One million thoughts? Seriously? Well, if anybody could compile 1,000 layout ideas in a single easy-to-navigate tome, it is probably successful design blogger Holly Becker, who has accumulated thousands of articles on her blog, decor8, over the years. She started the site as a means to catalogue her favourite design discovers, and she wound up sharing them with millions of individuals. Thus, it’s no real surprise that the book is chock full of inspiration and information.
Becker and co-author Joanna Copestick watched the globe for inspirational spaces to exemplify their many tips, including floor plans, furniture arrangement, and advice from leading designers, stylists, layout authors, event planners, florists, musicians and much more. Just released this year, the book is currently in its third printing in the U.S. and is rapidly spreading around the globe.
When you haven’t picked up a copy yet, I highly suggest it. You will find well-presented ideas clarified in a practical way, and the photography capturing a wide range of rooms and styles is absolutely magnificent. Here is a teaser to whet your appetite.
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Decorate: 1,000 Design Ideas for Every Room in Your Home – $23.79
If you are judging this book by the cover, then the disco ball around the ground of the U.S. edition cover is a big hint to each the delights and surprises inside.
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When redecorating, how to start? One way is exactly what the authors call “White Space Design.” This refers to a blank piece of paper for a strategy and “removing all the elements out of your room, either physically or mentally, by drawing up a totally new floor plan.” The effect in this dining area are light walls that keep the room bright and also help the warm hardwood floors glow. Each bit in this group of iconic mid-century modern furnishings makes a significant contribution to the overall look and feel of the room.
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However, don’t allow the first few pages fool you! The book quickly moves into a wide array of styles, including this brilliant explosion of roses wallpapered in a modern kitchen. “Decorating using floral themes … can be a fantastic excuse to go daring,” compose the Becker and Copestick.
Decorate Tip: “Papering only one wall in the kitchen leaves the remainder of the room devoted to displaying objects, china and lights in a huge collection of cheerful and bold colors that dance against the wall.”
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Much more vibrancy abounds; this diverse room produces a geometric rug along with a hot pink and white Chinoiserie bedspread sing. Instead of grounding the bed with a big headboard, the homeowners opted for a daring bit of artwork.
Decorate Tip: “Layer textures to produce a feeling of opulence, such as a shiny satin bedspread topped with a mohair throw, or bright white Egyptian cotton finished with a delicate necklace fringed throw.”
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An experienced work-from-homer, Becker knows how to make an inspirational and effective workspace. She recommends using a separate or different space for work.
Decorate Tip: “Make yourself at home by displaying photographs, cherished items, and reference materials” on your workspace.
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Outdoor spaces carry on a life of their own, whether the look of those rooms require you away to Morocco, The Greenbrier, Palm Springs or Key West. The authors recommend optimizing outdoor areas for use as outdoor rooms.
Decorate Tip: Emulate this space, where “throw rugs layered on the surface heat it up the area, making it an inviting extension of the apartment.”
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If it comes to modern glamour, the authors suggest plucking items from a range of eras and styles. This room’s large statement comes from the white and chocolate geometric trellis cloth, while a wide range of textures (cowhide rug, shag cushions, lacquered bench, ceramic stools, metal chandelier) add to the glamour without overpowering the room.
Decorate Tip: Have a cue from the Palazzos, that designed this chamber, and “use a daring mixture of shades and textures, instead of a particular style, as a beginning point” on your layouts.
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Behold the tub! The authors advocate thinking outside the usual toilet fixtures box. This toilet certainly does this, with a stacking bookshelf full of reading material, eye-catching brass fittings, a black ceiling along with the fanciest shampoo stand I’ve ever noticed. I wonder what sort of jar is worthy of such a perch?
Decorate Tip: “Mix and match colors, styles, and size of tiles to change the influence on the room or go for blanket coverage for a tidy, cohesive texture.”
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The book doesn’t miss a detail; the authors made certain to include an whole section on flower arrangement. Here, glass bottles in a variety of sizes, heights and shapes produce a pleasing composition of blossoms.
Decorate Tip: “Presenting flowers in pleasing containers is as important as choosing inspirational blossoms in the first location. Always keep an eye out for vibrant, unusual, vintage or plain vases, pitchers, or bowls that can set off all manner of unique blooms.”
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Currently a resident of Hanover, Germany, Becker will likely be flying stateside in about a week to set out on a whirlwind book tour in Anthropologie stores in Boston (8/20), Chicago (8/23), San Francisco (8/25), L.A. (8/26), Philadelphia (8/29) and New York (8/30). Check with your local shops for locations and times, and follow the link below for information about how to RSVP.
Order your own copy of Decorate: 1,000 Professional Design Ideas for Every Room in Your Home
More:
Book Tour: The Happy Home Project
Book Tour: Salvage Secrets