Design and Details: Creative Ideas for Styling Your Home

Many disparate elements go into decorating a room, but all must work together harmoniously for the room to succeed as a whole. This lavishly illustrated volume demonstrates how to learn to visualize making a whole room come together through in-depth exploration of four areas: lighting, designing with tiles, adding color to walls, and utilizing architectural details. Some of the rooms pictured here are highly ornate, while others are elegantly simple; some glow with the warmth of wood, and others are cool and sleek. The gorgeous photos and helpful commentary offer countless ideas for bringing new life to tired homes, or to homes that never woke up in the first place. Covering a wide array of styles from traditional to contemporary, classic to quirky, the suggestions range from the general (drawing attention away from a high ceiling gives the room greater intimacy) to the specific (a collection of blue-and white chinaware shows up much more effectively against a warmer-colored wall). For sheer visual wealth, this volume is an excellent reference on turning your home into a work of art. --Amy Handy