Mary Gilliatt's Interior Design Course (Decor Best-Sellers)

Mary Gilliatt's Interior Design Course (Decor Best-Sellers)
by Mary Gilliatt

Mary Gilliatt's Interior Design Course (Decor Best-Sellers)
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Book Summary Information

Author: Mary Gilliatt
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2001-09-01
ISBN: 0823030466
Number of pages: 224
Publisher: Watson-Guptill

Book Reviews of Mary Gilliatt's Interior Design Course (Decor Best-Sellers)

Book Review: A Design Book that You Can Live Without
Summary: 1 Stars

I regret I did not read some of the other below-3-star reviews before I bought this book - all of those comments are true. First of all, the text is impossible to read. One would have thought font size is a trivial point when it comes to the quality of a book, but trust me, it is not. After just 5 minutes with this book my head was swimming. Even the captions to the photos are quite difficult to read. Apart from the awful presentation, the author has little to offer readers: (1) Contents - if you are new to interior design, this book does not give any systematic, practical and to-the-point tips to get you started. Nor is it well-organized. I was expecting to learn the basics on the historical influences on style - the book does have a chapter on this topic, but it failed miserably to point out the key differences of different periods nor is it sufficiently illustrated. Everything is in a muddle. There is indeed a few glossaries of terms in the book, but I seriously wonder if it would be relevant for most amateur decorators, for example, the ones for fabric and period furniture. (2) Images - as one has to give up on reading the text of this book, one naturally turns to the photos in hope of finding design inspirations. As some of the other reviewers so rightly pointed out, the design images selected in this book is far from impressive. They may not be to the extreme of being ugly, but certainly one would find better styled pictures in any furniture catalogue, say even from Ikea. In summary, the book does not deliver what it promises in the title - I do not feel I have learnt anything useful or practical that I can immediately apply to decorating. If you are an absolute beginner to interior design and looking for practical tips on decorating, I would highly recommend the "Essentials" series ("Living Room Essentials, Bedroom Essentials, Bathroom Essentials etc) which offer easy-to-read, instructional and user-friendly knowledge. The designs featured in the books can often be easily emulated at any budget. If you are however more interested in the asthetics and styling aspects of decorating, you might find books like "New York Apartments" more inspirational as they feature stunning design projects, often by award-winning architects or interior designers.

Summary of Mary Gilliatt's Interior Design Course (Decor Best-Sellers)

From choosing a color scheme to redesigning an entire house, Mary Gilliatt's Interior Design Course provides a complete step-by-step road map for success. This book is conveniently organized into two sections. Section One, The Basics, provides tested techniques for mastering the main elements of good design: lighting; color; texture and pattern; and scale and balance. It also includes a valuable overview of historical styles, providing the reader with a quick-reference catalog of common design influences.

Section Two, The Specifics, demonstrates an array of creative approaches for walls, windows, floors, and furnishings suitable for any type of room. Readers will discover how to use special paint finishes and fabrics to create exciting wall coverings; innovative ways to bring new life to blinds, curtains, screens, shutters, and other window treatments; tips for choosing the right type of furniture to complete a specific room; and finally, how to combine all these elements together to create a harmonious, one-of-a-kind living space.

Finally, the all-important Finishing Touches section demonstrates how to choose the accessories and extra details that help reflect a particular look or style. Plus, this remarkable guide is packed with lavish photography and clear, insightful text that make it easy for readers to utilize these very same no-fail techniques in their own homes.

Perfect for veteran decorators as well as novices decorating their first home, Mary Gilliatt's Interior Design Course is the definitive one-stop guide for creating interiors that are beautiful, unique, and totally one's own.

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