Comments: You did it again! Lauri Ward's book is the perfect little weapon for all decorating problems, especially non-obvious ones! After reading her first book I was thrilled to get my hands on her second book and learn even more. I'm so glad someone out there has made me feel like I can take my home into my own hands. It's very rewarding to beable to fix my decorating problems in minutes whether I'm just taking a break from my work, or in an artsy mood. Thanks!
Rated By: b.crawford
From: Unavailable
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Comments: #1 already? How could this be #1 when it's just out? I'm beginning to wonder if I can trust what amazon says about which books are most in demand. This book has a strange title, and the author is no one I've ever even heard of.
Rated By: A reader
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Comments: REALLY USEFUL INFORMATION ...This book is a no-frills, practical, quick read that is already providing me with invaluable information. It has lots of easy decorating tips that I have started to implement already.
Rated By: A reader
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Comments: Everyone should know about Lauri Ward This follow-up to Use What You Have Decorating is fabulous. Ward goes beyond glitzy magazine photos and shows the nuts and bolts of how to actually achieve these great looks. She really proves that good design is not about throwing thousands of dollars at a room. And she gives advice anyway can use, at any level of their decorating. And if you're disappointed that there aren't a lot of big colorful pictures to look at, then I suggest checking out a few children's books from your library. Otherwise, prepare yourself for a real treat from this classy designer.
Rated By: "nghoward"
From: TX
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Comments: Disappointing After reading Lauri Ward's first book, "Use What You Have Decorating" I was more than anxious to know the inside secrets to her style of decorating. What I found was a very "by the book" and old fashioned way of decorating. On several occasions she stresses the needs for matching woods and metals to others in the room. "Don't mix light woods with dark woods, don't mix brass with pewter. Keep ceilings white, etc." I think that's what separates my home from a showcase home. The contrasts allow for my personality to come through. I much prefer Christy Ferer's Breaking the Rules. Hang onto your money, there are lots more decorating books with fewer rules that make decorating fun!!!
Rated By: Tonyi Thomas Pelham
From: Schweinfurt, Germany
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Comments: A great companion to "Use What You have Decorating" Lauri ward has done in again! This is the perfect follow up to her previous book. It has practical suggestions that are easy and have wonderful results. Thanks to Lauri's books I get compliments from everyone that enters my home. The best thing about her books: they are great for renters and mobile people. We are a military family that moves every few years. With Lauri's guidance on "the basics" I have avoided buying unnecessary pieces of furniture and have a classic, updated home. Thanks a million to Lauri Ward for these wonderful books!!!
Rated By: A reader
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Comments: A great find that offers quick results This book is ideal for anyone who is busy, but wants their home to look prettier quickly. It covers prioritizing and organizing projects, explains how to fix decorating problems without spending money and points out what to look for and consider if purchases are necessary. Overall, it seems like a book that could be very useful to anyone who really wants to make the most of their things, no matter what they have.
Rated By: A reader
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Comments: Not Much Help I wish I could get the money back on this one. I love the idea of "using what I have", but the author sure doesn't give you much leeway on RIGHT and WRONG. I prefer suggestions, not barked orders (i.e. "whatever you do, don't do this....." and "never ever do this....") I kept thinking throughout the book that having the author decorate my house would be like letting my mom do it: "I know what's best for you, dear."
Rated By: A reader
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Comments: A Designer for All Peoples I've just read Ms. Ward's second book and believe that anyone who has given it a negative review really hasn't read it or just doesn't understand how valuable this information is to everyone. Using what you already have is what makes your home unique, following these simple principles is what makes it spectacular. Ms. Ward shares information that will always yield fabulous results no matter what you have or what type of dwelling you have. If you want to live in a soothing environment that supports your lifestyle (no matter what it may be) and stimulates your senses, then you need to read this book and keep it for future reference.
Rated By: A reader
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Comments: Thank you, Lauri Ward! It is so refreshing to find a decorating book that you can use! I don't know about anyone else, but the "eye candy" variety of decorating book leaves me feeling frustrated and dissatisfied - much like a high fashion magazine!! Lauri Ward's new book may not be goregous - but after reading it, I made a few adjustments that made my home look a whole lot better. The section on outdoor furnishings was particularly helpful - and timely! Anyone who has approached a flooring showroom with the same trepidation as a used car showroom will feel better equipped after reading her chapter on floors! This book is a great resource.
Rated By: A reader
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Comments: help from someone who knows what she's doing Lauri Ward's classic design principles are the "gold standard" as far as do-it-yourself home decorating. You MUST know the rules FIRST. If you wish to break them, that's up to you. Trade Secrets takes over where Use What You Have left off. Both books, together, give you the foundation for tasteful decor. TRADE SECRETS is a definite MUST BUY!
Rated By: A reader
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Comments: Make changes in your home today! Read this new book by Lauri Ward and you will be able to walk through you home and make significant changes today! Ward's new book provides her readers and many devotees with her years of experience as an interior designer and founder of the successful Use What You Have concept. Her tips and "Trade Secrets" offer valuable information for the creatively challenged as well as the experienced decorator. Perhaps most important, in this book, she teaches us all how to have a more peaceful, meaningful, stress-free home. Today, who doesn't strive for that?
Rated By: Elizabeth Bennett
From: Orland Park, IL
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Comments: Expert Decorating Advice That Actually Makes Sense As a practicing designer, I read everything I can get my hands on regarding design/decorating. This book is not the usual "designer picture book" with focus on one particular style. And it is not yet another "crafty person with more time than money book" either. Loaded with practical decorating advice you can actually use, this book is unique. Ms. Ward's advice on children's rooms was particularly insightful. Her color suggestions in lieu of the "primary colors" were right on target. This book is a great resource.
Rated By: A reader
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Comments: Trade Secrets It is wonderful to have a follow-up book to Use What You Have Decorating! The book is full of sound advice that is easy to understand and follow. If you are beginning the decorating process or just want to refresh what you already know, this book is for you. I highly recommend it.
Rated By: Jane Kirks
From: Miami Fla
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Comments: Tells You Lots I bought the book thinking it would help me and it did. Between this book and Fabrique Technique and a few other books out there I finished my home Thank You Lory
Rated By: Susan White
From: Portland,OR
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Comments: A Must-Have This book is a wonderful resource for anyone who is interested in having a comfortable and good-looking home. The author breaks down everything - what to do and when to do it - so that it is easy to understand, even for those who feel challenged by interior design. The sections on storage, furniture, and kitchens and bathrooms are especially helpful for those who are afraid of making mistakes.
Rated By: A reader
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Comments: Great Ideas There are lots of easy to do suggestions in this book. The focus is redecorating quickly and spending little if any money. Ms.Ward, the author who pioneered the one day interior makeover concept more than twenty years ago, once again gives do-it-yourself home decorators more of her practical, affordable advice. For those who liked Use What You Have Decorating or anyone who is interested in fixing up their home, this is a must-buy.
Rated By: "joybabe"
From: New Jersey
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Comments: The Original is always the best! With my dog-eared, battered copy of "Use What You Have Decorating" deteriorating from frequent use, I was thrilled to pick up a copy of Lauri Ward's newest book, "Trade Secrets from Use What You Have Decorating". Once again, Ms. Ward proves the adage that it's hard to top the original! Lauri Ward is the originator of the one-day redecorating concept, and this book shows why she's the best! While there are many imitators, none displays the uniqueness of Ms. Ward's style. Her knack for making anyone's "ordinary" furnishings look "extraordinary" is inspiring! Like the black-and-white photos in her previous book, I found the line drawings stimulating my imagination into projecting what colors I could use in my home. Rather than imposing her views, Lauri Ward comes across as someone sincerely interestd in helping me make my home as comfortable and beautiful as possible. I feel as though when I'm done, I'll want to invite her over for coffee!
Rated By: A reader
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Comments: Not worth it I did not find this book helpful. It did not have that many decorating ideas. It mostly was about how to get organized and how you should keep your home clean. In other words, basic common sense. I am glad I did not buy this book. I was able to find it at the library, so it saved me from wasting my money. I actually found more useful information on the internet. Maybe her first book is better, but I will not buy it until I actual see it.
Rated By: SandyCB "sandycb"
From: Urbana, IL
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Comments: Want a boring house? Buy this book This book is in the "never wear white after Labor Day" school of design: it lists tired old rules that *never* should be broken. For example: always paint the ceiling white, use only one pattern in a room, only use white floors and white tiles in the bathroom (and no colorful shower curtain, either). I could give more examples, but the pattern is clear. In addition, her advice for families with children is absurd. As the mother of two toddlers, I did know whether to laugh or cry at her assertion that it isn't necessary to box up breakables when you have small children. What to do? Just put breakables up high, on a piano or a tall bookshelf. I have yet to see the toddler who couldn't scale either one in under a minute. I gave it two stars because it would be useful for people who want an attractive home and have no clue how to do it on their own. I suspect they would end up with something that had as much personality as a hotel room, but if you don't enjoy decorating, that might be considered a Good Thing. One final thought: look at the picture on the cover. She violates her own advice several times. Why?
Rated By: Liz Benson
From: Orlando, FL
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Comments: Wow, what a difference! This book has lots of easy, inexpensive tricks that only professional decorators know about. I purchased it along with Use What You Have Decorating because I wanted to fix up my house but could not afford a designer. The results were amazing! Now my home looks more open, feels more comfortable and is really pretty! Even my husband says it looks great, which is a first. The best part is that the only purchases I needed to make were new pillows for my sofa and a big urn for my dining room.
If you are short on money but want to give your home a whole new look this book along with her first are must-haves.
Rated By: A reader
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Comments: Mere placement While this book may offer good ideas on placement of furniture and wall hangings, what it doesn't consider is that many of us are restricted by outlets, cable hookups, windows, etc. There's only so much we can do to a room with these restrictions. So putting the tv on one wall may look better, but you may not be able to plug it in. Plus, it's all living rooms or family rooms, no bedrooms or office space. If you're looking for a book to help you maximize space and look like you know how to decorate, this isn't the book for you.
Rated By: A reader
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Comments: The Best Book! This is the most useful home decorating book yet! It explains how to correct the most common mistakes (I made them all!) and how to make a home look just like the ones in magazines. The chapters about furniture placement, lighting and accessories are real eye openers and supply loads of fast and easy ways to make rooms look really pretty. Anyone who loves decorating will love this book. (My living room, dining room, foyer, kitchen and master bedroom all look amazing now!)
Rated By: Sonja Harken "useyourlibrary"
From: West Coast
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Comments: Useful but flawed Ms. Ward once again presents a useful tool for those struggling with such basicdecorating dilemmas as furniture placement, window treatments, light & color, and floor coverings. In her first, invaluable, book she noted the ten most common decorating mistakes and how to solve them. This book recaps much of what was said in her first. The best points in this book are her true-life examples of problem solving. The primary flaw is the lack of photographs or detailed illustrations. Ms. Ward prides herself on giving useful decorating advice, which she does extremely well, as opposed to those coffee table decorating books that require huge outlays of money to achieve anything like the proposed results. Nevertheless, photographs would greatly enhance the text and the reader's understanding of the principles she espouses. Another flaw with the book is the title "Trade Secrets" - it is hardly a trade secret that Hold Everything sells organizers. A better title would be "Tips from Use What You Have Decorating." This book reinforces whot one has learned from the first, and I must say that "Use what you Have Decorating" is one of the best books in this genre.
Rated By: ReadNReVu
From: Unavailable
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Comments: Good book, though more on organization than decorating.. This book consists of lots of tips, think Martha Stewart's "Good Things" but with no pictures. Most of the tips don't need pictures, but some tips definitely could have used them. The tips are all over the map and not necessarily decorating related.
I'm sure I wasn't the only one hoping for more "before and after" room arrangement pictures, but you're not going to get any in this book.
In a way, it suffers from a sense of being old-fashioned, as when she suggests putting a desk behind a sofa, and not facing it against the wall. Well, unless you are willing to spend big bucks to re-wire and re-carpet to hide electrical cords, you are NOT going to put a desk facing the middle of a room any more because of the tripping hazard, since even if you do bundle the cords up, they still have to be plugged into an outlet. What she suggests might work for the "kiddie table" that lots of people have in their living room, but no sofa is going to "hide" your computer, printer, etc. She seems to be oblivious to the idea of the modern home desk with the need to plug in the computer, printer, modem, phone, task light, etc.--the days of the executive desk with nothing on it but perhaps a blotter and pen are LONG gone.
I liked this book, but not in the same way as her first book. I did not really see it as a follow-up to her first book, but really a totally different book. I hope she writes another book that is a true follow-up to her first book, dealing with all the other rooms she left out.
Rated By: Elizabeth Leger
From: Katy, Texas
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Comments: Helpful but a little bossy.... While I enjoyed most of the suggestions in this book, I did not enjoy the way it was presented. I felt a little like a new recruit in bootcamp! Yipes! And what to do about my beautiful leather loveseat? Throw it out? I did however rearrange my living room so that my fireplace in the corner AND television nearby are both focal points. HELLO... we are real people with real homes and YES we do occasionally watch television in our real home. Color pictures would be great too. Maybe we have all just been conditioned by glossy magazines companies to expect pretty color pictures with our text. Well, we are the demanding and drooling public and WE WANT PICTURES! I'm glad I borrowed this one from the library and didn't purchase it first!
Rated By: Brooke Gaynor
From: Atlanta, GA
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Comments: Lots of Quick, Easy, Effective Tips For those of us who are short on time and cash, the ideas in Lauri Ward's Trade Secrets are a life-saver (or rather, a room-saver!). The chapters break things down into sections on how to get a decorator look when displaying accessories, which tricks pros use for making artwork look great, etc. No glossy photos here but they are not missed. Instead, there are dozens of smart tips in every chapter that can be implemented immediately without buying stuff. Overall this is quite a useful book that can help answer decorating questions and actually teach us some of the secrets of the trade. A very good follow up to Ward's 'Use What You Have Decorating,' which is one of the best decorating books around.
