Reviews (2)

A Liife In Decorationby Keith Irvine
I have been a decorator for 37 years..I have at least, 1000 books about decoration.....
Keith Irvine: A Life in Decoration
I very much enjoyed this book. It is filled with ideas and information. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1928-    2. 20th century    3. Artists, Architects, Photographers    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. History    8. Interior Design    9. Interior Design - General    10. Interior decoration    11. Irvine, Keith,    12. United States    13. Architecture / Decoration & Ornament    14. Biography: general   

Subjects:  1. Architectural & Industrial    2. Architecture    3. Architecture, Domestic    4. General    5. Interior Design    6. Interior Design - General    7. Interior Design - Style Books    8. Interior decoration    9. Mexico    10. Architecture / Interior Design    11. Home furnishing & decoration    12. Interior Design; architecture   

Reviews (12)

Thrilled to find this book!
I happened upon this book on Amazon last year - shortly after purchasing my very first home - a little storybook cottage. I've always adored this style of home but never knew what to call them. I was so happy to find this book and see someone had come up with a name for these enchanting homes. This book has brought me hours of enjoyment. I read it cover to cover immediately but I look through it over and over again. It has been such a help in giving me inspiration and information for the restoration of my little storybook home. I cannot sing enough praises for this book - my only complaint - I want another volume. If a Storybook Style 2 were to be published - I would buy it the very day it came out!!!!
Rare original idea
My first impression of this book was that it was a trifle; once I started to read it though, I discovered it was surprisingly substantial. What a joy to look at these quaint medieval-inspired houses. Lots of them, and all those turrets! You won't find mention of this phenomenon in any of the popular books on house styles, and the author deserves credit for documenting it. Whodathunkit - a page-turner architecture book!
5 stars plus!A book to delight the heart! It's so well-written you don't want to stop reading, yet you want to see what delight awaits on the next page.My suggestion - page through and look at all the pictures - then go back and read it all.Great job - please do another one!Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Architecture    3. Architecture, Domestic    4. Architecture, Medieval    5. Design & Drafting    6. Domestic    7. History - General    8. Influence    9. U.S. Architecture - General    10. United States    11. Architectural structure & design    12. Architecture / Interior Design   

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Country homes    3. Decorating - General    4. Domestic    5. Interior Design - General    6. Residential Buildings Architecture    7. Residential Interior Design    8. U.S. Architecture - General    9. West (U.S.)    10. House & Home / General    11. Houses, apartments, flats, etc    12. Interior design   

Reviews (4)

Par Excellent
I first saw this book at a Baker Furniture showroom which sales the Garcia furniture line.The furniture on display did not capture the genius of Garcia which, on the other hand, the book does.I have not had the opportunity to read but a few lines from this book, as my busy schedule has not permitted. However, from what I have read, I am in for a treat.
A touts les glories de la France
Most American designers who would persuade that they present us with so called 'French' design, actually show us American interiors witha few traditional French furniture pieces thrown in the loupe - but this doesn't make them French. (Generally they come across more English country house, really; chintz et al.) Jacques Garcia is very different! He knows the traditional interiors of France as if they are tattooed blueprints on his mind; the panelling, floors, carvings, mantles, proportions, the furniture and accessories, fabrics, architecture and art - but most importantly he has that extremely rare ability to know those idiosyncratic and intangible differences, those transcendent and ethereal distinctions of the French intellect regarding aesthetics. He has found the French soul and is sharing it with you. It is not even slightly American! If you wish to know what France IS see Garcia's book!

French Opulence in Interior Design
This stunning book presents the residential and commercial work of the French interior designer Jacques Garcia.The printing quality and paper stock are superb.Though written in a subjective, praising and uncritical style, the book still provides insights into Garcia's background and design philosophy. As one who has visited Champ de Bataille, the book truly captures the beauty and grandeur of the place. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Decorating    3. Decorating - General    4. House & Home    5. Interior Design    6. Interior Design - General    7. House & Home / Decorating   

Reviews (4)

Beautiful Book!
I can't say enough about the quality of the pictures in this book.Startling and brilliant color.Nice writeups about the inns and haciendas.For anyone traveling to Mexico and looking for unique and historical places to stay, this would be a great book to read before the trip.Highly recommend.

I wanna move to Mexico!
You can almost feel the colours and shapes, taste the food and smell the flowers in this lavishly illustrated book on Mexican Haciendas and Hotels. I can see why allot of the people that started these Inns sold everything they had and moved to Mexico to start a new life. This book will be an inspiration to architects and would also make a great coffee table book. Be careful to check the binding when you get it. The glue on mine all fell off in chunks after the first read!

Beautiful pictoral essay of historic Mexican inns and hotels
This book is good, maybe even great, but still can't compare to Melba Levick and Masako Takahashi's AWESOME "Mexicolor".Masako's other book, "Mexican Tiles" comes close, and still edges out "Mexicasa" a little bit as well, so when all is said and done I think I just have to chalk it up to Masako's EVIDENT love and appreciation for the unfathomable beauty of things Mexican.Melba Levick seems to me to see things more from the outside looking in, and without so much PASSION, kind of like a more disinterested spectator than a participant, but that could just be my opinion.Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Domestic    3. Haciendas    4. Hotels    5. Interior Design - General    6. Interior decoration    7. International Architecture - General    8. Mexico    9. Vernacular architecture    10. Architecture / Domestic    11. Houses, apartments, flats, etc   

Reviews (7)

Rich, complex, atmospheric
I thought this book was exceptional.
Through the Keyhole
Have you ever walked or driven past someone's home and wanted to look inside?Looking through this book is a bit like that on an international scale.The book is a beautiful work of art in itself, the presentation top class, the paper quality excellent, the binding great.It is packed with marvellous photographs of interiors, accompanied by descriptive text.What it isn't is another of those boring interior design books, filled with rooms that are painted offwhite, with large mirrors, potted palms and overstuffed sofas.This book is interior design getting real!

A Comprehensive and Sensitive Survey of Peoples and their Habitats
Stafford Cliff has collected images from all around the world and with the help of superb photographer Gilles de Chabaneix has done what few other innovators in design have done - created a book that is, yes, about design, but is equally about how climate, place, ethnicity, tradition, cultural philosophies, and history inform the decisions people make about their living environments.
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Subjects:  1. Architecture, Domestic    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. Fashion    5. General    6. House & Home    7. Interior architecture    8. Interior decoration    9. Pictorial works    10. Residential Interior Design    11. Subjects & Themes - Fashion    12. House & Home / Decorating   

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. General    3. International Architecture - European    4. Architecture / General    5. Architecture / Interior Design   

Reviews (1)

Excellent Human Science Overview of Religions
The Brill Dictionary of Religion, 4 volume set edited by Kocku Von Stuckrad (Brill Academic Publishers) Excerpt: From Editor's Preface to English Edition: 1. Religion in the Twenty-First Century
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Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Dictionaries    3. Dictionaries - General    4. History    5. Interior Design - General    6. Reference    7. Religion    8. Religion - Commentaries / Reference    9. Reference works    10. Religion & Beliefs   

Reviews (3)

Not as good as Guide to Frame Construction
I purchased this because I was very impressed with the "Graphic Guide to Frame Construction" book.I was much less impressed
Accurate and Detailed
Here you will find up-to-date information about virtually every material involved in interior construction - common and uncommon, residential and commercial - so you can compare key factors and make the best decisions for all of your projects.
God is in the details with this one folks!
The Graphic Guide to Interior Details: For Builders and Deigners gives a comprehensive analysis and break down, not only for professionals in the industry, but for the first time home buyer, or for people who are justplain interested in built structures.There are endless details and drawingsthat are accompanied by current and up to date information that not onlycomplies with modern day building codes and standards,but also hasinnovative and progressive techniques for the future. I'm a student thathas gotten great use and resource out of this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Construction - Carpentry    3. Construction - General    4. Design & Construction    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. Interior Design - General    7. Reference    8. House & Home / Reference   

Reviews (1)

its about time!
This book is very thorough about principles of color- it has tear out color charts and about every conceivable color combination that will look 'smashing" together. I absolutely love it and i will be using it to decorate my new home- The author has simplified a seemingly complex visionary task to a method that is foolproof for getting that designer look. I would have paid over $ 300.00 for the book to have the information that she supplies and i would like to have more by this author . fabulous! thank you ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Color in interior decoration    2. Decorating - General    3. Decoration & Ornament    4. Design & Construction    5. Do-It-Yourself    6. Home Improvement / Construction    7. House & Home    8. Interior Design - General    9. Home furnishing & decoration    10. House & Home / Decorating   

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Classification    3. Environmental Science    4. Interior Design - General    5. Mammals    6. Sociology    7. Soviet Union    8. Voles   

Reviews (1)

For BIG rooms and budgets only
If you are planning to entertain a cast of thousands (or at least a few hundred), own at least ten acres of land, and have unlimited funds (including hefty fees for architects and engineers), then this book offers a few good ideas. Unfortunately, I was looking for something more down to earth, such as ideas for a modest gazebo or shelter that would blend nicely into the back of my modest half acre piece of land - a place for thinking or reading or conversing with a few god friends, a place to escape the rain, or a place for star gazing. This book didn't even come close to my expectations. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Design & Construction    3. Domestic    4. Interior Design - General    5. Outdoor & Recreational Areas - General    6. Architecture / General    7. Houses, apartments, flats, etc   

Reviews (3)

Outstanding Book -Dont miss it
This is an outstanding book, with plenty of pictures - great insider material on furniture and architecture.And I already have a design MA with my own firm.

Underwhelming and overpriced
The text of this volume is decent and well organized but in the area that most designers are interested in, visual examples, it is sorely lacking. A very minimal section of color photographs (which jump from Roman to the Renaissance. No sign of the Gothic)and a series of low contrast black and white ones are augmented with a series of uninspired drawings. All of this might still be helpful and useful were it not for the price. There are many volumes on furniture and decor that have come on the market recently which are superior in their content and priced more reasonably.

Better for furniture/antiques dealers than designers
This book is a good encyclopedia of the history of interior design going back to ancient era- it catalogues the general overview for each period chronologically, explaining the function and materiality of a space or piece of furniture.The book is particularly nice for classifying particular styles of furniture and may be more suited to an antiques dealer or furniture dealer than a professional interior designer.The major problem i have with the book is that most if not all of the photographs are black and white, and it completely skips the modern era of design, pretty much ending with the turn of the 19th century.No mention of my favorites like Mies van der Rohe or Mr. Wright.This absence somehow makes this book seem incomplete. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Decoration & Ornament    3. Furniture design    4. History    5. History - General    6. Interior Design - General    7. Interior architecture    8. Interior decoration    9. Architecture / Interior Design   

Reviews (1)

Insulate walls, update plumbing, install new wiring and more
Part of the outstanding "Smart Guide" series from Creative Homeowner, Basements: Step-By-Step Projects is a no-nonsense, "user friendly" collection of step-by-step projects to insulate walls, update plumbing, install new wiring, eliminate moisture problems and much more in the basement of one's home. Color photographs, diagrams, and detailed instructions distinguish this excellent do-it-yourself resource which is confidently recommended for personal "do-it-yourself" and Interior Design technical reference shelf collections. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Basements    3. Do-It-Yourself - General    4. Home Improvement / Construction    5. Interior Design - General    6. Interior decoration    7. Remodeling    8. House & Home / Do-It-Yourself   

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Buildings    3. Design and construction    4. Electric equipment    5. Environmental engineering    6. Interior Design - General    7. Mechanical equipment    8. Architecture / Interior Design    9. Building construction & materials    10. Interior design   

Reviews (4)

Found book arrangement difficult
A College textbook or reference-type book.Comprehensive--fine print.Seemed a good read, but I didn't like the set-up.All text was in the front, and the examples and photos were grouped in the back.One would need to flip back and forth to view examples of the subject matter.Didn't work for me.
The Complete Guide to Furniture Styles
As a college educator in the history of architecture, furniture and the decorative arts I think the Boger is a very good overall text both to students and interested others.Information on furnitre prior to Gothic is the weakest, and would reccomend other texts to satisfy those needs.Photographic reproduction quality in some instances barely passable.

Great book for a history of furniture styles!
I have to disagree with the previous reviewer--this book is FILLED with pictures in the back half of the book. The pictures are disappointingly all black and white, but it keeps the cost down I suppose. This is the best resource for visual identification of styles from Egyptian through Twentieth Century that I have seen, and I have seen quite a lot of them. The front half of the book is very detailed information about each of the styles as well as specific pieces within each style. It's not something you can read from cover to cover, as the details would quickly overcome you. But it is a wonderful reference book for anyone who wants to be able to look up a particular style, read about it, and look at many pictures to visually understand general characteristics of the style. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques & Collectibles / Furniture    2. Antiques / Collectibles    3. Antiques/Collectibles    4. Architecture / Interior Design    5. Furniture    6. Styles    7. Antiques    8. Antiques & Collectibles    9. Design - Furniture    10. Furniture Arts And Crafts    11. Furniture, Classical   

Editorial Review

Most people are familiar with the hallmarks of Rachel Ashwell's shabby chic style: fabrics in pastel florals and stripes, chintz sofa covers, antique-store and yard-sale finds turned into home furnishings and accessories. At the heart of this breezy style is a very practical idea: don't buy new--use what you have or can find at thrift stores and secondhand shops and enjoy the old-fashioned charm that only aged pieces acquire. The same idea goes for houses. Read more

Reviews (34)

The Shabby Chic Home
I received The Shabby Chic Home on Friday, and it was such a joy to spend a night with the beautiful and warm-hearted book of Rachel Ashwell, her family and sweer home. Nothing luxuary, only lots of love!

Fabulous!
I look at this book again and again.The colors inspire me, and I seem to notice something new everytime I look at it again.

Admirable.
This woman is truly admirable. She is financially successful, yet it is clear from the way she organizes and decorates her dream home that she values her family life and simplicity above all. Shabby Chic is not my style. However, I find myself benefiting from her advice again and again. Mostly to help me find my own sense of beauty every time I need to purchase something for my home. This is a wonderfully useful book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Decorating    3. Decorating - General    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. House furnishings    7. Interior Design - Style Books    8. Interior decoration    9. Interior design    10. Residential Interior Design    11. Crafts & Hobbies / Decorating    12. Home furnishing & decoration   

Reviews (2)

Revisitedand Exansive!
This book portrays a vast amount of information on lodge-camp- and cabin style.
Great Book.
What a great book!I bought it to give as a gift and ended up keeping it for myself.It's filled with beautiful photos of rustic style in all its forms: including Adirondack camps, lake houses in Wisconsin, Western lodges and Southern cottages just to name a few.I got many good ideas from it, and will be buying more copies to give to friends.I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architectural Design    2. Architecture    3. Country homes    4. Decoration and ornament, Rustic    5. Design & Drafting    6. Design - Decorative    7. Domestic    8. General    9. Interior Design    10. Interior Design - General    11. Interior architecture    12. Houses, apartments, flats, etc    13. USA   

Reviews (3)

Can't review a book I never received
I waited 6 weeks and Amazon never sent the book so I cancelled the order and gave up.

Very good general overview
This was a great book for an overview but did not go into great depth for some of the topics. The book does have a lot of great picture and I think it is well worth the read.

Good overview for textiles
If one is studying interior design or one wants to learn about textiles, this book is very informative. This was used as a textbook for a textiles class in an interior design program.
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Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Decorating - General    3. General    4. Interior Design - General    5. Interior Design - Professional Reference    6. Interior decoration    7. Reference    8. Residential Interior Design    9. Technical & Manufacturing Trades    10. Textile Fabric (Applied Arts)    11. Textile fabrics    12. Industrial / Commercial Art & Design    13. Interior design    14. Textile arts