Trade Secrets from Use What You Have Decorating

Rating:
Summary: Tells You Lots
Review: 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

Rating:
Summary: Useful but flawed
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Useful but flawed
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: The Best Book!
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Wow, what a difference!
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Great Ideas
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Want a boring house? Buy this book.
Review: 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?

Rating:
Summary: The Best Book!
Review: 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!)

Rating:
Summary: The Original is always the best!
Review: 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!

Rating:
Summary: Not worth it
Review: 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!