Stephen Saint Onge has always been one of my favorite designers. I have loved seeing his makeovers on various TV shows and in magazines. When I saw he had a book coming out I couldn' wait to get it. I preordered one for me and 3 others for gifts...The book is outstanding. So many great pictures and so many fantastic and REALISTIC ideas. Stephen is truly an inspiration letting people know you can make simple changes without going broke. My husband and I have already started looking around the house to see what changes we can make! Stephen and his book are the best! No Place Like Home: Tips & techniques for real family-friendly home design
From all the enthusiastic reviews, and the subtitle ("Tips & techniques") I expected more. Although I appreciate the author's style, and his skills as a photographer, and his down-to-earth values, I just didn't get much more than a pretty picture book with advice so broad as to be meaningless ("Lighting can really change the mood of a room. Pay attention to it."), or tips I've heard before ("Paint mis-matched thrift store furniture all white, to unify the separate pieces.") And what's with asking all the questions? "When selecting flooring, what do you like? Carpet? Tile? Hardwood?" I don't think this is helpful. The only section I really liked was the transformation of the bedroom with photos before, during, and after, with explanations of why certain furniture arrangements and decorating decisions did or didn't work. But that was just one 2-page spread.
So, few tips, no techniques. A disappointment
Stephen Saint-Onge is one of my favorite designers of all time. His designs are warm & inviting and I could picture myself living very comfortably in a home designed by Mr. Saint-Onge. I was thrilled when I read he was coming out with a book & was even happier after I received it. I literally own hundreds of decorating & design books but have read very few from cover to cover. Mostly I browse through the pictures and read only the text that peaks my interest. It is unusual for a decorating book to feel fresh to me - like it is offering something new in the decorating world. This book is one of the few. The photography is superb and the writing is engaging. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mixing old & new in their decorating scheme, who is looking for classic but fresh ideas and who "lives" in their home.
This is a wonderful book, not only for design tips but also just the feel of it. it makes you feel like you are in a wonderful home and can't wait to be there. The look book is a wonderful idea and I can't wait til this book comes out!!!! Stephen has always been one of my favorite designers. Now he is one of my favorite authors
This book delivered way more than I'd anticipated: I am not familiar with the author's TV program, and was expecting little more than some pretty pictures. Instead, this book is full of detailed, practical, useable advice on how to enhance your own living space, how to analyze your rooms, and how to build attractive rooms based on your own style and interests. I especially like that, although all of the examples are lovely, they look like *real* homes - not necessarily sterile/expensive show-room or grand-house material. After reading this book cover-to-cover in a few sittings, I refer back to it often. The tips are truly valuable and I've found that they stay with me, even months after reading them. Highly recommended!
This has got to be the best decorating book I've ever seen--and I've seen many. Not only does he tell his story, making the book both personal and interesting, but he does it in a way that draws you in, and encourages your own thoughtful approach to decorating. Then, he goes on to give tips and suggestions for real life design. Do what works for your life, not what works for someone else's ideas of what your life should be. His photos are great---real people are included in the pictures making the spaces come alive, showing how it's supposed to look, not just a picture of so-called perfection. The one thing that put this book over the rest was his description of decorating styles. He perfectly described my preference in decorating (no quiz needed). I've never had a book do that before. I'd highly recommend this book for a good read, as well as very practical, beautiful ideas for living.
I have a pretty decent design book collection (at least 40) and subscribe to several shelter magazines...but this is the first publication I have read cover to cover, not daring to skip a page! Stephen Saint-Onge captures exactly the feel I want in my home, with tons of practical advice. He is a master at comfortable, family style! I now realize that I don't necessarily want the latest trend in magazines - I want the "feeling" Stephen describes...and what works best for my family. I have been scared to death to choose the "right" paint color, furniture and accessories. Immediately upon finishing this book, I rearranged furniture, set up a great place for my kids to do their homework, and painted my master bedroom a color that gave me a good gut feeling. I put up black and white family photos, dug through a few boxes to find my husband's old football trophy and the wooden train my mother painted for us 40 years ago. They are now displayed in our home, and we smile just to see them! Guess what? I love it all! Thank you Stephen Saint-Onge for giving readers wonderful, practical advice to use right now - and the courage to just do it! Loving the feel in my home, finally!!!
I love this book! It is a must have home design book. I am a big fan of Stephen Saint-Onge design. In fact I am always impressed, and somewhat amazed, when I see his before and afters in various magazines and home tv shows. His book is full of ideas and beautiful pictures which I love but this book really stands out among home design books. It provides perspective and a framework to help those of us without design genes think about, and hopefully implement, great design in our own homes. It is also refreshingly real. The rooms are beautiful but they are also real rooms lived in by people with kids and pets.
This book was so engaging I read it cover to cover and now it is on my coffee table so I can reference it frequently. It makes a great coffee table book but be careful because people keep wanting to take it home with them. - Interior Design'
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