Creating a New Old House: Yesterday's Character for Today's Home


Russell Versaci - 2003
    In Creating a New Old House, architect Russell Versaci shows you that it is possible to design and create a new house that looks and feels like it has always been there. Versaci explores how architects, builders, and craftsmen are reinterpreting the traditional American house. Through photographs and engaging text, discussions of history and craftsmanship, and sidelong glances at the workings of real old houses, Versaci explains how traditional houses go together and what gives them their unique design appeal. Features 17 new, old-style houses -- from colonials to farmhouses -- from all over the country Versaci identifies Eight Pillars of Traditional Design that create a solid foundation for combining authentic, traditional design with livability to create homes that feel old yet work for the demands of modern family living.

Crafting a Colorful Home: A Room-by-Room Guide to Personalizing Your Space with Color


Kristin Nicholas - 2015
    Kristin Nicholas, color expert and all-around master crafter, shares her secrets to selecting colors and patterns and explores the variety of crafts and decorating touches that have made her home so unique. Going room by room, Kristin uses her own 1751 farmhouse as a leaping-off point for craft projects perfect for every space. You'll find a range of step-by-step projects to make your home cozy and bright, including knit pillows, embroidered curtains, crocheted blankets, and painted lampshades. Along the way, Kristin also shares DIY techniques on refinishing furniture, faux finishing walls, mural painting, and recycling wool clothes. Full of inspiration, and with vibrant photographs throughout, this is a complete guide to creating a home that reflects your own handmade style.

The Things That Matter


Nate Berkus - 2012
    From his most cherished flea market finds, to his beloved books and photos, to the many extraordinary mementos he’s collected in his travels, every piece defines who he’s become and what endures in his world.   Berkus invites readers into his own home as well as into twelve others, including a sleek steel-and-glass high-rise that soars above Chicago, a rustic cottage in the Hudson Valley, an ultra-chic atelier that maximizes every inch of space, a Greenwich Village townhouse that holds multiple art collections, and a study in meaningful minimalism in Marfa, Texas. The distinctive interiors beautifully displayed in this book offer revealing portraits of their owners’ lives and the inspiring choices that have made them who they are today. The Things That Matter convincingly lays out Nate Berkus’s philosophy that things do matter. Our homes tell our stories, they reflect the places we’ve been and the people we’ve loved along the way—and there can be no more beautiful design for living than that.NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE SEATTLE TIMES

Novel Living: Collecting, Decorating, and Crafting with Books


Lisa Occhipinti - 2014
    Even the concept of curling up with a good book conjures new images. But there remains a sensory thrill to physical books—to seeing and feeling them, to turning their pages—that makes many of us value them even more as digital reading grows in popularity. In Novel Living, artist Lisa Occhipinti celebrates her love for physical books by presenting us with her unique ideas for collecting and displaying them, for conserving and preserving them, and for crafting with them. Guided by Occhipinti’s artful eye, you’ll be inspired to build and display collections based on your personal passions and to use books for crafting, either by deconstructing or by copying favorite elements. Amazingly, most of the projects—ranging from easy shelving to a headboard constructed of book spines to napkins composed of scans of favorite text passages from books—require no special skills or supplies.

Perfect English Cottage


Ros Byam Shaw - 2009
    Bestselling author Ros Byam Shaw takes a fresh look at this perennially appealing style, which she divides into five chapters: Character, Holiday, Romance, Simplicity, and Elegance. The featured homes are incredibly varied, from a tiny house with exposed beams to a pared-down Georgian gem, to a picture-perfect cottage with roses over the door—and plenty more adorning the interior. Each section ends with a Get The Look page devoted to ideas for recreating the style in your own home.

Restore. Recycle. Repurpose.: Create a Beautiful Home


Randy Florke - 2010
    Florke clearly explains why going green is so important, how to use what’s already there, find a focus for every space, and determine what makes something environmentally friendly.Anyone hoping to transform a home from ordinary to extraordinary will find eco-friendly, thrifty, and stylish ideas.   With its emphasis on simplicity, thrift, and respect for historical integrity, Randy Florke calls his philosophy the "anti-keeping up with the Joneses.”  Comfort, style, and economy are the bellwether elements of his approach to decorating.

Atomic Ranch Midcentury Interiors


Michelle Gringeri-Brown - 2012
    It features the exceptional interiors of eight houses, discusses successes and challenges, and shows how to live stylishly. Tips are shared on color, flooring, window coverings, furniture arrangements, and how off-the-shelf components can be turned into custom features. The homeowners' stories explain why these rooms work, and provide you with resources and ideas for everything from garage doors to the art on the wall.

Simple Matters: Living with Less and Ending Up with More


Erin Boyle - 2015
    At once pragmatic and philosophical, Simple Matters is a nod to the growing consensus that living simply and purposefully is more sustainable not only for the environment, but for our own happiness and well-being, too. Boyle embraces the notion that “living small” is beneficial and accessible to us all—whether we’re renting a tiny apartment or purchasing a three-story house.   Filled with personal essays, projects, and helpful advice on how to be inventive and resourceful in a tight space, Simple Matters shows that living simply is about making do with less and ending up with more: more free time, more time with loved ones, more savings, and more things of beauty.

Use What You Have Decorating


Lauri Ward - 1999
    In Use What You Have(r) Decorating she shows readers how to do it themselves-quickly identifying the ten most common decorating mistakes, offering simple principles to correct them, and giving DIYers a proven system for making their home look better than they ever dreamed it could. Filled with dramatic before-and-after photos, this guide shows anyone how to turn "ho-hum interiors into inspired spaces without undertaking bank- breaking shopping sprees" (Ladies' Home Journal).

Dream Home: The Property Brothers’ Ultimate Guide to Finding & Fixing Your Perfect House


Jonathan Scott - 2016
    Brother. The talented duo’s good-natured rivalry, playful banter, and no-nonsense strategies have earned the popular twins millions of devoted fans who have been anxiously waiting for a Scott Brothers book. Dream Home is a comprehensive source, covering the ins and outs of buying, selling, and renovating a house, with hundreds of full-color photos throughout. The brothers cover numerous topics including the hidden costs of moving, savvy negotiating tactics, and determining your home must-haves. Other handy features include a calendar of key dates for finding the best deals on home products and a cheat sheet of worth-it fix-its. Look inside for a wealth of information on attaining what you want—on time and on budget. Dream Home also includes all the tips and tricks you won’t see on TV, making it a must-have resource not just for fans but for any current or aspiring homeowner.

Bungalow Style


Treena Crochet - 2005
    This title shows a wide variety of interior details and describes how to add or restore elements that suggest a historic flair while keeping the home comfortable and functional.

Farrow & Ball: How to Decorate


Joa Studholme - 2016
    Published on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the iconic brand, the book brings together the expertise of Joa Studholme and Farrow & Ball's creative team to demystify the nitty-gritty of transforming a home - from deciding which colors work best in a north-facing room to creating accents with paint and making the most of a feature wall.

Urban Jungle: Living and Styling with Plants


Igor Josifovic - 2016
    This book will take you on an inspirational voyage through green homes across Europe showcasing how beautiful, individual, creative and sometimes even arty green living can be. Moreover, this book offers a plethora of easy-to-copy plant styling ideas for your home presented by a fine selection of international Urban Jungle Bloggers. Additional plant profiles and simple plant care tips will further strengthen your desire to add a new green friend to your home immediately. Lean back and buckle up for a fantastic green journey!

Restoration House: Creating a Space That Gives Life and Connection to All Who Enter


Kennesha Buycks - 2019
    A place to gather and connect. A place of beauty. A place to restore your soul. Creating a restored home—the kind that you and your loved ones want to return to again and again—is as much about making everyone who enters feel cared for and comfortable as it is about creating a beautiful space.In Restoration House, home decor and lifestyle guide Kennesha Buycks of Restoration House blog shows you how to embrace your home and your story as you create mindful spaces that give life to you, your loved ones, and all who enter.With gorgeous photography and pages of practical tips for curating and decorating your home (even on a small budget) and welcoming others, Restoration House will help you make purposeful design decisions as you create renewing spaces for you to enjoy with family and friends.Whether you live in your dream house or you’re still dreaming about it, you can feel at home in the home you have.

Good Things for Organizing


Martha Stewart - 2001
    Good Things for Organizing shows how to live with stuff comfortably and creatively. In chapters organized room by room, Good Things for Organizing offers a wide range of ingenious ways to tame the clutter, from the basement to the garden shed.With sections such as "Cleamng Up the Countertop" in the kitchen chapter, "Linen Closet 10" in the closet chapter, and "Organizing Correspondence" in the home office chapter, the editors of Martha Stewart Living have tested all of the possibilities and have created perfect solutions to the most frustrating organizing problems. Included are projects for every level of commitment, from tidying the junk drawer to building the right shelves to display a beloved collection.