Customer Reviews

Cecil Hayes 9 Steps to Beautiful Living: Dream, Design, and Decorate your Home with Style

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you really want to understand the "why" behind interior design, this is the book for you. The book is written in an easy, informative style and Cecil goes out of her way to make it understandable for the average person. Even after working for her for several years, I learned sooo much from this book that its incredible. Cecil's teachning background is readily apparent and she shares the secret of her personal design process wholeheartedly!

Anyone who wants to create their own one-of-a-kind interior design, is contemplating a career in interior design, or who is generally interested in interior design will find this book inspirational. Humorous anecdoes, professional wisdom, and the life lessons of a celebrated interior designer, all rolled into a teaching text on interior design. Highly, highly recommended!

This beautifully illustrated book of interior designs shows the work of Cecil Hayes. She has a style all her own which may or may not be to your liking. However, in creating these designs she has come up with a list of nine steps in the decorating process:

Get to Know Your Space
Create Your Personal Look Book
Create a Furniture Plan
Decorate One Layer at a Time
Mix Styles and Periods
Choose Your Colors
Use a Variety of Fabric Patterns and Textures
Decorate with Art and Accessories
Evaluate Your Finished Design.

The rooms pictured here are heavily decorated, Ms. Hayes is clearly not of the minimalist school of decorating. This is, of course a matter of personal choice and is part of her nine steps - Create Your Personal Look Book.

This book is one that's filled with ideas. Even if they don't appeal to you, you'll be able to see concepts in decorating that you haven't seen before. and the steps she describes make very good sense.

Cecil is very creative. Many of her designs & ideas can be recreated by beginners. The photos of her creations are warm and inviting.

Great book. Cecil has great taste and syle. Her designs are beautiful and inspiring. I really enjoyed this book and after owning it for 2 years, I still read it often, no plans to ever sell my copy, I plan on keeping my book forever, I love it.

I absolutely love this book. I am very exited about the purchase of my first home and going through this book keeps the excitement going. It has given me so many great ideas, I don't know which room I want to work on first! But the book is also very practical. Cecil tells you from step 1...get to know your space. So that's exactly what I did. I walked around my living room w/a little note book and my digital camera.

Another great idea is what Cecil calls a "Look Book". Put all those little cut-outs from magazines, those color cards from the paint store,and anything that you consider inspiration for your personal style.

As time goes on, I've begun to see exactly what MY taste is and how I would like to design each room.

Cecil Hayes - I love her style and I love this book!