Creative Interior Design: A Complete Guide to Designing and Decorating Your Home

Rating:
Summary: Good basic decorating book
Review: I think this book includes a lot of the basic decorating rules in an easy to understand manner. Lots of photos. Yes, some can be considered outdated but this book was printed in 1994 so anyone purchasing it now should not be surprised. In regards to the commentary from December 14, 2002, and not liking the style -- everyone has individual tastes. This book is actually English, as in published in London, England. After having lived in Europe for 15 years, to me the style in the book looks very typical of the country. Also, many details of the room, both structural and decorative, as well as room composition reflect European styles. So I found the book to be both informative and also a reminder of English styles. Once in awhile the basic rules of interior design were not followed, but in real life, they aren't always either.

Rating:
Summary: not very creative
Review: I would have given this book 1 star, except the other reviewer seems so enthousiastic about this book, it must have some reedeeming qualities. I, however, do not see them. I dislike this book primarily for the decorating style. It looks like a garden exploded in all the rooms. Imagine floral chintz and pouffy window treatments by way of the 1980s. Yep, you guessed it, the pictures are outdated. Perhaps, the decorating tips in this book would be useful to some people, but the decorating style is so repulsive to me, I couldn't take them seriously. A better book that shows a wider range of design styles, and is a wonderful primer on decorating techniques is 1000 Practical Ideas for Home Decoration.

Rating:
Summary: not very creative
Review: I would have given this book 1 star, except the other reviewer seems so enthousiastic about this book, it must have some reedeeming qualities. I, however, do not see them. I dislike this book primarily for the decorating style. It looks like a garden exploded in all the rooms. Imagine floral chintz and pouffy window treatments by way of the 1980s. Yep, you guessed it, the pictures are outdated. Perhaps, the decorating tips in this book would be useful to some people, but the decorating style is so repulsive to me, I couldn't take them seriously. A better book that shows a wider range of design styles, and is a wonderful primer on decorating techniques is 1000 Practical Ideas for Home Decoration.

Rating:
Summary: Great for Beginners
Review: This book is great for those of us who are new to decorating. It teaches you all about color and how important it is to choose a color scheme and, of course, how to choose it. After reading just a few chapters of the book, I was able to critique decorating styles and understand why the color scheme worked or didn't work. I also found the section on creating a look for your whole house useful. The book is full of tips and instructions. Perfect for someone who is just starting a decorating project and doesn't want to hire a decorator.

Rating:
Summary: Great for Beginners
Review: This book is great for those of us who are new to decorating. It teaches you all about color and how important it is to choose a color scheme and, of course, how to choose it. After reading just a few chapters of the book, I was able to critique decorating styles and understand why the color scheme worked or didn't work. I also found the section on creating a look for your whole house useful. The book is full of tips and instructions. Perfect for someone who is just starting a decorating project and doesn't want to hire a decorator.