Customer Reviews

Christopher Lowell's If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It!: Dream Decor on a Budget

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

 

 

"That is the ugliest room I ever saw" "Why on earth did he do that?" "I would certainly have done something different there" are some of the thoughts I had while reading this book. Precisely. What a springboard he is! While looking closer (in order to argue better) I noticed something else. Every single one of these rooms Worked, and worked well. Chris Lowell's real genius (aside from his showmanship) is furniture design and placement. You can see this in the drawings and plans for a freestanding desk, a headboard/vanity, and other ingenious plans. You wish for more instruction on how to build some of this stuff, or get that paint effect. Maybe that can be his next book. I wouldn't choose his colors or fabrics a lot of the time but I'd love to have those built-ins. Nobody breaks down the functions of a room so brilliantly. Nobody adds functions to a space better -- see "Family OnLine". So he inspires two ways - function and taste. You find yourself thinking outside your own boxes, and that's quite a gift. Thanks, Chris!

Don't get me wrong, I love his shows, although I think his rooms are somewhat overfilled with stuff. His built-ins and projects are great!

However, unless you've taped his shows, the instructions for the few projects he did include (l really would have liked the instructions for the desk in the kid's race car room but it wasn't there--looked very "Jetsons") leave a LOT to be desired. And instead of nice pictures of the entire room and full furniture layouts, you got a lot of his drawings over the color pictures.

So, bottom line, you cannot just pick up this book and hope to do this stuff without watching the particular episodes he's referring to.

I hope future books are written to correct this problem (present in all the books except his entertaining book), and also that he puts out a book with ALL of the projects he builds in it, with good instructions and lots of pictures.

This was my first encounter with Christopher Lowell and his energetic decorating. I'd recommend starting with his Seven Layers of Decorating book first. If You Can Dream It builds on that earlier book.
This is not just a collection of pretty room photos. It really makes you think about how decorating relates to your inner feelings and dreams. He gives the reader a great tool in the Dream Questionnaire, then explains how your answers can be applied to home decorating.
His own questionnaire reveals his love for things tropical/water/organic/bamboo, etc. That explains the dramatic rooms pictured in the book which may be overly theatrical for some people. The martini lounge and the retro room put me off, but I fell in love with his down-by-the-sea bedroom and some of the others.
Sandwiched in are projects (usually 2 pages each). These include making a circular pouf, a saucer fountain, a bookshelf room divider, an ottoman, modular bookshelves, a nautical bedside table, deco sconces, a bed/storage combo, refacing kitchen cabinets, and finally a car bed for a kid's room.
Well, worth a look.

I really enjoyed the first section of this book--practical advice plus his "you can do it!" enthusiasm. By the end of the book, I wasn't underlining text anymore (I don't have need for a martini lounge). I need more advice on spaces I use most--living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms. But overall, Christopher is a much-needed voice in the decorating world. Thanks, Christopher!

I love this book! Christopher's rooms are always excellent (even those featuring my not-so-favorite color schemes). But, no matter which color he chooses, I always find several things I like about each room - which is more than I can say for most books of this type! This particular book is a must have for anyone who likes zen, moroccan, or coastal/nautical designs. There is more, of course, but those are my favorites.

Another excellent book by Christopher Lowell. I really enjoyed reading Christopher's personal history. I have a 27 inch television yet the pictures in the book are even better than those shown on the television show. I took it to work and my co-workers (all men) and I really enjoyed this book. I only gave it four stars because I want it to be bigger and contain more pictures. I never wanted it to end!

I've seen his show a few times and really like how he envisions things and carries them out. This book is about the same thing, only with more description and instructions - plus you get to see how he did his bedroom. I liked the fact that he has you take a "personality-type quiz" and take those elements into your decorating. But if you're not a creative person, it may be harder to make the transition.

Though I admire his ability to transform rooms, none of them were really my "style." Lots of great ideas, but this book just wasn't for me. My house is just your normal 70's style split level so any of these ideas would take a lot of imagination and a bit of money. This book would be better for someone who has a larger home with character. Also, this book is filled with posed pics of Christopher - can be annoying if you're not a huge fan.

As much as I hate to say it and as much as I like Christopher, this book had me falling asleep. Literally. It was so much like his first book, and alot of things sounded the same. Alot of the pictures looked familiar also. But regardless...I STILL LOVE CHRISTOPHER, and everything that he represents! He is awesome!

I love Christopher Lowell's books. They are so creative and have such practical ways to create glamorous rooms. He has the amazing ability to do this within a modest busget.

i gave this book to my mom for her birthday. she loved it! it's got a lot of useful ideas in it. i do recommend the book!