of better books out there.



3. I did not like the layout of this book at all--particularly annoying was the fact that you had to turn pages between the "before" and "after" room drawing layouts-they should have been either put on facing pages or on the same page.
   
   Also, her first book worked well because it seemed to focus more on average people with decorating issues, this book was definitely skewed towards people with scads of money like the people with the view home in Laguna Beach, who practically had walls made of windows--hardly what the average person is looking to showcase!
   
   I would borrow this one from the library, but buy her first book.



4. What a pleasant surprise. Use What You Have Decorating has been my favorite interior design book for years. It actually taught me what I was doing wrong and how to make it right. I still refer to it when I have questions.
   But Home Therapy has brought my decorating education to another level. It has impressive before and after photos, interesting stories and a ton of really useful advice.
   If you want to give your home a new stylish look you will be very happy with what you can achieve from reading it. Highly recommended.



5. Anyone who feels their home needs help in the decorating department will be surprised and pleased when they see what they can achieve after reading Home Therapy. Like Lauri Ward's previous books her newest volume of makeovers also shows us how we can give our homes a whole new look without cleaning out our checking accounts. This book has color photos and really fascinating personal stories which make it even more interesting. All in all it is her best book yet. Highly recommended.
   
   Note to reviewer "CnK" from Texas: From your review it is clear that you did not read Ward's previous "how to" books which are filled with excellent information. Try reading her classic "Use What You Have Decorating."

3 comments about Victorian Style.

1. While there may be a plethora of books on the subject of Victorian decorative arts, none have the ample number of photographs this one has.
   
   My wife and I recently bought a circa 1900 home, complete with most of its original elements ranging from seven glorious mantels to original gaslight overhead lighting fixtures. The only problem was the awful interior paint job, and of course, lack of Victorian furniture.
   
   We searched everywhere for a book which depicts correct colors and design elements to no avail. Then at the local library we came across this currently (at the time of this writing) out of print book. It is still available as new and used.
   
   The text is excellent, however, the photographs are the main selling point. If you are interested in authentic Victorian style and want to decorate your home correctly, this book has it all.



2. This book is a must have for any lover of the Victorian era. The photographs are gorgeous, wonderful quality. I have it on my coffee table for all to see. Please don't hesitate if you want this book because you will regret it. I have always loved this era, especially Victorian homes. If I had the money, I would live one. My dream!
   
   Nancy S.



3. A must for everyone who owns or dreams of owning a victorian period home. Covering grand to smaller scale homes, this book takes you through every nook and cranny of homes...from porches to living rooms to victorian style bathrooms. This book offers the reader so many ideas but is not a true reference book...no how-to's in this one but rather a visual treasure chest of examples for those looking to renovate or decorate in true victorian style. A source directory is included. Enjoy!

4 comments about Ultimate Bathroom Design.

1. Hi,
   
   I Finally purchased this book from amazon.com as its 50% cheaper then where i lived Bali.Indonesia, I am one of stone and copper bathtub manufacture, this book has inspired me and give me much idea about bathroom..all the picture quality is good and the bathroom picture is sooo beautifull...I hope with this book will inspired me more and more so then I can make our bathtub quality and design better.thanks alot



2. Very thick book of photos, looks more like a text book. If you are looking for ideas to redo a very very old bathroom or creating a very modern bathroom, this book would probably help. It's not very helpful for the more traditional bathrooms that most people are utilizing today.



3. Buying this book I was looking for some ideas to decorate my bathrooms. I did not find a single one in the book. This book is for those who like minimalism.



4. These are all designer bathrooms. they are mostly (all?) european. Every bathroom is elegant. Every bathroom is different.
   
   Sourcing is very light and a lot of the work is custom ($$$), but there is a list of designer websites at the end.
   
   I'm using these ultimate books to communicate to my architects what kinds of things I want, not as a guide to which kind of kohler fixtures to buy. It's ideal for my use, less useful as a fixture buying guide.

3 comments about Tropical Style: Contemporary Dream Houses in Malaysia.

1. Tropical Style is a beautiful book that is a pleasure to read and to have close to hand on a living room table. With plenty of pictures -some on exquisite details- the glossy pages invite the reader into Malaysia architecture and decoration. The vibrant use of colors and lights, and the warmth of the exotic wood play with the modern inspiration and the garden luxuriance. The purity of the lines as well as the mix of West/East inspiration brings an original elegance to the Malaysian houses. Simple and delicate at the same time, the Malaysian style is worth the attention it gets on this book. To buy for yourself or to offer.



2. Tropical Style: Contemporary Dream Houses In Malaysia by Gillian Beal (an expert in vernacular architecture) with photographs by Jacob Termansen and Pia Marie Molbech, is an impressive collection of superbly produced photography vividly illustrating the interior designs of contemporary Malaysian homes and resorts. Showcasing thirty-five awe inspiring indigenous and cross-cultural building and room interiors, Tropical Style offers readers an armchair traveler's visit to Kuala Lumpur, coastal, and island beach retreats of Malaysia. A welcome addition to personal and professional Interior Design reference collections, Tropical Style is very strongly recommended as an expansive collection of what Malaysian and Southeast Asian homes have to offer by way of interior designs and beautiful living.



3. Despite the somewhat plain cover, the rest of the book features colorful and interesting interiors of private residences and hotels. While the title says "Tropical Style," the book focuses almost exclusively on properties in Malaysia. Clearly the companion book to Island Style, I would rate this book slightly lower only because I enjoy more pictures of exteriors.

No comments about Restroom: Contemporary Design.

No comments about Stores and Retail Spaces 8.

1 comments about 325 New Home Plans for 2007: Today's Top Home Designs Updated Classics for Today's Homeowner.

1. I had expected to see a walk through of home design color picture inside the book. But it just had one home in color (5 pages) and the rest of the 250 pages had just black and white exterior home designs and layout.
   
   I would suggest in your selection process for a internet buyer to give a brief of the book, not just by the looks of the cover. In fact the introduction states interior and exterior. Some of the previous books I purchased had a walk through of each home, I mean the interior of the sitting, bedroom, kithcen etc etc... Not really usefull after my purchase, this applies to two other books as well I bought along with this order, "Two-Story Homes" Second Edition and "Europeon Dream Homes" Second Edition.

5 comments about Dwellings: Living with Great Style.

1. Although throughout my design years I have perused a mountain of interior design books, magazines and websites for reference and resources I have only collected a handful of useful books that I would consider reaching for in the wee hours of yet another design dilemma and Dwellings is now amongst them.
   
   Instead of teaching the reader how to design it leads them down a creative path with useful, thoughtful tips and information along the way.
   
   If your looking for a designers "how to" book pick up; Color, Space, Style by Chris Grimley & Mimi Love. It has "all the details interior designers need to know but can never find."
   
   possible resources -
   a)Color,Space,Style;Chris Grimley & Mimi Love (Absolute best guide)
   b)Interior Design Visual Presentation A guide to Graphics, Models and Presentations Techniques
   c)Wabi-Sabi for Artists,Designers,Poets & Philosophers by Leonard Koren
   d)Mary Gillait's Interior Design Course - BE PREPARED TO LEARN.
   e) DWELL MAGAZINE Resource lists.



2. This book is actually a great read for a design book. It's also a pretty hardback. Lots of good, solid information on everything from the nuances of natural light (as it changes throughout the day, direction windows face and continental locale) to how to arrange personal objects. Lots of examples from their own homes, as well as clients (Rockefeller, Vera Wang, Tina Turner, Jane Pratt... look closely at the views out of the windows and many are of Central Park). If you're into primary colors and really slick minimalism, this book isn't for you, not that these guys aren't adept at modern touches. They're just a bit lux for the pure minimalist and their color choices are more complex. There is a significant amount of real investment type art and artifacts in their work, both modern and traditional, primitive and ornamental. I don't give this 5 stars merely b/c it is a small book (approx. 7"x9," so many photos are quite small) and it does only represent their tastes, fabulous as they are. Looking forward to another book from these partners. I would recommend this for the designer's library, pro or amateur.



3. These designers have a great gimmick going. Basically, they travel around the world, hoarding antiques, ship them back to NYC and have cheap Mexican labour refinish them. They then charge foolish, rich clients (the ONLY people they'll work for) exorbitant prices for shoddily refinished junk. The reason the book seems "shallow & vacant" is because it's a direct reflection of the designer's personalities. Their designs are more stage settings than ones for living in. They manage to pull the wool over most clients eyes, but, they have been sued when their scheme was discovered and had to drastically lower their prices as compensation. So, if empty, weirdly coloured interiors don't make you vomit, then buy this book!



4. This is a divine book.
   Sills and Huniford show in the pages of this book that they are America's premier decorators. Thier talent is so great and the understanding of how interiors can be elegant, refined, well edited and still very livable are beautifully portrayed in this pages. To have this as a reference and a cronicle of thier work is a treasure. I HIGHLY recommend this book.



5. This book is great!! From the text you actually learn something rather than just a bunch of boring pictures. The pictures are annotated with the designers comments- you can actually LEARN things from this book. It's not a pretty coffee table book ( thank god, do we really need another one of those?! ) but one which you can actually learns secrets to great design. One step above the beginers level. I would highly recommend this book!

5 comments about Great Houses on a Budget.

1. This book was very informative and has great photographic examples.
   I look forward to applying them to the next house that I build.
   The simplicity of the building materials breaks the boundaries of the common myths of building designs. I would live in any of these houses and find bliss.
   Highly recommended for anyone interested in living wisely, environmentally friendly, and whether on a budget for building or not, one who could appreciate space and design that is well appointed.
   I would also not hesitate to buy another copy to give as a gift to someone thinking of building their own home.



2. Good photos, and some good details and ideas, that could well be developed into an expression of your own living space.



3. Look, this book is a picture book... but so are all James Grayson Trulove books. If you are not familiar with his books then you are missing out. His books are not case studies with pages of boring text. He does not teach in his books, but rather inspire. You know when you have a favorite actor and no matter what they are in you go see it... that is the type of author that Trulove is. He is constantly producing new books with great houses that can give you great new ideas. If you're expecting alot more than great pictures of great houses then get something else. But if you want to peak behind the doors of some really cool new houses then you will love this book.



4. As with everything else from this author, it is just a collection of pretty pictures, with absolutely no detail on materials and construction techniques. There is a reason his books are so cheap.



5. I liked this book alot and refer to it often for innovative modern design in designing my own home.