Customer Reviews

Creating a Beautiful Home

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

 

 

My husband and I have recently purchased our first home. After looking at many interior decorating books and many many pictures, I've found that this book has inspired me more than any other and there are no pictures! (Except a few drawings.) This book really gets you to appreciate what you have and not what you don't have. I think most design books show photos of houses that obviously cost a fortune and were decorated/designed by a proffesional. Not much help really when you live in the typical suburban split level. We think our house is great and this book has helped me to focus on what's great about it and enhance those features. If you need inspiration and some solid ideas (the grace notes are terrific) I'd highly recommend this book. I initially got mine from the library, but I will definitely be buying a copy of my own.

I purchased this book, several years ago, when it was first published. I have re-read it at least 30 times. The reader will find inspiration for decorating ideas, from the smallest thing such as placing your mouthwash in a lovely glass decanter, to inspirational ideas such as treating yourself to weekly flowers, just having a fresh arrangement to look at each week. It is an excellent gift idea, and I would highly recommend anyone to take a look at her other books as well, for your own library or a lovely gift for a special someone who has everything! You won't be sorry!

I have owned this book for about 6 years now and my enjoyment grows with every reading. Alexandra Stoddard beautifully relates thoughts on decorating one's home. The advice she gives however; has provided me with an unexpected bonus. I truly look at life differently now. I have experienced beautiful moments of grace that come during everyday tasks. Ms. Stoddard's writing has deeply touched me. I'm so much more excited about life. And she has inspired me to action in my decorating and I'm enjoying it immensely. I recommend this book because I've never read a decorating book with such heart before. In my opinion, Ms. Stoddard speaks from her heart and in turn has warmed mine. I hope others enjoy this lovely book as much as I have.

I bought this book hoping it would help me define and select what I need to create a beautiful home. However, the book is actually a discussion on how the author restored a New England Cottage-- which would be ok if the title didn't mislead one into thinking the author is going to explain to us how to create a beautiful home. Another point stressed throughout the book is how the author learned that homes should be decorated for living, not just for beauty and professional style. Since most of us in the real world already know that, this book offers little.

The most useful info in the book is what the author calls "grace notes" at the end of each chapter. These notes include things like: put a sumptuous throw here, put baskets of beautiful writing paper there, treat yourself to fresh flowers weekly... However, the author glosses over how to get your home to the point of being ready for these finishing touches. She gives few instructions on how to do any of her suggestions that require work, or craft skills. Overall, not a useful book for those looking for advice on how to start the beautiful home creation process.

This book does contain some useful advice, on counter/desk/shelving heights, lighting placement and the like. However, there is no index, so none of it is easy to refer back to.

Stoddard doesn't give many options to the reader. For example, she suggests painting your home exterior white with green shutters, like she did. As long as you want to create a replica of her home, you will like this book.

Style is definitely middle age, traditional New England. The "grace notes" sections have some useful tidbits. Otherwsie book sounds like an old Martha Stewart. Needs more on creating your own style, as well as the basics of how to arrange a room.

The problem with Alexandra's books is that once you've read one, you've read them all. I purchased Living a Beautiful Life and it has the same Grace Notes inside that others reference in her other books, like...Decant your mouthwash, Splurge on Flowers, etc. Did she actually forget she already gave us those hints years ago or what?

I enjoyed almost every minute I spent reading this book. It is full of tips on how to make each room of your house more useful and personal. The only drawback, too many blatant plugs for sponsors products, got easy to ingnore after a few chapters.

This book has a chapter for each room of the house. The author sometimes waxes too sentimental, but she gives good tips at the end of each chapter called "Grace Notes". The tips are worth the book's price

Though this book was published many years ago I've discovered we've unknowingly decorated our house with many of her suggestions such as the white trim, painting the walls light colors and filling the house with colors and things we love, natural wood floors, minimal window treatments (well, that one happened because they were the cheapest and I hate those poufy things that they sell for windows), etc. Either I'm out of style (entirely possible) or our color choices just happened to be timeless choices. She does a lot of repeating from chapter to chapter and I don't agree with some of her ideas such as tables filled with writing paper, pens, candles, lamps, bowls filled with potpourri, quilts on the wall, etc. My style is evolving into a minimalist type and that all seems like too much furniture and needless clutter for me and way too much dusting! But overall she has some great ideas about turning your house into a retreat for the senses. I love that.