Elegant and Easy Rooms : 250 Trade Secrets for Decorating Your Home

Rating:
Summary: Not a do-it-yourself book
Review: Had some very good ideas, but the author assumes that the reader has a lot of money and can hire an interior designer. In many instances she also suggests so. It would have been better if tailored to the DIY homeowner - after all, if you can hire an interior designer, why buy a book?

Rating:
Summary: Elegant and Easy Rooms: 250 Trade Secrets for Decorating
Review: I have garnered enough advice to revamp virtually some feature of every space in my home--sans the cost of an interior designer. From the insider info on paint colors and techniques to the advice on display (which was invaluable for anyone with an aquisitive nature), this little book is a fabulous primer for anyone who wants to spruce their space up (or even give it a total overhaul). There are no impossibly prefect pics to lead you on a wild goose chase. Charming drawings give you a good idea of your options without encouraging false aspirations, and sensibly organized chapters give you access to the information you need without pouring though pictures to distill it yourself. Best of all, this bridges the divide between the do-it-yourself and designer camps, giving sound advice on how to do it either way. As home design tomes goes, this is one of the best investments you can make.

Rating:
Summary: A great value for the pocketbook AND the imagination...
Review: I have many full color volumes on home decor and yet it's Dylan Landis's 'Elegant and Easy Rooms' that I return to time and time again. Landis isn't telling me how my rooms should look but rather giving me great ideas (many budget-aware) that help unlock MY imagination in creating a beautifully decorated home. Especially valuable for first-time DIY decorators.

Rating:
Summary: Great little decorating book - a must for home decorators
Review: I liked this book a lot, its well worth the money! This is a smallish book with lively little drawings. Its not one of those lavishly photographed books which show rooms so breathtaking you can barely relate to them. What it does do is provide elegant tasteful ideas which work no matter what your budget is. Some ideas were meant to stimulate your imagination while others were clear cut, direct answers to your problem. If anyone has ever stood in the paint store looking at a jillion shades of white paint and not being able to decide, what a comfort it is to have a book which says, if you want to achieve XXX look, then buy this brand of paint in these exact shades and they'll look great. There's no fluff in this super little book!

Rating:
Summary: How to avoid BIG mistakes!
Review: I loved the insider tips. You can avoid mistakes while finding the ideas that work for your particular home. A decorator friend actually took notes from me after seeing our remodel. The color chapter saved so much money and time allowing me to get exactly what I wanted without experimenting.

Rating:
Summary: Sort of helpful
Review: I thought this book would be a lot more helpful than it actually was. It is one thing to suggest thigs which this book does, but it still tells you to go hire a professional to do the work. I wanted something to tell me how to do some of the ideas listed, but not in this book. It did give lost of advice that I would pass on to an interior decorator working for me, but I want to save money. This book was a waste of money for me.

Rating:
Summary: paint colors dated
Review: I was really excited to read the section on paint colors. However, Benjamin Moore and fuller O'brien have changed their color palates and do not have these colors any more. If anyone knows how I can get or mix Fuller O'brien's Beauty C-23, please let me know.

Rating:
Summary: This is a different little decorating book
Review: I'm looking for text and photos. This book has text alone with a few poorly drawn example of sofas and window treatments. Boring - I'd rather watch OIL paint dry than read this.

Rating:
Summary: Text Only
Review: I'm looking for text and photos. This book has text alone with a few poorly drawn example of sofas and window treatments. Boring - I'd rather watch OIL paint dry than read this.

Rating:
Summary: This is a different little decorating book
Review: I've bought many magazines and books filled with pictures and information about decorating, so I thought I'd give the one with no pictures a try - and am I glad I did! This book (and the others in the series) give hints and advice I haven't seen elsewhere. If you enjoy decorating and want to stimulate your creativity, or are looking for hints to separate your home from the rest, this is a great book. It's a quick read, the ideas are clearly and succintly stated, and many suggestions are at minimal cost. If you're willing to try something a little different, you won't be disappointed.