Summary - How to Decorate An Inspiring and Practical Handbook

 

Book Title: How to Decorate An Inspiring and Practical Handbook

Author: Shannon Fricke

Publisher: Published in the United States by Potter Style, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

Date published: 2012

The number of pages: 310 Pages

Genre (Type of book): Tips

 

Why did you decide to read this book? 

Because I’m interested in designs, especially designing rooms, so I read this book to find out how to design a room so that it looks like it fits the room and also looks beautiful.

Were you glad that you decided to read it? Explain!

Yes, I really enjoyed reading it because I am very interested in the world of design, especially designing a room, and designing a room is also one of my hobbies

What did you like best about this book?

This book clearly explains tips for decorating the house/room. This book also provides many tips on how to choose wall paint according to your personality, various kinds of good materials for furniture, and another home/room accessories.

What did you like least?

So far there is no part that I didn't like about this book.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Explain!

this is highly recommended so that people can know how to decorate the house/room to make it suitable for comfortable use.

On a scale of 1-10, how difficult was this book for you? (1 easy, 10 difficult) Why?

9. I really like the content of this book, because it is explained clearly so that I can understand the point.

 

Resume :

 

We can’t always change the wrapping of a building – but we do have control over the look and feel of what goes on within its four walls. If you want to create a home you love living in, one that reflects you, your life, and your passions, but you don’t know how to begin, then this book is for you.

To decorate successfully you need a space to work and think in, one that is dedicated to your decorative endeavour. Here are some thoughts on how to create a working space of your own.

1.      Discovering your decorating story

Understanding what you love and how you like to live is an integral first step in decorating. The key is to create a space that fits you and your lifestyle, after all.

2.      Creating your concept

You must begin to work out how your inspiration might translate into a room concept, you’ll find that the research process begins again. This time you’re on the lookout for things you might actually use in your final decorating scheme.

3.      Working with space

Think of a space you love spending time in – it could be anything from a friend’s house to a restaurant, bar or shop. Loosely sketch the outline of the space on grid paper, including windows and doorways, and then fill in the floor plan with other attributes, such as furniture, lighting, and so on.

Analyse the space and write down its positive and negative traits. What makes this space work so well? How is the furniture placed? What is the relationship between the furniture, the light sources and the doorways and other thoroughfares?

4.      Shaping your backdrop

While the treatment of your floors and walls is officially in the domain of interior design as they are fixed items (along with the tiles, floorboards, carpets, wall paint, and so on) rather than interior decorating, it’s important to touch on them here because the plan for your interior might include updating some of these aspects.

·         Walls

Your walls provide a framework for your interior scheme, giving it boundaries, and their decorative treatment provides a backdrop to your space. The choices you make for your walls are integral – as they set the tone for the rest of your scheme. But which direction should you go: whitewashed, coloured, textured, or swathed in the wallpaper?

·         Wallpaper

At its best, a room or a single wall covered in wallpaper will add another dimension to your interior scheme. It will stamp your space with character and – most exciting – individualise your interior. Choosing from the enormous selection of patterns, palettes and backing papers available can be rather an overwhelming task. As is always the case with interior decorating, success lies in how you whittle down the options.

·         Paint

When decorating, it’s important to build a happy relationship with paint, as it’s a major component in any interior scheme. The fear lies in the fact that paint is such a permanent proposition. It can be costly, too, and your paint choices can influence every other creative decision you make – so you want to get it right.

·         Paint finishes and textures

The paint finish and texture you choose for your home will add another dimension to the feeling and visual effect you’re going for. All paint companies offer their own names and variations on the finishes I’ve outlined below. Before you make any specific purchase, speak at length with your local paint supplier so you know exactly what you’re buying and that the product is appropriate for the task.

·         Tiles

Tiles create a durable and long-lasting floor finish that’s easy to clean and maintain. They’re ideal if you’re living in a warm climate, as they’ll keep your space cool (while underfloor heating will keep it warm in winter).

 

5.      Becoming friends with colour

Take a look at any interior scheme and you’ll notice that colour appears in every nook and cranny – from the colour of the floorboards beneath your feet to the tones in a patterned cushion, bedspread, light fitting, or carpet. Every aspect of interior decorating requires a thorough understanding of colour – our relationship with it, the relationships between different colours, and how each colour relates to our environment. Colour is a layered – and overwhelming – subject. Just when you think you have the knack of it, it goes and changes on you, reinventing itself at any opportunity.

6.      Bringing in the furniture

Editing is the key to a happy, uncluttered living environment. Go through your possessions at least once a year and cull anything you no longer use by sending it to a grateful home. This will drastically reduce the amount of storage you need in your house and make for easier living in your space.

Also think about shape, comfort, and durability. I look to the architecture of a home as my guide when choosing large items such as sofas. Is your house modern and clean-lined? Then go for modern shapes, with streamlined armrests and sturdy cushion backing. If, however, yours is an ornate terrace house with decorative mouldings and pressed metal, then your sofa or armchair, even the legs on your coffee table, can reflect this voluptuousness.

7.      Choosing fabrics

The fabrics you choose for your upholstery (for your sofa, chairs, cushions, and curtains) are what really make a space sing. Fabric is the life of the decorating party, adding energy and interest, and stamping your home with flavour and personality. It’s through fabric that you can add a personal touch to your space, so it’s important to get your choices and combinations right. Often, the difficulty is that there’s so much to choose from, but understanding the feeling you’re trying to create will narrow the options considerably. Every fabric evokes a particular emotion, so the first step is choosing a fabric that reflects how you want to feel in your space.

8.      Light exactly where you need it

In reality, you need to assess your lighting throughout the decorating process. At the beginning, as you’re creating your concept, you need to analyse how the light works in each room, whether you have enough natural light or too much, whether you need to pump in artificial light and whether or not, you can use your furnishings to conceal or highlight the amount of light in a room. Then, as you work through each stage, you need to keep thinking about light and ask yourself how each decision will affect the light in that room.

9.      Accessorising the key to individuality

Accessories are the finishing touches in a room – they make a space liveable, cosy, fun and ever so exciting. They turn your very well-decorated house into a very well-decorated home. When designing interiors and styling for interior decorating magazines, I spend a lot of time in other people’s houses. And the most extraordinary homes I see are those filled to the brim with accessories of all shapes and sizes – artwork, collections, books and a multitude of beautiful things.

10.  Styling it all together

To top off all the hard work you’ve done so far there’s one final step. And the good news is it’s the best part of all – styling together all your bits and pieces. How you present the things in your house goes a long way toward the overall effect you can create, so this is the layer in the process that gives your home its extra kick.