Winter is the perfect season to snuggle up with a good book. And along with mysteries and novels, you can enjoy many winter hours looking at some great design books to inspire your next home project! I learn so much from looking at beautiful books and magazines.
A Pair of Design Books Giveaway from Home Digz
Have you all been to Home Digz? Home Digz has a fun forum that right now featuring New Year’s Home Resolutions room by room. And for every comment you leave at Home Digz in January, you’ll be entered to win a pair of fabulous hardcover books to keep your home beautiful and colorful through the coming winter months ahead!
Check out these two beauties!
You’ll be able to enjoy many winter hours curled up by the fire with these two great books!
Visit HomeDigz to enter. But wait, there’s a bonus giveaway today!
THE INSPIRED ROOM :: BONUS GIVEAWAY:
To give you a little help finding the perfect design book for you, let’s discuss YOUR FAVORITE HOME DECORATING books in the comments.
For every comment with a book recommendation (tell me why you like it!) you share, I’ll enter you to win a $25 amazon.com gift certificate from me to you!
Then don’t forget to run over to HomeDigz to enter to win the two design books!
PS. If you are here looking for the linky, I messed up. Sorry. I will post it first thing early early Friday morning.
THANKS FOR SHARING SO MANY GREAT BOOK IDEAS! YOU CAN KEEP SHARING, BUT THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!
I really like Flea Market Style by Chalmers and Hanan. I love the aesthetic and the ideas in this book. Thanks for the great giveaway! (and the link!)
It’s not really a “book,” but I honestly use the Ballard Design catalog all. the. time., and I know a lot of frugal bloggers out there do too. There are so many fantastic ideas that can be remade on the cheap. I love their style and all the vignette ideas.
I agree!! A lot of the catalogs (Ballard, Pottery Barn, etc) have great ideas to inspire more than just buying their products!!
So funny. I saw your Tweet about sharing one’s favorite design book. I knew mine off the bat, came by to share, and found that you already were sharing it! Domino is seriously a slammin’ book that is absolutely necessary for people like me who require inspiration unless they want to live in a house with bare white walls and uncovered Goodwill sofas. Oh wait, I’ve already done that.
I am such a home decor magazine and book JUNKIE. I love Better Homes and Gardens special publications, like DIY Ideas mag, and 100 ideas under $100 mag. My favorite book right now is Design Rules by Elaine Griffin. It’s practical advice written in a delightfully conversational tone. I’d highly recommend it!
.-= Kimm at Reinvented´s last blog ..Heavy Metal Mistake =-.
By far, my favorite decorating book is BHG New Decorating Book {all of them!}
My favorite is actually the Domino book! I remember passing by it at B&N, picking it up, & then not being able to put it down. It’s filled with loveliness and inspiration.
I am a home dec magazine and book junkie. I really like Carolyn Westbrook Home and Antiques at Home. The latter has good suggestions for how to display and use collections (doen’t have to be “real” antiques).
.-= Cathy´s last blog ..Sneak Peek – The Blocks Are Finished =-.
I really like From a House to a Home by Jemima Mills. I love her sweet, homey style and all the colorful, warm pictures. It’s really beautiful and just makes me so happy to look through it. Also, and a quite different style, I also like “the family at home” by Anita Kaushal.
I love Ballard Designs, Pottery Barn and Wisteria catalogues. BHG and Domino are favorites too. So many resources, so little time…..and money.
.-= Pat´s last blog ..~ Thank our Military! ~ =-.
I am so new to THINKING about design, that I couldn’t name a book if my life depended on it! This site and The Nester are my two inspirations that have got me started. Being a book junkie in general though… hmm… maybe I need to start collecting a new kind of book!
.-= Spring´s last blog ..I Love Christmas! =-.
Yay! I am so glad you are new to thinking about design (and that you are coming here to learn!) It is SO much fun once you get a hold of some of the basics, have fun! And thanks for hanging out here!
My husband and I are beginning to look at house plans for our
“empty nest” home! One book I have recently purchased is the PotteryBarn Home Book. Also, I have the Modern Country
Book! My look is country/prim/shabby chic/French Country!
Many thanks, Cindi
YAY! How exciting… my fav home decor book is: Flea Market Style by Emily Chalmers. I hope I win!!!!
.-= 31everything´s last blog ..Jane’s Furniture Divas =-.
I think the Pottery Barn design books are like eye candy! Yum!
I do like the domino book – it’s very practical and inspirting. I also like Flip decorating, which is newer. Lots of good information!
Thanks Melissa. I entered to win in Home Digz giveaway too. Their site is really confusing! Ugh!
.-= 31everything´s last blog ..Jane’s Furniture Divas =-.
I go back again and again to Flea Market Style – Cath Kidston and any of the Rachel Ashwell books. Both “oldies”, but goodies!
(And I couldn’t agree more with the Ballard Designs and PB catalogs comment!)
.-= Flower Patch Farmgirl´s last blog ..Cooped Up Cozy =-.
Oops – Make that Vintage Style, by Cath Kidston.
.-= Flower Patch Farmgirl´s last blog ..Cooped Up Cozy =-.
I don’t have money for decorating books, but I love to look through mags like Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, and window shop, there are always great ideas in store fronts. Other than that I just refer back to my college texts and notes. They are always helpful when designing something.
Hands down favorite: Pottery Barn books. They have such great ideas that you can really replicate yourself with cheaper items.
My favorite one is the Kid’s Rooms edition. GREAT ideas!
.-= Amanda @ This Is Mimi Leigh´s last blog ..1st Birthday Party Teaser =-.
I love Alexandra Stoddard and her book, Living a Beautiful Life. I have to come up with the ideas in my head, but I never fail to get inspiration from her books. It is a philosophy I think, and it helps me to remember to pay attention to the details and the simple joys in making a home.
.-= Gayle´s last blog ..Just a Visit =-.
Ah yes, a lady after my own heart. One of my favorites too!
Thanks, Melissa for the inspiration. I love to look at Mary Carol Garrity’s books, too for inspiration. I would love to go to her stores someday…..think I would love wandering around there!
Thanks for always giving such fantastic nesting inspiration!
Suzanne
.-= suzanne´s last blog ..Renewing the accessories…. =-.
Hmmm. I don’t have any favorites, because I am just starting to feel like maybe I could use a drop if style here or there.
I have been swooning over the Domino design book ever since it came out but am not yet an owner.
I SO miss the magazine!
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Do you have a fairy? =-.
My all time favorite is The Decoration of Houses by Alexandra Stoddard.
.-= Hannah´s last blog ..Highlights of the Year past =-.
Does my comment count if I tell you my favorite design book is “domino: The Book of Decorating Design?”
My husband gave it to me for my birthday last year and I love it because of the “rules” so to speak, that it provides…like how to determine rug size and placement, etc. LOVE it!
Candice Olson on Design…she is the best designer on the planet. I LOVE everything she does!
You nailed it! I LOVE EVERYTHING that gal and her team do (nailheads included!)
May she never rest! franki
I have and LOVE Domino, and also use the collection of old (and sadly missed) magazine photos on Flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/dominomag/
I look at those a lot.
I also recently got Style and Substance – the best of Elle Decor. This book is filled with lovely pictures of unique, yet classic rooms.
And lastly, I like looking at Anthropologie catalog, store and online for decor ideas/rooms!
I love the BH&G Cottage Style books- Nell’s Hills decorating books are awesome too” – Flea Market Style, BH& G Romantic Style, just to name a few.
.-= Mary´s last blog .. =-.
I have to admit that many of my fave magazines (in Australia, they’re Home Beautiful, Australian House & Garden
I have to admit that many of my fave magazines (in Australia, they’re Home Beautiful, Australian House & Garden, BH&G) have so much design inspiration.
I add post-it notes to all my favourites, and they end up having so many yellow notes sticking out of the sides.
As a book though, a colleague at work once gave me a book called “101 Finishing Touches” for Christmas. Each page has a way to style your home, either with bits and pieces you have, or new little products. It’s such a nice little book that has given me practical advice and ideas to adapt in my own home.
.-= Jasmine @ The Suburban Sentiment´s last blog ..Sensational Styling: Rebecca Thuss =-.
I like Ruby & Begonia by Sara Toliver they have a bunch of different ideas for different styles you want to create.
annemolino at hotmail dot com
.-= Anne´s last blog ..2010 {Miss Claribles} =-.
I’m loving Country Living’s ‘Simple Country Wisdom: 501 Old Fashioned Ideas to Simplify Your Life’ by Susan Waggoner. I spotted it at JoAnn Fabrics and had to bring it home with me. I can’t seem to get enough of it. Lots of beautiful home pictures plus tons of great tips on decorating and keeping a clean house. By far my favorite decorating book.
.-= Lindsey´s last blog ..Living Room Holiday Decorations =-.
My favorite right now is The Comfortable Home by Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams.
They really break down design into easy-to-understand steps. And the photos are fantastic.
I did a post about the book here:
http://www.thedesignfile.net/thedesignfile/2009/10/new-book-helps-you-achieve-comfortable-decor.html
.-= LesleySW´s last blog ..More from IKEA: New stuff for your kids =-.
I’m a big fan of the Pottery Barn series, just because I love their colors and those little 3-D images of the rooms they include–really helps you “see” a space.
.-= Minnesotamom´s last blog ..Christmas-y Craft #1 =-.
Shabby Chic for me. I love the old chippiness and the soft color pallette.
I love pretty much all of Alexander Stoddard’s design/decorating books. My favorite is probably Living a Beautiful Life. I love the way her books are so personal and I adore all of the *grace notes*.
.-= Lora´s last blog ..Reality Check =-.
Atlanta Bartlett’s Easy Elegance sits next to my bed – I have read it front to back several times but there is something about Atlanta’s writing and advice the just resonates with me. A lot of other design books I read you don’t seem to get that much out of, or I come out the other side more confused about what ‘style’ pigeon hole I’m meant to be shoved in this season. Easy Elegance is just that – no rules, it can be feminine if you want, it can be rustic if you want. Love.
Yahooooo! Heading over now to join the giveaway !
smiles
the Redneck Junkers
I get so much inspiration lately from some books from other countries…one I love just now is Living in Bahia. Regional Brazilian architecture and design…could eat it with a spoon.
.-= linda@LimeintheCoconut´s last blog ..Chilly much??? =-.
I love the House Beautiful books – 750 Decorating and Design Ideas, etc. They are a compliation of all the best pictures from the magazine. Wonderful to look through for design inspiration.
.-= Stacy @ Red Door Home´s last blog ..Who Knew? =-.
I love the book Vintage Vavoom by the editors of Romantic Homes magazine and all of Alexandra Stoddards books on decorating.
Gina
Wow…lots of good books suggested to look at. I’m going to run to the library and peruse the shelves to find my fav. Someone mentioned they didn’t have money for books, but don’t forget your local library. And if I find one I can’t live without, I’ll put it (or them) on my Amazon Wish List for later. I too am a decorating magazine and catalog junkie. It is in the blood isn’t it girls?
I ran across some pictures clipped years ago from a decorating mag and thought “what was I thinking?”…lol
I adore “Camps & Cottages” by Molly Hyde English. And even though I may use it to help inspire my cabin decorating- this book is for everyone especially now in the winter. It is filled with lots of beautiful ideas to make any home nice and cozy like a cabin. One day if I ever make it to the West Coast, I hope to visit their store.
Well, this is fun. I like several books that other people have already mentioned, but I’d have to say my all-time favorite has to be House Lust by Daniel McGinn, simply because that’s what inspired me to start my blog. I owe him big-time!
.-= Julia @ Hooked on Houses´s last blog ..Sweetbriar: Alan Jackson’s $38 Million Mansion =-.
I love my pottery barn, ballard design, wisteria catalogs… I tear them apart to add to my inspiration wall and design ideas book. I also like to read my feng shui book (which is kind of like a design book), it’s a challenge to do, but I like it!
.-= beth h´s last blog ..not that it matters =-.
Design Idea Book: Learning from Designer Showhouses. Gorgeous.
Thanks for the recommendation on Home Digz. I will check it out! I used to have a bit of an obsession with decorating books. And I’ve been keeping it under control. My favorites were Tracy Porter’s books, Rachel Ashwells and anything Cottage. I know they’re all different styles but I love them all! I’m also very inspired by the Ballard catalog.
.-= Dawn-Hydrangea Home´s last blog ..A great way to start the New Year! =-.
Don’t hate me, but I just love Martha Stewarts: How to Decorate. It is so classy.
American Farmhouses by Leah Rosch is another fave.
Oh, and I just love Sarah Susanka’s books:
Creating the Not So Big House,
and The Not So Big House…. not so much for decorating Style per se, but more of an overall approach to making decisions about your home.
Enjoy! And thanks for the giveaway!
So far my favorite is _The Home Book_ from House Beautiful. It has great information/tips AND great pictures; I often see one without the other. Hmmm…I may need to browse through it again today!
I like Nate Berkus’ Home Rules. His style is really relaxed and he gives good tips.