When Jeff and I were too poor to have cable, internet or dinner and a movie out, we would occasionally go to a book store and hang out for a couple of hours. He would wander off and look at…I don’t really know what he looked at, but I would make a bee-line for the home & garden section and camp out on the floor. I didn’t care that it might not be proper for an adult to sit on the floor in a store. I would sit there and look through all of the books until Jeff came to get me. I ended up leaving with a full creative tank and a list of books I wanted to ask for when Christmas or my birthday came around. Between those book store dates and book club memberships over the years, I’ve accumulated a nice library of decorating, home and DIY books.
As I was cleaning out my decorating books and wrapping them in brown paper for the office bookshelves, I shared a couple of my favorites on my Facebook page. That prompted a few readers to ask for a list of my favorite decorating books, so I thought I would share in a blog post. I have a bunch, but these are the ones I go back to over and over again for ideas, inspiration or just to get the creative juices flowing again when I’m feeling a little dry. A couple of these books I’ve had for at least 10 years and I still love them!
BHG Great Country French Style ($7.98 on Amazon) – This has to be my favorite book. You can look at the cover and immediately know why I was drawn to it. Blue and white. European style. It’s packed full of nubby fabrics, painted furniture and French Country goodness. I have a lot of books filled with French style, but this is my favorite, because it showcases it in a real way. It’s not pictures of grand homes or gilded apartments. There’s even a dining set someone found at a thrift store, so I love that! I flipped through this book a couple of weeks ago and realized that most of the colors in my milk paint line are in it. That’s how influential this book has been in my decorating and designs.
BHG Trade Secrets ($2.40 on Amazon) – Don’t be deceived by the dated-looking cover of this book. I’ve always hated the cover, but this book features a few of my favorite designers and shop owners like Carrie Raphael and Caroline Verschoor (who is my adjacent neighbor at the Lucketts Spring Market, which is very distracting.) There are some homes that aren’t my taste, but I love the idea of touring a designer’s home and picking out decorating nuggets you can use in your home. I must admit that Carrie Raphael is the one who made me want to learn how to slipcover furniture.
Country Home’s New Country Style (This book is only $1.95 new on Amazon!) The cover is an immediate giveaway of why I like this book! Again, lots of French, farmhouse, country goodness without any of the baskets and geese. It’s an older book, but I don’t find it to be dated at all. There’s a timeless quality to most of these interiors and I always walk away from this book with new ideas.
Romantic Prairie Style ($9.45 – $22.97 on Amazon) This book is just pretty…filled with pictures of romantic spaces with farmhouse sensibility. It features one of my good friends, Maria Carr, and also shows Caroline Verschoor’s home again, so it’s fun to see how her style evolved from Trade Secrets.
Patina Style ($18.22 – $25.50 on Amazon) – Lastly, I am totally in love with this book. It’s a feast for the eyes, for sure. I do feel like the Gianetti’s style and taste is high end, but there’s a lot of inspiration to be gleaned from the color schemes, vignettes, furniture finishes and the way textures are juxtaposed.
Even with all of the great inspiration found on blogs and Pinterest, I still love curling up with a real decorating book. These are some of my favorites and I hope you find them inspirational as well!
Do you have any favorites to share?
54 Responses
I wish I had a nickel for everytime I’ve read your post & thought, “we are surely twins separated at birth.” The parallels of our lives, families of origin, ministry life, budgets and now date nights kind of freaks me sometimes.
But I’m at least 15 years your elder, so I don’t think the twin thing is very probable.❤
Thanks so much for sharing your favorite decorating books ~ I love books and have way too many but I think I need to add a few of these to my personal library.
Marian,
Thank you for sharing your inspirational sources. Yup, went right to Amazon & ordered these books. Your videos inspired me to slipcover my sofa and slipcover my chairs and ottoman. I’d never sewn before & didn’t have a sewing machine. I ordered a machine on-line & learned to sew through the internet. My family & friends are amazed! I’ve shared your name and blog with everyone. Oh, and I wear my Miss Mustard Seed Tee Shirt whenever I work on my projects. I believe God continues to bless you with success because all things work together for good for those who are called according to His purpose.
Too funny! Hubby and I just got back from the bookstore. I’d still be seating there surrounded by my selection of decorating and cook books but hubby got hungry! We’ve been going for over 20 years together. Him more for the coffee, I think.
Have a great week!
Cindy
Cynthia’s Vintage in VA
Love all of your selections. Romantic Prairie Style is a favorite since my home was also featured; Blessings,Carol
Beautiful books. My fave is an older edition of Colour In Decoration by Sloan and Gwynn, from at least 20 years ago that pictures fabulously rustic interiors and intense color combinations. Only recently did I make the connection to the lady with the chalk paint! (duh).
I stole Country French Style from my mother!! I mean, I borrowed her book and I’ve enjoyed it most thoroughly for quite some time now 🙂 I’ll have to check out the rest. As always, thanks for sharing the secrets.
Ha, love it! I always sit on the floor in bookstores, even big brand name ones. For sure my fave is one in Chambersburg, she has lovely armchairs here & there in the different nooks & crannies to sit in. Love those chairs.
I found this beautiful book at a favorite decorating store in Prescott AZ and my daughter took a quick picture of it with her cell phone. She bought it online for my birthday and I love it so – THE WAY WE LIVE WITH THE THINGS WE LOVE by Stafford Cliff.
I love the date nights!
Thanks for your list of favorite books–I’m going right over to Amazon and check them all out. I would have to add to my list of fave books your book, Inspired You. Bought my autographed copy from you last May at the Lucketts Spring Market and have enjoyed reading and consulting it ever since.
New Country Style is my all time favorite. Also have Great Country French Style. Interesting story: 8 years ago when I lost my home/all belongings from the flood of Katrina the first book I ordered was New Country Style…so timeless. The other book tied at the top is The Illustrated Cottage (out of print) …. also quickly ordered ….both mainstays by my bedside…ahhhh!!! If we were at the same book store I would be on the floor right next to you hunting décor books while my husband would be drinking coffee…and I am an adult 2x your age !
Well girls, I would be right there with you all with a lapful of books and magazines! All related to decorating or jewelrymaking!
Before getting to the end of your list I was thinking, “I am going to recommend one of my all time favorites to her…Patina Style”. It is such a lovely book! I will definitely be checking out the others you have recommended..thanks!
I’ve put a couple of your favorites on “hold” through my public library. I’d love to own decorating books, but would rather use budget for projects. FYI: Also, public libraries can do inter-library loans for those titles that your local branch does not have.
YES! This is exactly what I wanted to mention. Why buy all of them when you can enjoy them for free? Less money, less clutter!
🙂 (And if you need inspiration again, just put them on hold again!)
Parmi toutes les catégories confondues , les filles auront 795 pages de dollars
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I love Rachel Ashwell’s new book, Couture Prairie, and Pure Style Home & Garden. Patina Style is one of my favs too- so much eye candy 🙂
One of my first decorating books was Rachel Ashwell’s “Shabby Chic Home”. I still have quite a large collection of my favorite ( but out of print) issues from Country Home and Cottage Living. I think that’s the true test of time…..if you still love looking at a book or magazine that’s over five years old and drawing inspiration from it then its a keeper!
I love that Rachel Ashwell book too, even though I don’t really have shabby chic decor. My decor books have come and gone but I keep that one. I do love all the colors.
Any of Mary Carol Garrity’s Nell Hill books are great! She is a Midwest phenom and has several popular shops.
I have several decorating books that I love to curl up with, they have definitely stood the test of time, even with my style evolving over the years. I have just added the Country Home one to my collection based on your advice. Your book is already dog eared on my shelf, and I just got it for Christmas. There is nothing like a great book to curl up with.
A handsome collection. You know you’ve just expanded a lot of wish lists. 🙂
This morning I came upon this set of chairs on craigslist in Vermont–not French country but handsome curved lines–and wished I could get them to you or felt up to taking on reupholstery myself: http://burlington.craigslist.org/fuo/4306042050.html
Don’t you wish you could play matchmaker to connect every good deal you find with an appreciative upcycler/buyer?
It’s always nice to know I am not alone with this. In fact just last night I was pulling out some old BHG magazine’s I had kept because I like what was in them. Sad part is…one was from 2003! I have several books that about every 6 months I find myself lost in for an hour or 2. Yeah…I am not alone! 🙂
It is always inspiring to read your blog… feel like we, too, are related. It’s amazing how unique we are as individuals and how much we share in our interests. My favorite books include the following: Author Alexandra Stoddard’s starting with “Style for Living .. How to Make Where You Live You” and “Living A Beautiful Life .. 500 Ways to Add Elegance, Order, Beauty and Joy to Every Day of Your Life”. The “Junk Beautiful” probably favorite of all. “Sheer Style – Inspired ideas for using translucent materials in your home” by Tessa Evelegh never gets old. I love browsing through all of these.
Thanks for sharing WHO you are. Blessings 🙂
great post – thanks for sharing your faves! I am in the middle of Roman & Williams ‘Things We Made’ right now
Kindred spirits! I’m finding out that I am not alone in curling up to read my stack of decorating books, again and again. Each time I re-read each book, I come across some new idea I didn’t notice before. Thank you for naming more books that you love, I’m definitely going to look them up. I also have The Great Country French Style book, and can recommend “Better Homes and Gardens “The New Decorating Book” (1997).
Is it a God-wink? Last night I was wishing I had some more decorating books to browse through but ordering sight unseen isn’t always a good idea. I thought ” wouldn’t it be great if I knew of someone who blogged about their fav’s. You came to mind! We have an amazing Creator who really does care about the small things!
I’ll certainly be checking out those books! One of my favorites is “Living with Light: Decorating the Scandinavian Way”
All those look like great books, Marian. I’ll have to add them to my Amazon wish list. Maybe I can sell some of my other old books that I have read and have no need for any more (e.g. novels, language learning books, etc.) and get one or two from your list.
I have a gift card from Amazon and going to order these books now! Just wanted to share that I have so many decorating books but my all time favorite is Lee Bailey Cookbooks. He has the most fabulous pictures of homes, dining rooms, and plantations I have ever seen! If you have a weakness for beautiful serving dishes and table settings, these recipe books are the best. Lots of Charleston, Savannah, and deep South taste!
It is just as you said, I am inspired just from the covers. I am going to order a few as I now have two homes currently under decorating construction. I feel it is a privilege for you to have shared with us some of your favorite things. I feel very blessed.
Again thank you.
In Christian love to all, Hope
I bet Amazon is getting an increased number of book sales today! The prices surprised me (in a good way). There are several monthly magazines that are over $10, with not a lot of content and A LOT of advertisements. I would much rather have a book.
In my town, we have a book store that will let you trade used books and magazines for store credit. I have found several great used decorating books and cookbooks. My favorite find is a really old BHG cookbook that was full of handwritten notes. The former owner would jot down tweaks to recipes, shopping lists, even listing the date and occasion she cooked the dishes. I love seeing these glimpses of the past from a complete stranger.
Thanks for sharing your list! I will have to check them out. My favorite book is ” SEASONS at Seven Gates Farm” by Country Living. I love looking at the patina on the very many pieces that are in the book. It’s more of a primitive style, but the patina’s are fantastic!
Someone probably already said this, but don’t forget your local library! It’s a fantastic resource for previewing books you’re not sure you want to invest $ and shelf space to. I love all your picks today!
I may be inspired to do a post on some favorites, as well 🙂
Jeanette
Thanks for sharing your favorites! I have quite a collection myself and also spend many an evening looking through them for inspiration (and I agree about Great French Country Style and Patina Style!!!). I would echo the earlier poster about Mary Carol Garrity’s books (I have Nell Hill’s Style at Home, Nell Hill’s Decorating Secrets, and Nell Hill’s Feather Your Nest), and would also highly recommend Carolyn Westbrook’s first book, The French Inspired Home–total eye candy!!
Hadn’t thought of my decorating books for quite some time……..thanks for the reminder!
Victorian Chic by Anita Crane; Romantic Country Style & At Home With White from editors of Victoria magazine, Living the Country Life from Better Homes & Gardens are just a few that I enjoy. All Rachel Ashwell, plus Seasons at Seven Gates – GREAT
I haven’t bought any new books in many years (and have many more).
Blessings
Eileen
PS I also have New Country Style (Country Home) Another favorite!
All of those books are great! However, I must say that your own book is one of my favorites and I have spent hours looking at it over and over again. Some of your decorating ideas I have tried to replicate in my own way. Blue print curtains, pottery barn sofa ( CL find) and a nice combination of antique pieces to add to the mix. Of course , I also have the plate thing going on as well. Have had flow blue for many years, but now have started adding ironstone as well. Thought of you the other day when I found two lovely vintage ironstone platters at Goodwill for a song! I look forward to your blog and your perfectly wonderful style and thrifty ideas.
Everyone must have gone directly to Amazon and ordered those books! They aren’t those prices anymore!!!
My husband and I did the same thing! We had our favorite sections and then we’d meet at a table with our piles. Or like you, I’d be on the floor, unashamed and sprawled out with books all around me. But now, I have two little boys (four and one years old). No more sitting for a good hour for any length of time! So, I went straight to my library’s website and requested all of these books. I agree, there’s nothing like pulling out a favorite book for inspiration. Yours has been added to my collection by the way! 😉 I also have old magazines that I save-like the older Victoria magazines. I go back to them all the time for inspiration. Thanks so much for sharing. I can’t wait to get them from the library-it’s like Christmas all over again!
I have to echo Pam’s vote from above-a favorite in my collection is Nell Hill’s Style at Home by Mary Carol Garrity with Mary Caldwell. I LOVE looking through this book. There are ideas that I never would have thought of i.e. mounting a little shelf or hat rack above a door frame, or hanging pictures on bookcases or doors. Great stuff!
Bookstore dates are still a favorite of mine…money or not. It’s fun sharing our new discoveries over a cup of hot chocolate.
Thanks for the book list…pinning for reference.
Yep, Amazon must have caught on, because the current prices on these books are all $15-$26. I ordered a couple anyway!
I suddenly feel poor because hanging out at any bookstore, but especially Half Price Books is my favourite thing to do with my DH. Those are great choices, btw.
Thanks for sharing your favourites! I’ve been needing some inspiring books to read, and managed to find a couple from your list at the library. I’ve been feeling absolutely clueless about the non-practical side of decorating lately. Sure, some of my furniture is great, but I have never been good with vignettes. I feel like my flat surfaces are too few to give space to something that is only pretty not practical. But now that my kids are a little older, I can actually have pretty things out…and I have no idea where to start.
Yep, all of the books have jumped significantly in price. Darn.
Amazon has really caught on today…the books start at $52 and up to over $100!!!!!!!
Oh my gosh!!! Sorry, ladies. That is ridiculous.
Thanks for the suggestions. I just purchased the Romantic Prairie Style and love it! The New Country Style looks good. For the price, I think I just might order that one too.
Bummer! I was too late to the party. All the books are really expensive now. They are on to you 🙂
I will check out my local library. Thanks for sharing.
Tracey
Oh my gosh! Can you believe that! I was thinking, at those prices i would go buy all of them, and then to hear they upped the prices! See Marian, you ARE a force of nature! I think, at this point, you can manipulate the stock market… Ha!
Cindy
Just a thought, most of these books are still reasonable prices at Barnes and Noble and BAM. =)