No comments about Sri Lanka Style: Tropical Design and Architecture.

No comments about Folk Art Style: Traditional and Contemporary Painting for Everyday Objects.

5 comments about Get Crafty: Hip Home Ec.

1. This was not what I expected. I am a visual learner and a book full of text in a "craft" book is very disappointing. I expect a lot of text if I am reading fiction, biography or a textbook, but in a crafts book I expect photographs of the project. There are one-color photos in the book (they have a pinkish tint), that do not really show any projects. For example, there are one-color photos of things like scissors, a ring of keys, limes, a sprig of rosemary, a pair of cleaning gloves or some other inconsequential item. The only full color picture in this book is on the cover.
   
   There is a section in the first chapter called, ""Which Craft is Right for You?" that includes a little quiz to help you figure out what craft you might like. I have done most of the crafts in this book from crocheting, cooking and scrapbooking to quilting, gardening and needlepoint. This quiz was so off, I just laughed. Question 2: Did you make your bed this morning? Answer: If you said yes, you tend to be more detailed-oriented and like knitting, needle crafts and sewing. If you answered no, you are less detail-oriented preferring gardening, cut and paste crafts or cooking. Now, I didn't make up my bed this morning but I am getting ready to finish sewing a quilt. I am VERY detailed oriented which I think is useful when I garden (I landscaped by entire backyard alone) and when I cook (has to be right for the recipe to turn out properly...at least the first time). Today I was just more excited about sewing than making up my bed! LOL
   
   The book is not really laid out in a logical fashion. The chapters are titled: Joy of Doing it Yourself, Importance of Home, Second Time Around, Consuming Pleasures, No Woman is an Island. There are a potpourri of projects and recipes that don't always seem to pertain to the chapter heading, i.e. stain-removing tips in the Second Time Around chapter. Seems to me it would be better in the chapter where the other cleaning products were listed.
   
   The reason I am giving it 2 stars are because of the soap and cleaning products recipes and some of the food recipes. I have not tried any of them yet so I have no idea how effective or good they are, but at least it's was interesting and potentially useful. I would recommend looking at books that have similar topics but that contain photographs of the projects and recipes. You might want to check this out of the library before buying.



2. If you're interested in being more crafty but haven't really gotten into it much this book is a good starting point. The craft projects in the book aren't difficult and have good instructions. However, if you are a seasoned craftster you will probably find this book too elementary for the projects alone. It's more of an idea book and it gets you thinking about projects that aren't necessarily spelled out in the book. I refer to it often because I enjoy the author's writing style and philosophy.



3. This book is so inspiring and entertaining. I feel like I found my soul-sister. As a former career woman in a high-stress job, it is so refreshing to hear another woman's take on the pleasure you can get from being crafty and good at keeping a nice home.



4. This book inspired me to be crafty in so many areas of my life. It's not just about "making stuff" - it's about having an overall attitude of creating a nice life, even if you don't have much to start with. I really enjoyed reading about the author's own life and how she was inspired by friends and family members. I highly recommend this refreshing book for those who would like to make a positive change.



5. A wonderful, fast read about how to not only "do" craft projects, but how to LIVE a crafty life. Jean Railla goes into great detail explaining that the word "craft" has deeper meaning than most people realize. I especially appreciate that Jean admits she was not always crafty, and that it took her years to finally embrace the creative, domestic things in life that are so often related to crafts.
   
   I recommend this book to any and everyone who has a bit of crafter inside them, or has always been "craft-curious." It is a great, fun book: well-written, nicely-illustrated and motivational.

5 comments about Adirondack Style.

1. Between this book and another, also from amazon, called Cottage Style, I have more than enough to fuel my vacation house daydreams. A great start for 2000 and for my own dreams of early retirement.



2. In planning the vacation home we hope to have soon, we bought this book and a new one called SECOND HOME. Adirondack Style is more of a dream book and includes historical information about the style. It's also limited to one style, of course. The book called Second Home works on a couple levels as a dream book but it also includes information on shopping, building, decorating, and so on, and it shows a wide range of second home styles around the country. We like both, but if we had to pick only one, it would be Second Home. (A book called Cabin Fever is fun, too, but limited to very rustic styles.)



3. As I just wrote in a review of Cabin Fever, this book, too, is a delight to look at. But it is limited (as its title says, of course) to one style that is a bit more rustic than what we have in mind. Still, this is a lovely book to peruse. As we gather information on vacation homes, our favorite book is a new one called Second Home, which includes visits to everything from oceanside homes and lake cottages to mountain cabins. Second Home also includes information on how to shop for a second home, how to decide what location is right, and tips on building, decorating and so on. I've never met a vacation house book I didn't like, and I like them all. But Second Home is our favorite because it has such variety of home styles and helpful tips in it.



4. In looking for ideas for the second home getaway we are planning, I came across this book and added it to my collection. It is handsome but, as the title would suggest, limited to one style. If that is your thing, fine. In this genre, the book that keeps rising to the top of the little stack on my coffee table is called SECOND HOME/Finding Your place in the Sun (or Fun or something like that). Second Home shows rustic styles and romantic cottage ones, too, taking me on a little tour of the United States as I turn the pages. The author obviously did his homework, too, because Second Home is filled with information on how to shop for real estate, evalute an area, decide what you want (and where you want it), etc.



5. I totally "loved" this book. One of my favorites. I am totally into "camp,cabin,and adirondack" decorating books and this book totally delivered the goods. Gorgous pictures gives one many cozy decorating ideas and just a book to daze and dream away an afternoon with.

No comments about House Beautiful Decorating School (House Beautiful).

5 comments about Divinely Decadent.

1. Stephen Calloway definitely does not subscribe to the theory "less is more." Thank goodness. Who needs another book on tasteful, bland interiors? I much prefer the pillow-strewn canopy beds and sparkling Edwardian dining rooms in Divinely Decadent. There's an almost voyeuristic thrill in being able to peek into these incredibly sumptuous interiors. The fact that they are inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins only adds to their over-the-top appeal!



2. I have lots of books on decorating, but this is the only one I can recall where the text is just as interesting and illuminating and exciting as the photographs--and the photographs are terrific. The authors begin the book with a nice "history of decadence", and they were truly inspired in organizing the book around the Seven Deadly Sins--you will have a hard time deciding which of the seven is your favorite. There are plentiful quotes from such demigods of decadence as Oscar Wilde, and wonderful over-the-top (and gorgeous) interiors designed by flamboyant characters like the late great Tony Duquette. The choice of interiors ranges from the traditional French-boudoir style of decadence to modern edgy ones, so there is something for everybody. My house is a nice virtuous Arts and Crafts house, but this book gave me some clues about the use of rich colors, fabrics, and the combining of objects so that even I can edge closer toward divine decadence. Loved it!



3. I just received my copy of "Divinely Decadent" and was immediately captivated by the beautifully lush interiors presented by Stephen Calloway. I loved the spicy, exotic rooms which pepper this elegantly slim volume and cannot wait to devour it page by sumptuous page. "Divinely Decadent" is not your mother's decorating book. It is bold, over the top, balls-to-the-wall decorating that is definitely decadently divine!!!



4. I have more than my share of interior decorating books. This one is the best! I have never seen such a beautiful, inspirational book. And it is also interesting to read, another plus.



5. Stephen Calloway, a self-described elderly roue and one of the more recherche and picturesque curators haunting the corridors of London's Victoria and Albert Museum (his words), is a wonderful author on the subjects of architecture and interior design. And Deidi von Schaewen is a very talented photographer whose work appears in World of Interiors and other magazines. So it is well-written and produced, but not so compelling for this reviewer.
   
   After A Little History of Divine Decadence, there are chapters on Pride, Covetousness, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, and Sloth. Points are illustrated by photos of contemporary interiors by owners who enjoy the persuit of beauty. This reviewer prefers the interiors that are the everyday environment rather than those that appear to be proped for the photo shoot, however. Also, there is a directory so the reader can find the author's recommended barber and hatter to today's dandies, for example.
   
   Although this book might not be a reference that one would return to over and over again, bargain pricing that is comparative to the price of a premium magazine makes this a good choice for the guest room nightstand or as a gift for one's own divinely decadent friends.

No comments about Curtains, Draperies & Shades.

2 comments about Inspirational Interiors.

1. I like reading books on classic interior designs as a pastime. This book shows me some of the best designs I've ever seen. Anyone into classic British/western interior designs would love it.



2. Architect/designer/writer Roger Banks-Pye takes the reader by the hand in this sumptuously illustrated (photography by James Merrell) book and shares his secrets of fine design for the home. Not the usual big book of beautiful homes from around the world, INSPIRATIONAL INTERIORS is an informative, very helpful, and realistic guide on making choices about design elements in every home, no matter the scale or size.
   
   Many designers deal with the expensive furniture and accoutrements that most assuredly are elegant and creative when combined with the authoratative eye of a fine designer. But where Banks-Pye varies in his approach is focusing on the individual elements that make the whole. He spends significant time on pillows, windows (whether or not to drape), tables of all sizes, furniture that compliments the architecture of rooms and enhances the space, and of course the multiple bibelots that add a touch of the exotic or unique to an individual's home.
   
   The writing is superb, easily read, well referenced, and the photographs clearly demonstrating the written word are art pieces unto themselves. A fine addition to the libraries of those whose home is their castle! Grady Harp, November 06

2 comments about Decorative Paint Techniques & Ideas.

1. A book with good illustrations and instuctions for fun and unique decorative finishes for the do it yourselfer!



2. I really like the pictures in this book. It gives you a list of what you need and pretty good details on how to do the effect. Overall, it's good for a beginner and someone not looking to do TOO MUCH work. Simple, Elegant and Satisfactory.

1 comments about Timeless Interiors: Rooms Inspired by the Past.

1. The photographs in this book are stunning. However, if you're looking for decorating or design ideas this is not the book for you. There are virtually no practical ideas included -- it's more of a conceptual work.