Nina Campbell's Decorating Secrets [Hardcover]

Helen Chislett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 28, 2000

Interior decoration has never been more popular, yet at the end of the day few people achieve the look they envision when they start a room. Now renowned English decorator Nina Campbell shares the secrets that have brought her world acclaim, offering a step-by-step design strategy that will help turn your original ideas into a beautiful reality.

Nina Campbell's Decorating Secrets is a practical decorating guide based on Nina's unique "layering" approach of combining the different elements in any given room -- from furniture and lighting to pictures and flowers -- to create a unified scheme. The first section covers such basics as determining what you want out of a room, how to assess a particular space with an eye toward natural light and existing architectural details, and why rooms need focal points and how to create one. Next, she walks you through the main rooms of a home and addresses the key decorating decisions for each one, such as choosing the right colors and fabrics to create a certain mood, deciding what to put on the walls and floors, and how to properly position the furniture. This is the heart of the book and where her "layering" philosophy really takes effect. Finally, the last section examines the all-important finishing touches, such as display items and soft furnishings, that add a personal feel to any room.

Lavishly illustrated with two hundred stunning full-color photographs and written in a lively anecdotal style, Nina Campbell's Decorating Secrets is an enjoyable and practical resource.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"A room may be crammed with hideous furniture, be painted in shrieking shapes or have the sort of patterned carpet that makes you feel giddy, but you have to rise above this and see only the structure that lies underneath," says decorator Nina Campbell. In Nina Campbell's Decorating Secrets, the acclaimed British interior designer takes you through the most integral steps of home decorating, room by room.

Nina Campbell's signature design is "layering," which means every element--the furniture, wall coverings, carpet, lighting, accessories--should complement each other and the overall scheme of the room. She starts with the hall, the first impression of your home, then moves into the drawing and sitting rooms, the dining room, the kitchen, the study and library, the bedrooms, and then the bathrooms. Campbell uses her own home and other posh London residences as her examples, but you may not have this many rooms, the wallet, or the will to acquire them; however, you can still come away with ideas for your own home. The style she prefers is lush, rich, and elegant but some may find a Campbell-decorated home overstuffed and ornate. Whether or not you're a fan of chintz, you can still find inspiration from her thoughtful process, her emphasis on harmony between function and aesthetics, and her insistence on a comfortable home in which you can have both private retreats and areas for entertaining. "Your home is an extension of your personality," she says, "and it is this that you want to capture when putting your decorative scheme together." --Dana Van Nest --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

In Campbell's third decorating book, she makes her analysis room by room, reviewing different elements--and not just swatches and color--such as style, lighting, and focal points. Checklists accompanying each element ensure that the amateur decorator will remember the hidden questions, including budgets. The rest of the text is filled with examples of great comfort, showcasing rooms both large and small, from spotlighting an elegant hallway (a room in its own right) to a wonderfully sensual bathroom. Finishing touches are, as the last chapter's title, the ultimate ending, with wonderful visual depictions of cushions, throws, objets d'art, wall displays, and flowers, among others. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Cico Books (September 28, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1903116082
• ISBN-13: 978-1903116081
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,531,698 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Know Thy Style, November 14, 2001

By 

Bookcat "Cat" (Alexandria, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nina Campbell's Decorating Secrets: Easy Ways to Achieve the Professional Look (Hardcover)

I TRY to live like this. Part of the art of living beautifully is hiding and improving the not-so-beautiful. Nothing fancy about that. If you're as tired of pictures of spare, beige rooms as I am, this is a wonderful book, full of color and elegance and a variety of styles in an English context. There is a far wider scope of styles and accessories than in many design books, and the use of international motifs and accessories always fascinates me. If you like layers, color, and variety in a traditional to transitional style, this is a beautiful and educational read.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An essential reference for every decorator, October 30, 2002

By 

Christine "loves to read" (Setauket, NY, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nina Campbell's Decorating Secrets: Easy Ways to Achieve the Professional Look (Hardcover)

English designer Nina Campbell has rewarded us with yet another piece de resistance. Brimming with sumptuous photographs (all of which left me salivating), this book has quickly become my perennial favorite. DECORATING SECRETS is robust in every area, not just a few, and seems to appeal to a wide audience.

This book is more than just tassels and fluff. Firstly, Nina makes it clear that she is a traditionalist. "...I am not advocating the minimalist approach - anyone who knows my look would realize how alien that is to me..." Secondly, her sage advice is for appropriate for every designer, regardless of budget limitations. If the photographs are not your speed, then pay strict attention to her words, you can adapt the ideas presented to a home of any size.

In essence, what makes this book stand out head and shoulders above the others is the combination of Nina's elegant writing, her down-to-earth presentation, inspiring ideas and -- the details, details, details! She deftly explains what a novice designer needs to know before tackling a project, and then walks through the process room by room. She also addresses small spaces, a topic usually covered under separate titles. Most of the photographs are close-ups, which enables readers to catch specific details and replicate the looks most inspiring to them.

If you are confused by the myriad of decorating books on the market today, and are looking for that one book that you can use over and over again as a quick reference guide, this is one I would recommend hands down. I also suggest that you check out Nina's other book entitled The Art of Decoration. My copy is two years old and very tattered.

Cris Cunningham

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent tips and strategies, July 4, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nina Campbell's Decorating Secrets: Easy Ways to Achieve the Professional Look (Hardcover)

The very basics of decorating are covered in Nina Campbell's Decorating Secrets, a guide which offers step-by-step strategies to designing and decorating every room in a home. From assessing a room's light and qualities to understanding design focal points and the trappings which separate professional from amateur results, Decorating Secrets provides excellent tips and strategies.