Color for Your Home

Rating:
Summary: One of the best decorator books around.
Review: I have a fairly substantial collection of home decorating books on hand to get ideas for my home, and also just because I enjoy browsing through them, and I have to say when I looked through this book I found it to be one of the most beautiful home decorating books I've ever seen. Not only are the photos exquisite, but the info is clear-cut and helpful, not intimidating, and really gives you a new way to think about color in your environment. I love it so much that I've decided to buy several and give as gifts for my friends, just because it's so beautiful to look at!

Rating:
Summary: Your home will look like YOU ARE A DESIGNER!
Review: I have to admit, that I am one of those people who adore decorating and design magazines and books. However, so often where I will enjoy and learn from some articles in the magazine, I am often I am very, very disappointed in the content of the decorating and design books. It seems that so many books say the same things over and over again.Especially about color ... by now, the vast majority of us ... UNDERSTAND THE COLOR WHEEL ... and we are looking for more! This book actually is full of ... "now that makes sense" type of content! I now can confidentely put together a room with different patterns and colors and IT NOT ONLY WORKS ... IT LOOKS FANTASTIC! Looking at the book, it was like a light bulb going off in my head ... "I have got it!" I have also shared it with others and they, too, have felt that it also made alot of sense to them too! If you like the look that designers so often put together, however, when you do it, while your room or home looks good, it falls short of great .... THEN THIS IS A BOOK FOR YOU! I have been applying what I have learned to the decorating of our new home ... and I have been getting rave reviews ... what is more ... this perfectionist ... is more than pleased!

Rating:
Summary: Not the best book of its kind
Review: I was not impressed with this book. The pictures were so-so and showed a narrow range of styles. I thought the color choices were boring and outdated. There are so many other books that do a better job of instructing you on how to work with color, and I list a few of them below.

Recommendation: Skip this book.

Better sources (if you really want to use color):
Color Your Home Beautiful: Ideas and Solutions
This book gives you a broader range of color palettes than Color for Your Home and a broader range of styles (although if you like hard core modern, you might want to skip this book because it is just about the only style that isn't represented). Plus, the photos are beautiful.

The Color Design File by L. Geddes-Brown
The design style is funky modern. She does a good job of covering the basics, and there are beautiful photos. I like the fact that there are pockets for your magazine inspirations. The only drawback is she waxes poetic quite a bit in describing colors, but some people might enjoy a more personal style.

Color in Your Home by T. Evelegh
Yes, it has almost the same title, but what a difference a word can make. This is a great book for beginners. This book describes the basics of using color in easy to understand language and with many examples. Instead of being sectioned by color, it is sectioned off into neutrals, pastels, the mid-tones, the brights, and the deep tones. Like the other books, it has beautiful photos.

Rating:
Summary: Not the best book of its kind
Review: I was not impressed with this book. The pictures were so-so and showed a narrow range of styles. I thought the color choices were boring and outdated. There are so many other books that do a better job of instructing you on how to work with color, and I list a few of them below.

Recommendation: Skip this book.

Better sources (if you really want to use color):
Color Your Home Beautiful: Ideas and Solutions
This book gives you a broader range of color palettes than Color for Your Home and a broader range of styles (although if you like hard core modern, you might want to skip this book because it is just about the only style that isn't represented). Plus, the photos are beautiful.

The Color Design File by L. Geddes-Brown
The design style is funky modern. She does a good job of covering the basics, and there are beautiful photos. I like the fact that there are pockets for your magazine inspirations. The only drawback is she waxes poetic quite a bit in describing colors, but some people might enjoy a more personal style.

Color in Your Home by T. Evelegh
Yes, it has almost the same title, but what a difference a word can make. This is a great book for beginners. This book describes the basics of using color in easy to understand language and with many examples. Instead of being sectioned by color, it is sectioned off into neutrals, pastels, the mid-tones, the brights, and the deep tones. Like the other books, it has beautiful photos.

Rating:
Summary: Your home will look like YOU ARE A DESIGNER!
Review: I went to the public library and looked through dozens of books before choosing three to buy, and this was one of the three. Published by Sunset Books and absolutely loaded with illustrative color photographs, the reader is introduced first to fundamental color theory and then to theories of color combination and the use of patterns and texture. Paint and flooring are the emphasis, and included is a very helpful six step (making a wish list, assessing your space, discovering your color preferences, hunting & gathering (ideas and samples), developing your palette, and editing & auditioning) process for choosing an area's color strategy.

I learned a lot -- about brush-outs, color combinations and schemes, undertones, etc. Great photos!

(The other two books I chose at the library were J. Poore's Interior Color by Design and J. Miller's Color: Period and Regional Style From Around the World.)

Rating:
Summary: sumptuous and very informative
Review: I went to the public library and looked through dozens of books before choosing three to buy, and this was one of the three. Published by Sunset Books and absolutely loaded with illustrative color photographs, the reader is introduced first to fundamental color theory and then to theories of color combination and the use of patterns and texture. Paint and flooring are the emphasis, and included is a very helpful six step (making a wish list, assessing your space, discovering your color preferences, hunting & gathering (ideas and samples), developing your palette, and editing & auditioning) process for choosing an area's color strategy.

I learned a lot -- about brush-outs, color combinations and schemes, undertones, etc. Great photos!

(The other two books I chose at the library were J. Poore's Interior Color by Design and J. Miller's Color: Period and Regional Style From Around the World.)

Rating:
Summary: One of the best decorator books around.
Review: This book is fantastic, it truly helps the struggling home decorator such as us to go for it with color.

It achieves this through the color wheel. It cautions when first getting into this, that it is not going to take one on an academic lecture, but rather delivers in keeping the concept usable and manageable.

For the first time, this book was able to help us undertand texture, tone, hue, value, tempareture, intensity, complimentary colors, etc.

All with the color wheel concept, which it gives you details using that portion of the color wheel which appeals to you, then shows one how to develop a color palette using compliments, texture, etc.

It also addresses monochromatics and gives some blending ideas about checks and patterns, etc.

A wealth of info, simply, yet elegantly presented in LIVING COLOR! Outstanding!

Rating:
Summary: Go Ahead -- Splash Some Color Into Your Home!
Review: This book is fantastic, it truly helps the struggling home decorator such as us to go for it with color.

It achieves this through the color wheel. It cautions when first getting into this, that it is not going to take one on an academic lecture, but rather delivers in keeping the concept usable and manageable.

For the first time, this book was able to help us undertand texture, tone, hue, value, tempareture, intensity, complimentary colors, etc.

All with the color wheel concept, which it gives you details using that portion of the color wheel which appeals to you, then shows one how to develop a color palette using compliments, texture, etc.

It also addresses monochromatics and gives some blending ideas about checks and patterns, etc.

A wealth of info, simply, yet elegantly presented in LIVING COLOR! Outstanding!

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Buy!
Review: While the builders in Georgia are finishing my FIRST home, I decided to check this book out. I must say it is a gamble well worth taking if you have never purchased a design book, or don't have a clue what you want to do with your rooms. The photos are brilliant and the styles are quite eye-catching. What I liked must was the approach the author took at explaining colors and how to work with various colors, patterns and fabrics. Most importantly it is written in layman's terms. While it does not explain how to get various painting techniques, this book contains color wheels and explains how to use them to get the most out of your ideas. Still, if you don't have an idea or a clue you certainly will find several which cater to different personalities and themes. Finally this book helps you to make each room have a soul and spirit of its own. I say, go for it!

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Buy!
Review: While the builders in Georgia are finishing my FIRST home, I decided to check this book out. I must say it is a gamble well worth taking if you have never purchased a design book, or don't have a clue what you want to do with your rooms. The photos are brilliant and the styles are quite eye-catching. What I liked must was the approach the author took at explaining colors and how to work with various colors, patterns and fabrics. Most importantly it is written in layman's terms. While it does not explain how to get various painting techniques, this book contains color wheels and explains how to use them to get the most out of your ideas. Still, if you don't have an idea or a clue you certainly will find several which cater to different personalities and themes. Finally this book helps you to make each room have a soul and spirit of its own. I say, go for it!