Customer Reviews

Style and Substance: The Best of Elle Decor

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As an interior designer I'm always looking for material to use as reference. I think the Elle Décor book offers the best of this venue, especially if one is looking to redo one's space. It offers different styles of approach for a variety of rooms in your home, ranging from more traditional to more contemporary. It's a great tool for interior designers, or anybody interested in redoing their home.

Where on earth can a person with a keen eye for excellent home décor find libraries with rolling ladders, living rooms covered in sumptuous chinoiserie fabric, monochromatic bedrooms with spiral staircases, and dining room walls lacquered in persimmon red paint, all gathered together in one immensely stylish book? The answer, of course, is Style and Substance: The Best of Elle Décor.

Style and Substance features hundreds of beautifully rendered photographs of the homes of designers, architects, antiques buyers, celebrities, and fashion executives. The contents is divided into public spaces and personal spaces, and further divided down by rooms. It is luxurious and makes no apologies for it, and whether a reader's taste in interior design is clean and modern or cozy and careworn, there is something here to inspire everyone. For the former there is Will Kopelman's home office on page 72, with its crisp white walls, glass-topped desk, and Bertoia wire chairs. For the latter, Julie Greenwood's kitchen on pages 116 and 117 will make even the most anti-materialistic of souls covetous, and it's no small wonder as to why: the antique French furniture and Italian chandelier are a sight to behold when contrasted with the exposed stone walls and floor.

The title is in no way misleading. This is truly the best of Elle Decor. This book is a marvel and a wonder, and should be considered a must read for anyone interested in interior design.

Style and Substance is truly the very best of Elle Decor and, if you're a decor junkie like myself, this will soon become your go-to guide for stylish ideas with substance - across a wide range of design genres. Definitely one of my favorites right now.

As an ardent fan of SO CHIC for its depiction of private lives and private homes, I ordered STYLE AND SUBSTANCE (kind of) expecting more of the same. The book is a delight to the senses and the interiors are elegantly charming and beautiful. I realize that the homes shown in it are ones previously featured in ELLE DECOR, but I was hoping for more of the details of the decorating and just a little more biographical info. These are not intended to be disparaging remarks; instead, they are personal opinion. It is an elegant book that I have now begun reading for the second time since I got it just about a month ago. Ms Russell has done a marvelous job in the editing. You'll once again be inspired, intrigued, and feel glee in peeking into the beautiful private worlds of some very elegant, charming people.

Interesting book if your focus is on glamour , no solutions for difficult places

This really is the best of the best examples of style and substance. There are many different styles, but all of them have great flavor. There is a lot you can draw from in this book...or just enjoy it because it is FUN!

WHAT IS BRILLIANT ABOUT THIS BOOK-- THE BEST OF A SUPERB MAGAZINE -- IS NOT JUST THE BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHY AND INVENTIVE INTERIORS BUT RATHER THE IDEA LIVING IN A PLACE THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR PERCEPTIONS ABOUT HOW WE USE OUR PERSONAL SPACES.

"STYLE AND SUBSTANCE" HELPED ME DECONSTRUCT THE BEAUTY OF SPACE AND MY CONNECTION TO IT.

BENEATH THE GLORIOUS BEAUTY OF THE BOOK, THERE ARE DEEP IDEAS THAT TAP INTO HOW ALL US HUMANS NEED A COMFORT SPACE -- INSTEAD OF CRAWLING INTO BED, PAINT THE ROOM AND BUY A RUG -- IT TRULY CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE -- BE BOLD

BRAVO MARGARET RUSSELL --

I can't stop looking at the pictures over and over again, and reading Margaret's fab and do-able tips and advice! Style & Substance is chock full of images that always contain something groovy to copy or to inspire you, whether you're going for the real McCoy or the econochic, recessionista, look-for-less version. There's a room for every style, whether modern or traditional, and every page just oozes style and chic. It was also fun to revisit many of my all-time favorite rooms from the Elle Decor magazine (and having them in one place, not 10,000 little sheets of torn-out pages! LOL) -- like seeing old friends. A must!

I own and review many interior design books, and this one by far is the most comprehensive I've seen in terms of different styles. Whether you're into modern, traditional, country, apartment-living, you'll be able to find something inspirational in this book. And if you haven't discovered your style yet, this book will serve as a wonderful guide. I've given copies of this book to friends who are about to buy properties or renovate their homes.

I've been a huge fan of Elle Decor for some time, and just recently bought this book. It's got great room in it and gave me many good ideas on how to decorate in a glamourous and sophisticted way. Moreover, I loved the rooms, the photography--and the furniture is to die for! A very, very well recommened additon to your design libray.