No comments about Living in China (Taschen's Lifestyle).

No comments about Small Urban Gardens (Evergreen).

3 comments about Flowers by Design.

1. I had the good fortune of working with Jeff personally, and I own this book. I love his idea of decorating the space as opposed to just decorating a vase, and putting it on a table. Most Floral designers just think too small!Jeff only uses the most beautiful flowers and displays them in a way, that they not only are most beautiful, but can be most appreciated. The flowers are not "shoved up-side down in a vase" they are placed carefully and willingly. Jeff has the upmost respect for flowers, more than most people who call themselves floral designers, that shove hundreds of flowers all together in a vase in a contrived matter and call it beautiful.
   
   If you want to know what's really going on in floral design you better pay attention to this book and his other books. Jeff is admired by the most prestigious and forward, and successful floral designers and floral event companies in the world. As a Professional Floral Designer myself of over 25 years, I know sometimes we think we know everything about what we do. But, sometimes something new comes along and blows us out of the water, and this is what Jeff Leatham has done, in America and Europe! Hope to see you again sometime in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, or Paris Jeff! Christina



2. As a professional floral designer I was very disappointed in this book. About half of the arrangements are this:
   
   select a bundle of flowers - probably of all one type
   
   arrange them so all of their heads are at the same height
   
   tie the bundle together or simply cluster it so it stays together
   
   stick it in a vase so the stems don't touch bottom and the thing leans at an angle at the top of the vase
   
   or.....lay it across the top of the vase out of water.
   
   or.....do exactly the same as above only slant the bouquet in the vase at an angle and allow it to touch the bottom.
   
   
   Over 45 photos illustrate that single technique. The designs are mostly made of callas and roses. The repetition is pretty annoying as a person usually buys this sort of book to learn new techniques not to just see the same old one repeated again and again.
   
   Oh, I forgot - and for some real excitement make a bouquet exactly as above then stick it in a clear glass vase standing straight up.
   
   There's a lot of single flowers alone in a vase and a lot of flowers beheaded and set to float in clear glass vases. There are a few flowers shoved upside-down into clear vases and a few settings highlighting flowers out of water but there's really nothing terribly original. The arrangements were all pretty and all photographed in marvelous settings but unfortunately I learned nothing new from the book.



3. Being inspired by Jane Packer and Paula Pryke floral decorator books for years I think I have been spoilt and this book by Jeff Leatham, while being beautiful, is not really a flower arrangers book. In actual fact, the flowers play very little part in the actual photography. At times the "eye catching creations" (the reviewers comments) could not even be found. Nothing "genius" in this book except pretty interiors with flowers on the mantle -sorry Jeff, I will stick with the girls.

No comments about Healthcare Spaces No. 4 (Healthcare Spaces).

1 comments about Ultimate Guide to Kitchens: Plan, Remodel, Build (Ultimate Guide).

1. I had already seen this book in person at the book store and had looked through it to find a book that contained a little bit about everything when it came to remodeling a kitchen. If you're looking for a book that hits on everything but doesn't go into too much detail about each project, you'll like this book. It has lots of colorful pictures and ideas on how to do things along with 'how-tos' on cermaic tile to hardwood flooring to picking out lights.

No comments about The Kitchen: History, Culture, Design.

No comments about Open Kitchens: Inspired Designs for Modern and Loft Living.

No comments about The Interior Dimension: A Theoretical Approach to Enclosed Space.

No comments about Country Living Perfect Patterns for Walls, Floors, Fabrics and Furniture (Country Living).

5 comments about Change Your Home, Change Your Life.

1. This book is a feast for my eyes. The photos and the colors are the true inspiration.



2. I found this book to be helpful because the workbook-type layout helps you discover your personal style and preferences. It's not the ideas and pics (though good) that I liked so much, it was the questions. For someone who's not comfortable expressing their personal style (or has yet to discover it) this is a great book to bring those things out in the open.
   I liked the motivational style and the fresh, personal writing. The layout is beautiful. The book did sort of naggingly remind me of Bill Phillip's book...even the slogan "Change your (home/body) Change your life," the journal questions, the motivational style...but if it works, why not use it. Kudos to Moll for helping us discover our motivation for creating beautiful surroundings and our unique style.



3. Pretty pictures of pretty houses and the author is certainly more photogenic than Martha Stewart but from an informational standpoint, there's nothing here you haven't seen or heard dozens of times before in women's magazines or on daytime TV talk shows.
   
   If a compilation of timeworn tips on how you might rearrange your furniture, jazz up a delivered pizza with a smattering of your own spices or select a new color scheme for your breakfast nook really constitutes a life-changing moment in your life, well, color you shallow.



4. This book is pretty inspirational. What hit home most for me is to not wait until I own a dream home before I start to put effort into my apartment. You forget that seeing eyesores and being disorganized affects your mood, as does having flowers on the dining table and a made up bed for the opposite mood! The cons of the book is that it is pretty repetitive and probably would've been better off with less text and more picture ideas. It seemed the author just kept saying the same things in every chapter. But overall a really good book and it inspired me to fix up my place more and to always have flowers around!



5. Before reading this book, I was so hesitant about what do buy, or how to decorate. After reading the book, I had a different outlook on my home as well as my life. Through decorating I learned who I was, and what made me happy. Now my decor selections bring me much more happiness and comfort. I look forward to coming home every evening!