Rating: 
Summary: Difficult to use
Review: I have had this book for a few months now, so I have given it a fair try.But I still don't like it. It's difficult to use, to act on. It looked interesting, and I like the idea of learning more about my own tastes and why I like what I do. It's just that the book didn't fulfill its promise. In searching for help in this area, I came across The New Decorating Book, which has made it easier for me to understand my own tastes and also has taught me the design basics I need to decorate my own home. The book even has a quiz which helps people to understand their decorating personalities. My daughter's home ec class was using The New Decorating Book, which is how I found it. I also like Real Life Decorating, because that book gives me ideas and talks about understanding how my personality and lifestyle affect how I decorate my home.
Rating: 
Summary: useful
Review: I wanted to give my house more style and found I could use this book, keeping the objects I had, but making them that much more attractive and with a more cohesive theme. I have quite sophisticated taste, but I think this book could be used by almost everyone.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoying the exercises of YES/NO DESIGN
Review: My first introduction to YES/NO DESIGN was flipping through the pages admiring the beautiful photographs. I especially enjoyed the life experiences shared by the author, her mother's example and excellent taste continually inspiring her. My favorite story recalls the author and her daughter choosing a paint color (grapefruit yellow) for the daughter's new house. I am still working through the exercises analyzing my personal style. I want to take my time, I am enjoying the process.
Rating:
Summary: The journey home.
Review: Not only is this book intelligent, but it calls on the reader to find her own creativity. So often we are told what to like and where to buy it. While these things can be helpful, if what you really want is to express yourself in your surroundings, then Yes/No Design will lead you within to uncover and create. Living in a consumer culture, it is easy to get out of touch with our own expressive sides, and I really like how Ms. Love encourages us to take that journey back to our most original selves. If you are willing to complete the exercises and look at them as a whole, what you can find is nothing short of your self. I think Yes/No Design is a text on how to distill out the essence of design as an act of personal creation. Rather than paying Ms. Love to tell us what to like, we are gaining something far more valuable with the purchase of this book -- a guide to our own creativity which we can then use to decorate our homes and every other area of our lives.
Rating: 
Summary: Brings subconscious reactions to the forefront
Review: The book looked good and sounded interesting, so I bought it. Mistake. The idea of learning about and expressing your own taste is covered so much better in so many other decorating books. This is very hard to use, as an earlier reviewer said. And the tiny pictures do not help that situation at all. Again, there are many better books on the topic.
Rating:
Summary: A waste of money
Review: The book looked good and sounded interesting, so I bought it. Mistake. The idea of learning about and expressing your own taste is covered so much better in so many other decorating books. This is very hard to use, as an earlier reviewer said. And the tiny pictures do not help that situation at all. Again, there are many better books on the topic.
Rating:
Summary: Brings subconscious reactions to the forefront
Review: This book is excellent for those who don't understand what their personal style is. If you are already certain of what your style is and why, then don't bother with this book. Love walks you through the excercises to teach you how to express yourself and explain why you do or do not like something. It helps bring our subconscious reactions to the surface where we can recognize them. I think it is most helpful to avoid expensive mistakes. How many times have we seen something that looks good, but it our own house it is not satisfying? Then we redecorate, hoping to get it right this time. Love's object is to help you avoid those costly mistakes and find the most satisfying environment the first time.
Rating:
Summary: A very hard book to use
Review: Too many teeny photos of rooms. I can't SEE anything. One vague exercise after another. Example: Look at the rooms shown here. "Find three words ... that best express your reaction to each room. Write the words on note paper and stick on the photograph..." AND THE POINT IS? The exercises will continually leave you hanging. If they are connected in some way, then one would have to spend hours and hours going through this book like a textbook. The tips in the book also lean toward the vague side. "The elements that make up an architectural style are numerous and varied. That's why it is important to consider each detail to determine which features are the most attractive and least attracitive. No space is perfect, but by paying attention to the details you can make every space work decoratively." AND THE POINT IS? What do I DO about what I have just read? I dunno. I get so frustrated when a book that looks and sounds interesting ends up being a vague mishmash of photos (mostly of places that bear no resemblance to the typical American home, by the way) and non-specific writing. Another example is a page simply called DOORS, that shows 6 badly shot (shots are cut off in a strange way, too) photos of doors with a vague caption that telle ms that doors are decorative elements, that one can look at salvage places for interesting ones, and repeats, "Don't overlook doors." Well, great. Could be be a little more specific here? Also, the book seems big and heavy, but they used heavy paper, and it's really only 160 pages. A ripoff.
Rating:
Summary: The journey home.
Review: Unlike some of the other people who reviewed this book, I did not find the quiz to be helpful. However, the benefit of the quiz may depend upon how knowledgeable you are about interior decoration and/or how fixed you are in a particular style. The reviewers who seemed to be helped the most were novices. That is why I gave this book 2 stars instead of 1. On the other hand, I think the basic tips provided by this book have been covered better in other books, and the pictures are only so-so. At one point the author says "listen to your intuition." That is what I suggest people do instead of buying this book. However, if you don't yet trust yout intuition the following are some good books: Color Your Home Beautiful: Ideas and Solutions
- It has beautiful photos, a variety of well-chosen color combinations in a variety of styles, dozens of color swatches, useful tips, and quotes from designers. Ultimate Home Style Guide by Katherine Sorrell
- Almost all styles are represented here with enough details on colors, fabrics, and other style elements to create the look your self. Better Homes & Gardens: New Remodeling Book
- Despite the fact that remodeling is in the title, this is a good basic book about interior design. I like it better than BH&G: New Decorating Book.
Rating: 
Summary: most useful to novices
Review: Unlike some of the other people who reviewed this book, I did not find the quiz to be helpful. However, the benefit of the quiz may depend upon how knowledgeable you are about interior decoration and/or how fixed you are in a particular style. The reviewers who seemed to be helped the most were novices. That is why I gave this book 2 stars instead of 1. On the other hand, I think the basic tips provided by this book have been covered better in other books, and the pictures are only so-so. At one point the author says "listen to your intuition." That is what I suggest people do instead of buying this book. However, if you don't yet trust yout intuition the following are some good books: Color Your Home Beautiful: Ideas and Solutions
- It has beautiful photos, a variety of well-chosen color combinations in a variety of styles, dozens of color swatches, useful tips, and quotes from designers. Ultimate Home Style Guide by Katherine Sorrell
- Almost all styles are represented here with enough details on colors, fabrics, and other style elements to create the look your self. Better Homes & Gardens: New Remodeling Book
- Despite the fact that remodeling is in the title, this is a good basic book about interior design. I like it better than BH&G: New Decorating Book.
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