The Paris Apartment : Romantic Decor on a Flea-Market Budget

Rating:
Summary: Lovely rooms, but maybe not for everyone
Review: Two caveats: (1) "The Paris Apartment" is the name of the author's NYC shop. There is nothing in the book about Paris, per se. And (2), this book is rather NYC-centric.

That said, her idea that decor based on elderly or second-hand items should be based on an underlying fantasy (i.e., the room will be more successful if you decide you want it to specifically evoke a Victorian conservatory or a Lord of the Rings bordello or whatever, than if you just set one old thing next to another old thing and hope for the best) is a good one, and her advice on how to achieve such an effect is comfortingly systematic. The photos are pretty too.

Rating:
Summary: I thought this book was a fresh way to approach decorating
Review: While some decorating books are impersonal and impractical, this unique scrapbook tells you how to bring the look you want home, without spending too much. It makes you think about your own personality and lets you know that you really should be living the high life!