Everything today's couples need to know to decorate their new home. Special 72-page bonus section addresses all the issues newlyweds face as they set up and merge households. Checklists, quizzes and smart ideas for budgeting, prioritizing purchases, and getting the most benefit from a gift registry.
Date Published 3/7/2006
Ratings
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: An excellent source of on-going inspiration and ideas! As an amature decorator with an extensive library, this book continually stands out as my favorite. It provided great ideas the first time I read it over a year ago, and continues to inspire each time I return to it (unlike many others on my shelves that have grown tired). The pictures are beautiful, reflect many different decorating styles, and present them in realistic ways that make it easy to translate to one's own home. I'm on-line buying another one today, since I gave my own beautiful, hardcover copy away as a Housewarming gift for a fellow decorating buff!
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Great ideas and excellent color pictures! I have looked high and low for a good, all-around decorating book that wasn't too expensive and that had COLOR pictures !! This was it ! They even give you a template, instructions and graph paper for room arranging !! I am a first-time home buyer and I NEEDED good, inexpensive ideas to decorate. This book was the EXACT thing that I had been searching for 2 months for. It is almost better than tearing your favorite ideas from all of you home magazines !! This book has it all !!!
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Excellent, must have decorator book This book is wonderful, and I refer to it often. It has many great pictures and will give any reader a ton of inspirational ideas. A truly great reference book. I would recommend it to anyone who loves to decorate.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Poor picture selection I was excited to get this book after reading favorable reviews via amazon.com. However, I was disappointed once I got it in my hands. Pictures which should present an essence of a decorating book, are stuffed with cacophony of colors and styles, without any specific design in mind. From more than 400 pages of photographs only two pages are exposed in an aesthetic manner (257, 298). Majority of the book is a mish-mash of nothing and everything. After seeing poor pictures, I did not care to bother to read the text (there was no spacing between chapter title rows; letters run into each other, making it hard to read.) I would not advise buying this book and I am returning it to amazon.com. for a full refund.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Finally! A beautiful and practical decorating book! I looked and looked before finding this inspiring and useful book. I kept finding project books, which I did not want, and high-end style books that showed rooms I couldn't even relate to. This is the first book I found that did it all. I'm learning about all the design basics, and I'm also just enjoying sitting back with a cup of tea and looking through the pages. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to decorate and wants help to make their homes personal and inviting. I plan to buy 2 more copies as holiday gifts for my sisters.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Love the variety Thank you for this book, which offers me a look at so many different styles, rooms, furnishings, colors, home types, budgets. It's so hard to find a decorating book these days that isn't focused on one style or one writer's point of view. I'm tired of being dictated to! This book gives me a wide range of choices and teaches me about decorating so I can MAKE MY OWN DECISIONS and do my own thing.
Rated By: Adam Lantheaume
From: Boston, Mass.
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Comments: I can't stop looking through it... After reading through all the reviews on Amazon finally I have something to write about. This book is great!!! My wife and I can't stop looking through the thing. Great pictures and ideas. My ONLY problem with it is it's not a "how-to" book. But I would keep this and buy another book for the how-to side - it's been a big help already.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Boring and Unfocused I agree with the disappointed reader from Seattle. I too found this book stuffed with mediocre out-takes from the middle-brow Better Homes and Gardens magazine. It's hard to read and a graphic mess. Those glowing reviews must all be from relatives and close friends!
Rated By: audrey2268@aol.com
From: Unavailable
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Comments: If you're going to buy one decorating book, buy this one The best! COMPREHENSIVE (maybe that's why a previous reviewer found it 'unfocused'?--it's meant to be a general book), sensible, stuffed with great ideas. Helps you discover your own style rather than dictating one to you.
It's embarrassing how many hours I've spent flipping through this book. I am a first-time homeowner with a 100-year-old house that has a lot of charm--and needs a lot of cosmetic work!--and this book is making it easy. As a professional writer, I really appreciated the friendly, upbeat (but never chirpy) voice of the text. I have looked at almost every decorating book there is. This one's my favorite.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Every time I open it, I see something new and interesting! Many people have told me that I have a talent for decorating, although I have never relied on decorating books for inspiration or ideas before. However, when I looked through this book, I was intrigued, not only by the pictures, but by how well it articulated the concepts and techniques that I like to use to get great-looking rooms. I particularly like the variety and blending of styles that are shown in the pictures and the thorough, yet, simple way that concepts are described in the text. The pictures really are a visual delight -- full of ideas to use with what one already has. Every time I open this book, I see something new and interesting. I definitely recommend it.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: We will continue to refer to this book as we decorate! I must disagree with the reviews from Seattle and Madison. My husband and I just bought a house in San Diego and we decided to buy this book to help us decorate. We loved it. It has given us many ideas on how to decorate everything from our 1/2 bathroom to the master suite! The best thing about this book is that each time we move on to another area of the house to improve, we refer back to The New Decorating Book and always find something new. This book has opened our minds to color schemes, furniture arranging and accessories. We have made changes and improvements to our home that we never thought we could. Thanks for a great book!
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: My favorite decorating book I looked at the last three reviews and decided to get this book. I'm so glad I did. I haven't begun to digest it all, but I've already spent hours just sitting and enjoying all the color photos. So far, I've used ideas to brighten up our outdoor deckfurniture, rearrange the living room furniture, and now we're planning our big master bedroom redo for this all. What I like is the variety of ideas and the explanation of all the decorating basics. I know it's corny, but this book is sort of like having a decorator friend helping me. Thanks, Better Homes and Gardens.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: This book is the best that I have on Interior Decorating This book is really fantastic.It satisifies almost all my interior decorating needs;but I will like to source the Better Home and Gardens floor plan and templates(page258)on amazon.com
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: This book jump-started my decorating plans When we moved into our first home, I didn't know where to begin. I admit I didn't know much about decorating and wasn't even sure of what my own tastes were. I also didn't know much about what my options were. I mean, I'm clueless when it comes to furniture styles, colors, arranging furniture and that sort of thing. We got this as a wedding gift, and I'm using it all the time. At first my husband and I used it as a kind of dream book, and we'd look at the pictures and make wish lists of how we wanted our home to look. (There are sticky notes sticking out all over the book now!) Then, I started reading,and I realized it's like a little textbook on decorating. I'm getting braver now, and our home is looking better, little by little. And, I know it sounds as if I'm in some kind of commercial, but we never put this book away. Thank you, Better Homes and Gardens.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: The book's introduction, reprinted on amazon, says it all If the introduction touches you, you'll love the book. It's a comprehensive guide to decorating that provides everything you need to know so that YOU can make your own decisions.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Very empowering If you're tired of someone else dictating what your style or lifestyle should be,this is the book for you. The pictures are gorgeous and include a wide range of styles, and the writing quickly and simply what you need to know to pull your own rooms together. The quizzes are fun, too. It's the best book for people who like me who want inspiration, information, and a little respect. This book shows me the options and talks to me like a friend so I can do things MY way. It's great.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: full of relevant information! This book is very current and full of beautiful pictures. Helpful information on furniture arrangement, the pros/cons of all types of floor coverings, pulling together colors and textures, picture hanging, etc. Would make a great housewarming gift for a young person moving into their first home. Many books on this subject are simply outdated; Not this one!
Rated By: M. Pass
From: MN
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Comments: Just what I was looking for I saw the previous review and, lo and behold, saw the book in a big display at a local bookstore an hour later. I figured someone was trying to tell me something! I got it at the store, only to see that it's cheaper at amazon. Oh well. I'm glad I bought this book, because it is relevant and current, as the previous reviewer said. I'm really excited about all the ideas in the book, and I can see that it's also going to teach me all those decorating basics that I need. I didn't expect this from Better Homes and Gardens, but I must admit that I don't read the magazine. The book is over 400 pages and full of great color photos of very stylish rooms. A bargain!
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: the new decorating book Gives wide selection of styles and helps you go through a process that will help you end up with a room you will like to live in.
Rated By: Arielle
From: State College, PA
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Comments: Beautiful book, but not what I was looking for The book is absolutely beautiful with great color photographs and lots of information. The only thing I would caution against is that the book is mainly focused on traditional/classic and country/cozy type styles. There are a few contemporary designs featured, but anyone who is looking to design their entire house in a contemporary/modern style (think Ikea furniture) may be disappointed.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: A delightful surprise My daughter's home ec teacher was using this book as a guide in the class's installment on decorating the home. Now I see why. I had thought it was just another pretty picture book, but it's absolutely jam packed with information. It's an easy-to-read textbook on interior design, but unlike a real textbook, this one is illustrated with hundreds of color photos of what look to be real rooms in real houses. This kind of depth of information is what I need to make my own decorating decisions.
Rated By: Jill S. Lambe
From: Takoma Park, Maryland
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Comments: Great Pictures - Great Ideas My house is being bull-dozed down and rebuilt. For the first time in my life I will be moving into a BRAND NEW HOUSE. I am ready for BRAND NEW FURNITURE. And BRAND NEW IDEAS. This book along with "Cottage Style" and several others have given me so many ideas with such wonderful pictures that I shall have to build a 500 room mansion. I have literally spent hours pouring through this book. Great pictures and great ideas.. I only wish they would have names of the manufacturers or where you can purchase many of the items. Highly recommend.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Outstanding A bargain. Worth every penny. I'll use this for years. Lots of variety in room styles with easy-to-read text that explains decorating basics so I can do my home in my own personal way. Very empowering. Some decorating books try to get me to do things the author's way, but this book seems based on the idea that readers have smarts, too, and just need help so they can create their own homes. This book is like a respectful and knowledgeable friend.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Outstanding, helpful, fun, informative I am loving this book. I admit I did not buy it but received it as a housewarming gift. We have decided it is the best gift that we received, because we've already spent many evenings looking through the book together. (I never thought my macho husband would look at a decorating book. But it's not a cutesy, paint-this-and-that book. I knew he was getting into it when he started bookmarking pages.) The color pictures are worth the money all by themselves. Dreamy with lots of variety. I don't want my style dictated to me, and seeing all these different kinds of rooms and furnishings is great. The quiz on finding our own style is fun. We both took it and compared notes. Right now, I'm into the room arranging section, which has gotten me to redo our living room without spending any money at all. All I did was rearrange the furniture and it made the room so much cozier.Now I know what to get friends when they have housewarming parties.
Rated By: "eleventh-hour"
From: Illinois
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Comments: Great visualization tool Loved all the great color photographs and the many differing decorating styles...everyone should be able to find something they like within this book. Also liked the quiz to determine your personal decorating style. I personally would have liked more "how to" in this book, but you've got to figure out what you're going to do before you do it...that is what this book is geared toward.
Rated By: Brooklyn Girl
From: Brooklyn, NY
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Comments: Better for classic or traditional homes This book definitely provides lots of pictures for inspiration. However if you're like me and your personal style is more Elle Decor or House Beautiful than Better Homes & Gardens, you won't enjoy it as much. I just can't get excited about florals or plaids -- I found the decor a bit on the traditional side, so I might give it to my mother who would enjoy it more.
Rated By: Merilee Pinkerton
From: southern Missouri
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Comments: In tune with the times We are in our first home, and like a lot of other 20-somethings, our tastes (and politics) tend to be more traditional than our parents. Although this book shows a big variety of styles, I agree with another reviewer who said that the book's photography tends toward the traditionsl (and country). However, I see that as a good thing. I grew up in my parents' contemporary home,but what I want for myself is something more traditional and classic. This seems to be true of my friends, too. My mother looked at my new wing chair and called it "fuddy-duddy," while I see it as chic!
Rated By: Alix Leonard
From: LA, CA
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Comments: Handsome and educational As a designer, part of my job as we work out plans for customer's homes is to educate my customers about what good design is. I have found this book invaluable. It's like a boiled-down "Cliff's notes" of design, which is great for my customers and for me. It puts interior design precents into language anyone can understand. I use the book in my work and also give it to clients as gifts. I also use it for some of my own decorating inspiration. I highly recommend this.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: A book I use and use and use I've had this book for more than a year now, and I keep going back to it again and again for ideas.Like most people, I am not redoing rooms from scratch but always making little improvements and changes here and there, and this book is guiding me. I get so many ideas every time I open it up. I like the variety of styles and the sophisticated yet simple ideas. The book is empowering, because it helps me choose ideas that are right for me and then helps me carry those out. I mean, one week I got thet simplest little room arranging tip that made all the difference in our boxy living room. Another time, we just painted the dining roomwalls in a weekend and wrapped the chair seats with new fabric for a "new" room that cost very little money. This is a great book for anyone.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Stands the test of time I wrote a review of this book a year or so ago and still love the book. (I logged on to order a copy for a friend's first-home housewarming.) I have to agree with a recent reviewer who said that she likes the fact that the book is filled with classic design. The book does have more cottage, country, and traditional rooms in it than contemporary ones, and that suits me (I am an early 30-something). My friends and I (local friends and college friends who now live in Connecticut, Chicago, Denver) are all much more traditional than my mother and her friends who grew up on contemporary design in the 1960s and 1970s.
Rated By: "dillo99"
From: Rochester, New York
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Comments: Great book of ideas I liked this book very much - it has tons of pictures and makes for good reading as well. A good general decorating selection.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Good reference I refer to this book everytime I am considering redecorating a room. There is a quiz to help identify what style you prefer. The pictures are great. I'm always referring to them for color, furniture placement and merchandising ideas. Overall a good book.
Rated By: Merilee Pinkerton
From: southern Missouri
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Comments: It's the best This is the best decorating book I've ever bought. I'm so glad that Better Homes and Gardens has come out with it in a softcover edition because now I can tuck it into wedding shower and first home gift baskets. The book covers all aspects of decorating. In fact, my neighbor's daughter is using it in a college class on design. But the book also has great photos of rooms in every style and color.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: A real bargain Thank you for offering this soft-cover edition of The New Decorating Book. Now I can give my daughter her own copy. (She keeps borrowing mine.) This is the best decorating book on the market, because it lets me do my own thing. The gorgeous photos cover lots of decorating styles. I like the quiz that helps you see why you decorate the way you do, because it doesn't focus on one style versus another but on what kind of person you are (formal versus casual, for example). The information (kind of a textbook on decorating) explains all the basics, such as how to arrange furniture, group collections, pick colors, work with fabrics, treat windows, and so forth. This book has everything.
Rated By: J.B. Sloan
From: Michigan
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Comments: This is a bargain. A great holiday gift idea I can't believe this is out in paperback. I bought the hardback version for myself a couple of years ago and I use it all the time. I keep going back to it s I decorate. It is the best decorating book. I think it has over 400 pages, and I drool over all the photos. It also explains everything about decorating certain rooms or choosing colors or deciding on window treatments. Everything. Now that it's more affordable in paperback, I am getting three copies to give as holiday gifts and one for an upcoming wedding gift. The book is beautiful and helpful at the same time. It has something for everyone.
Rated By: M.D. Roettger
From: Clayton, MO
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Comments: Absolutely the best This is absolutely the best decorating book I own. (I have the hardcover version.) I keep going back to this book for ideas and help, and I like just leafing through it to look at the pictures also. It covers all aspects of decorating, explaining interior design principles in everyday language. But more than that, what I like is that this book, unlike so many on the market, does not just show one author's view of what the world should look like. This book doesn't dictate style or mood but shows a broad range of styles and moods, encouraging me to make my own decisions. That seems to be an unusually helpful and generous approach these days.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Excellent source for beginners After looking at LOTS of "how to" decorating books, this one was by far the most useful. It provided the incentive and direction I needed to tackle (with confidence) the rooms in my house that needed attention. Unlike other books, this one doesn't just spout out a bunch of rules w/little explanation. Instead, the author helps you figure out what YOUR style is and then helps you achieve that look in any given room. There is even help for those who have trouble defining their style at all (and fall in the "eclectic" category). Believe it or not, "eclectic" isn't as haphazard as it sounds and the author describes how to be consistent with that look without ever being boring. The author also makes you re-think the true uses of each room and helps you decorate accordingly. One of the added bonuses of this book is also the number of big, beautiful photos on every page which will help you both define your style and give you ideas. I Really can't say enough about this one - truly 5 stars!
Rated By: "calico-latte"
From: British Columbia Canada
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Comments: Fabulous Book I loved the photos and the helpful text - helped me to directly apply some of the suggestions in the book. A great buy.
Rated By: Shannon Eddy "smeddy"
From: Michigan
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Comments: The New Decorating Book This is one of the best decorating books I have seen yet! It is up to date, Has some terrific ideas for every room in your house and is mostly made up of pictures! I am an Interior Designer and I just love this book! I highly recommend it.
Rated By: Mary Beth Pasteur
From: Vermont
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Comments: Author assumes I am smart & stylish but just need some info I hate to sound too New Agey, but I adore this book because of the obvious generosity of spirit of the author. Unlike books that talk down to you or dictate what style you ought to have, this book is written by someone who assumes I have intelligence, that I can understand design principles once they are explained, and that I have the style to do my own thing. How refreshing! This book covers it all and it educates me so I can do what I want with my own home, which, according to the book's introduction, is the whole premise of the book. Great photos throughout. I bought the hardback edition but it's out in paperback too. Just the best!
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: 4 years of use and counting I bought this book in 1998 and have loved and used it ever since. I have spent literally hours looking at the pictures for ideas. The text provides new guidance and insight everytime I read it. Like 98% of the other reviewers of this book, I would highly recommend it.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Why buy the book? I bought this book on-line hoping to see photos of beautiful rooms and get ideas for my own house. The book does have lovely color photos of beautiful rooms, but I knew I had seen them before... This book uses photos from the magazines I subscribe to, like Metropolitan Home. It might be a good choice for someone who doesn't spend much time looking through decorating magazines, but for me, it was a disappointment.
Rated By: Mary Beth Pasteur
From: Vermont
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Comments: Complete in every way I finally figured out why I love this book so much. It encourages me do my own thing and shows me lots of optional ideas. But unlike magazines or other decorating books I buy, this is teaching me about design-------not just showing me one great picture after another. I don't think they've wasted one word in this book. Every word says something specific. Just last weekend, we were changing the ceiling fixture in the dining room and weren't sure how high to hang it. I told my husband, well, maybe this book will have that info. It did! It has everything.
Rated By: b.crawford
From: Maryland
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Comments: Absolutely the best decorating book This is the best decorating book. I have the hardback version, and mine is getting a little worn out because I've used it for three years now. I just bought a couple of the paperback copies for friends as shower gifts. I got my copy as a wedding gift. At first I thought that I wouldn't like it because Better Homes and Gardens wasn't a magazine I was reading at the time but I was wrong. I love this book. It has all the big color pix any decorating book has but then it has so much more. I'm learning from this book. It's giving me depth of information so I can make my own decisions. It isn't dictating a style or point of view. This book seems very current in that approach. The proof is that I'm still using the book three years after I got it.
Rated By: Joseph Boone
From: Irvine, CA
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Comments: Loud florals and lots of clutter This book is meant to be a comprehensive decorating guide and covers a vast array of subjects. The text does a decent job of briefly discussing various topics although it is far from comprehensive. In the section covering fabrics and upholstery, for example, I was a bit shocked to see that leather is never even mentioned (nor does it appear in the index). Unfortunately, this type of omission is typical. By trying to cram every decorating topic under the sun into 400 pages there is no subject that really gets the attention it deserves.
Perhaps the biggest problem with this book is that it has such a strong "house style" that, despite their lip service to different styles, most of the rooms seem to end up looking remarkably similar. Virtually every room has either a loud floral print or a large vase of flowers dominating the room. And lots of clutter is usually found keeping those florals company.
For those who love the country cottage style, I can see this book offering a treasure trove of great ideas and photos. For those like myself who prefer a cleaner, more contemporary feel there is little here of interest. The text is occasionally useful but the discussion on each topic is too shallow to provide a real blueprint. Overall, this book was a real disappointment.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: the best Someone was reading my mind when they put this decorating book together. It has EVERYTHING. I've gone through so many books that propose one philosophy or one style or some other very narrow topic. What I needed was THIS. I needed some grounding in interior design so I could understand how everything might go together in our own home. Few books explain anything beyond the author's own point of view these days. This one explains the basics so I can make my OWN decisions. What a breath of fresh air. I found just about every style in here but I agree with one reviewer who said there isn't a lot of "contemporary" in this book -- thank goodness for that. I laughed when I watched a recent Trading Spaces episode in which the homeowners and the host were yelling, "No contemporary!" My feeling exactly. I did notice that this book (a bargain, by the way) is a soft-cover edition of a book that came out five or six years ago, so that probably explains the overriding traditional and cottage feeling. Fine with me. I'm looking for classics.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Disappointing If you have thousands and thousands of dollars to spend on decorating you might find something worthwhile in this book. I don't. Too bad this book doesn't offer budget-conscious people like me any ideas.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Helps me work with what I already have I have to disagree with the reviewer who said this book doesn't offer budget-conscious ideas. For me, anyway, the book is a regular source of ideas for working with a lot of the stuff I already own. The book is filled with so many tips on things like rearranging your furniture or your accessories. I actually got my husband to make the bathroomvanity project the book showed (using an old dresser as a vanity). I like the ideas for quick color changes also. A great book. I never put it away because I'm using it all the time.
Rated By: L.O. Franchini
From: L.A., CA
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Comments: wonderful new book I just got this new book and I love it. I'm still going through just to look at the pictures but I've already marked a couple of sections I want to go back to as we redo our living room and bedroom. The book seems to have covered every decorating question but it's worth it for the photos alone. It's also a bargain. It's heavy and way more than 400 pages.
Rated By: Avria
From: Tacoma, WA
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Comments: A Great Book for beginners I am remodeling my house and am looking for new ideas to decorate. I bought this book and could not put it down. It has wonderful ideas and shows you how to put it all together. It even has a quiz to help you decide what kind of "style" you have and has workbooks to help you visualize it and make it your own.
Rated By: AR
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Lots of pretty pictures but not much real guidance I bought this book based on the ratings on Amazon & while this book isn't bad, it isn't great either. There are tons of pictures so its a treat to flip through. There's also a section on how to optimally design your room. However, the book doesn't do a step by step analysis of your needs & try to help you accommodate your needs to the contours of your home. Overall, good value but don't expect too much!
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Great photographs A good picture book full of inspiration, not how-tos.
Rated By: B. Eidson
From: Suburban Chicago, IL
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Comments: Top 3 of 250 home dec books Yes! A home dec book that shows the best of new, clean design yet avoids cold, sterile & unlivable environs. You can live in these rooms--leave a book on a table, a magazine on the sofa--without destroying the 'look.' May replace the popular, top-rated "Inspirations" by Waverly as my #1 pick.
Rated By: J.B. Sloan
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Great book, but the new 2003 edition is better I love this book, but the new 2003 edition is even better. If you are going to buy one, I recommend the new one.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Just What I Was Looking For! This is a wonderful book full of beautiful pictures to help inspire people such as myself who are a little bit of every decorating style, but lean towards the country look. If you love the picture on the cover, you'll probably love all of the photos in this book. It was my main reason for purchasing it. I also love the bright colors of country design, and this book captures the use of primary colors and big bold patterns very well. It has excellent ideas to help you pull your decorating style and the things you love together to make your home beautiful. The room arranging templates are very helpful as well as the window and door sketchbook, which helped me solve a window treatment dilemma.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Just What I Was Looking For! This is a wonderful book full of beautiful pictures to help inspire people such as myself who are a little bit of every decorating style, but lean towards the country look. If you love the picture on the cover, you'll probably love all of the photos in this book. It was my main reason for purchasing it. I also love the bright colors of country design, and this book captures the use of primary colors and big bold patterns very well. It has excellent ideas to help you pull your decorating style and the things you love together to make your home beautiful. The room arranging templates are very helpful as well as the window and door sketchbook, which helped me solve a window treatment dilemma.
Rated By: Jessica Pastina
From: Massachusetts
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Comments: I also love the new edition Thanks to the customer reviewers who said there is a new edition of this book out. This has been my favorite decorating book, and I have almost worn it out. I just got my copy of the new 2003 edition, and it's great. I can't stop looking at all the new pictures. If it hadn't been for the customer reviews, I would not have known that the new edition was even out there.
Rated By: Moondoggie "moondoggie95"
From: Monterey, CA
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Comments: Full of fantastic ideas... This book is full of great ideas and wonderful photographs. The book introduces a few styles and offers a quiz to help assist you in what is most likely your style. It doesn't however, pin you down in giving you only one perspective but sets out the facts and how to's to help you decide what you want. The directions are simple and easy to read, and not overly time consuming. The book is even divided into 2 parts, the first half focusing on the rooms themselves, and the second half focusing on a design topic so you can go about learning in the manner you would prefer. A great design book for anyone.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: A beautiful inspiring book I love this book. It is truly inspirational, with photos of the most gorgeous rooms.
Rated By: Rose Kish "bookhound99"
From: Unavailable
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Comments: BHG New Decorating Book - 8TH EDITION If anyone is reading this review, I recommend the current 8th edition, ISBN 0-696-21401-6. The 7th edition is a few years old (still a worthy addition to your library if you are a I.D. book collector).
I held off purchasing the new 8th edition of the New Decorating Book by Better Homes & Garden, thinking it was the same book with rehashed photos.... was I wrong! 3 or 4 excellent photos made their way back, but the rest of the 400+ pages of photos in this edition are brand new.
I guarantee interior design enthusiasts will spend many hours poring over the hundreds of inspirational and beautiful photographs.
What attracted my attention are the wonderful glimpses into a design sensibility that leans toward a less formal style. For want of a better description, the "Past Perfect" meets "Town and Country" look comes to mind. Lots of (not exclusively however) toile, ticking, checks, collections.
The collections are what fascinated me - one spends more time looking at the owner's collections than the actual furniture. So if you have collections of books, sculpture, frames, pillows, pottery, plants, fabrics etc but don't know what to do, you will be inspired to apply it once you have had a chance with this book.
Use of the new bold colors for 2003 (apricot, lime, indigo) are also highlighted.
There is a resource of interior designers in the back of the book should you need to track down a specific fabric shown in the book. Many of them are simply stunning and beautifully contrasted.
Highly recommended.
Rated By: L.O. Franchini
From: L.A., CA
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Comments: the best I have worn out my copy of this book and given it to all my friends on birthdays, for weddings, for college graduations, and on and on. It's a classic. I found that there is another edition of this out now too. Did not see it on amazon but found it at a bookstore and just got a copy. It looks great also. Timeless information plus hundreds of color photos of real homes.
Rated By: Daniel L Edelen
From: Mt. Orab, OH
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Comments: A superior interior design guide... It may have had seven predecessors, but as of the eighth iteration (as designer guides go) I would say that Better Homes and Gardens' "New Decorating Book" has reached the state of the art. No weekend home transformation warrior's library would be complete without this guide.
Lovely to look at and overflowing with fashion forward advice, "New Design Book" combines several design help books into one. Advertising itself as a "4-in-1" deal, this authoritative tome features:
1. A Dream Book - How can you not dream with hundreds of envy-inspiring photos ripe with a variety of styles of that will set your mind a-wanderin'?
2. A Workbook - Tired of just dreaming? This guide will help you put it all into play.
3. A Room-by-Room Decorating Planner - The layout features one section of the typical house at a time, focusing your projects. Step-by-step instructions get you up and going.
4. A Design Primer - Don't know tan from taupe? The design primer give you the basics that every interior designer knows by heart. Color, harmony, symmetry - it's all here.
At well over four hundred pages and plenty of advice amid the numerous pictures, this is one of those books that will takes weeks to go through. The text isn't lost in the graphics, though. The book is jammed full of helpful instructions. There are "Do's and Don't's", side-by-side before and after pictures, comparison shots of multiple interpretations of themes, and the latest advice on textures, do-it-yourself projects, and even URLs to the leading edge designs updated daily at Better Homes and Gardens' website.
Better Homes and Gardens not only excelled with their advice, but the quality of the book itself makes it practically worthy of coffee table book status. A few of the best aspects of the book's own design are:
* A thoughtful and well conceived layout. * An excellent graphic design that highlights rather than distracts from text and images. * A superb use of color throughout the text focuses the readers attention on details.
I recently reviewed Michael Payne's first design book and I must say that it pales in comparison to this one. Simply loaded with information, "New Design Book" sets a high mark that other books would be hard pressed to match. No single review can do justice to the outstanding quality, sheer helpfulness, and up-to-date stylings found in this guide. After spending several days engrossed in it, I'm not certain it has any real weaknesses. A must have.
This one deservedly gets five stars.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: New Decorating book On the surface, the book is nicely done. But, in making my way through the book, the pictures look similar to those in magazines I already have from Better Homes & Garden. Best advice, save your pennies.
Rated By: tommie van deusen
From: San Francisco Bay area
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Comments: Inspiring yet practical. Very empowering Because this is my favorite decorating book, I take exception to a reviewer who said it wasn't worth it and to buy the Better Homes and Gardens magazine instead. There is nothing in the Better Homes and Gardens magazine like this. I love this book. I like the photos but I also like learning something on every page. If I want to copy something I see in a photo, I can, but if I want to decorate in my own way, the "decorating 101" information is there so I can learn the design "principle" and apply it to my own place. This is a great bargain. I'm always learning something new when I pick it up. Unlike this book, the magazine does not teach me about design in this way. I kept buying the magazine at the grocery store and gave up because it doesn't have very much to say when it comes to helping me decorate my own place.
Rated By: A.K. Brezinsky
From: Long Island, NY
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Comments: Unique There isn't another book like this except for the newer edition of this book which came out recently. I felt this sense of relief when I found this book the first time because I thought finally here is the help I need. So many books have pictures but no information to help me. This book has all the great photographs but adds the information so I learn something more than just what I see in the photographs. I just bought another copy for a friend. This is the best decorating book on the market. It has made a big difference to me. I started out redoing our entrance hall using ideas from the book, and that looked so great and got such a good reaction from my friends that I then moved on to redoing the living room. I just keep using the book and going one room at a time through our home. I learned that sometimes it only takes a little thing like re-hanging pictures or re-arranging the couch and chairs to make a room look great. I love this book.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: just ok Price was definately great, but book was just ok. I was disappointed because I expected more 'real living' ideas. Most of the ideas look like you would need an interior designer to help you out. I needed something slightly more practical.
Rated By: "cuzzintodd"
From: West Des Moines, IA
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Comments: *yaaaaaaaaaaawn* What some would call 'classic design ideas,' I'll instead call staid, dull and old-fashioned. Flipping through the book quickly, I found not one room that caught my eye, not one design concept that I wanted to bring into my own home, not one fresh or new approach to anything. I'm new to the world of decorating and I was looking for something to spark my own creative juices. I'll have to look elsewhere, because this book appears to be recycling looks and ideas that have been around for years. This is the decorating book my mother or grandmother would love, I'm sure, but not for anyone looking for fresh or contemporary ideas.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: cure insomnia today...read this book Bottom line, this book is boring. You look at the pictures, and it appears these are pics of homes that are the 'before' a makeover is done. Yet, these 'before' pics are the ones that are supposed to be the finished, great ideas. If you're having problems sleeping at night, then I highly recommend this book. If you're looking for great ideas, then I suggest you look elsewhere.
Rated By: "ebbey"
From: Santa Monica, California
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Comments: Helpful! I really enjoyed this book. It has been a great aid in my "decorating journey", and it has great photographs.
Rated By: A reader
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Traditional Decorating Book This book is not based on NEW style. It's mostly based on country and traditional decor. Too many flowery fabrics!
Rated By: Kate Smart
From: Vancouver, BC
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Comments: The Best Some of the only decorating books worth keeping are published by Better Homes & Gardens. This one, as well as the new edition which is not being shown on Amazon.com, are excellent. These are books you should OWN, have on your shelf, and refer to. Whether you're looking for colour ideas, window treatments, where to place lamps, how hight to hang a picture, etc. these books offer what you need to understand balance, scale, and how to make a room look perfect. I would also consider giving these books away as gifts - they are very useful and the pictures are BIG which is everything. Short on text, long on visuals, is what makes a decorating book worth buying.
Rated By: A.K. Brezinsky
From: Long Island, NY
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Comments: Tells you what the pros know This is my decorating "bible." It obviously features the work of top designers around the country, but then it tells you what they know about how to put a room together. By explaining those decorating principles and ideas, this book has empowered me to transform first my living room and currently our bedroom. My friends keep asking me what designer I hired. My "designer" is this book, which cost me under $25. This is a real bargain and filled with classic yet updated style. Like the book, the rooms it will help you create will last for years.
Rated By: Ivi
From: CA
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Comments: I received it only 45 minutes ago... ..and I'm already loving it!! I've only looked through the pictures, havent' read the text yet but it is sooo inspirational that lots of great ideas popping all over in my head! This book soo worth the price. The photos are all up-dated (I own a few Better Homes and Gardens dec. book) but I haven't met any of these photos before so these are new (I bought the 8th edition)!
I agree with one of the reviewer that these pictures mostly country/cottage and traditional designs but the style is very today, up-to-date. However there are a few modern/contemporary styles in it too (not much though)!
I'm gonna start reading this book soon so we'll see about the info it contains so I'll update this review but I feel that the photos already, alone worth that $17 I paid!
Rated By: WMVF
From: San Francisco, CA
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Comments: Suburban Dream I have a sick fascination for the BH&G series of decorating books. On the one hand, the BH&G look is not my style. On the other hand, there's something weirdly compelling about plate after plate that illustrates a suburban dream of comfortable home life: the big, cushy sofa; the chintzes; the wide coffee table with its stack of askew coffee table books and its vase of flowers; the iconic Flea Market Find filling a niche on the largest wall; the tasteful juxtaposition of a floral and a plaid in the same color way. These books also promise the entertaining sport of seeing how many times the same identical accessory appears in different rooms, belonging to different owners. The major downside of this book -- other than the soothing sameness of the designs -- is that coverage seems less comprehensive than in previous BH&G decorating books.
Rated By: A Reader
From: NY
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Comments: Inspiring and informative The pictures alone are beautiful and inspriring. You can get so many ideas just from looking at them. Add the text and you have a book full of ideas, advice and suggestions for all styles. It even inlcudes organization tips. I will definitely refer to this often. It's hard to find a book that has both excellent info and pictures - this one's got it all!
