The Perfectly Imperfect Home: How to Decorate and Live Well

I am nearly finished devouring every word in this wonderful book.It doesn't look much at first glance with it's rustic sketchy illustrations, but along with it's advice it sets out to empower rather than dictate to the reader. It's advice is universal and will span the decades.Having completely revamped our loved 90 year old house and filled it with a collection of lovingly collected old furniture, it looked good, but not great. I was at a loss how to pull it all together and make it reflect our lives and be casual and comfy, yet elegant and interesting (I wish!)This book is giving me lots of ideas about how to look at things differently and puts into words the elements of a warm and welcoming yet stylish house.Rather than just giving you photos of impossibly grand and stiff rooms to copy, this book paints mental images of the goal you are aiming for and sets you on the track of the many individual ways of achieving that. Day to day variations are catered for in different moods that are appropriate and how to make your guests feel at home.The book is as much about making your home a joy for yourself as well as your guests.I will be keeping this book close by for years to come.

This book's images of interiors are not what one would expect to be the lifeblood of such book - good quality interiors photos. Instead, every single illustration is a watercolour, often so simplistic it looks like something a 10-year old would paint. On the cover this is acceptable because it looks pretty and whimsical; but when watercolours make the entire content, this renders the book utterly useless.There is the obvious question: why on Earth would anyone think this was a good idea? One would certainly not buy an interiors magazine if photos were replaced by wobbly naive watercolours. So why do this in a book? There is no inspiration to be had from the illustrations, they all look unclear and very much the same. Maybe it was done for the sake of the 'art'? Well, art it ain't (I will soon add some scanned images so anyone can make their minds up, but little paintings of curtains and armchairs and sofas etc would hardly qualify as art, would they?).And anyway, we buy this kind of book to see how other people decorate their homes, via accurate good quality photographs taken from interesting angles - not to see watercolour artists' representations of random indistinguishable rooms. By the same token, if we were interested in watercolour paintings we would not be impressed with a book of magazine photographs showing the landscapes, would we? The two media simply do not mix, and this book clearly shows what a mistake it is to think otherwise.To make matters worse, the content and the writing style are infuriatingly patronising and simpleton-like and the same time, and so American that it quickly starts to grate for the British reader. For example: the word 'nice' is repeated ad nauseam, clearly the author cannot come up with any grown-up adjectives. There is talk of 'Cozification', teachings about 'Tissues, remotes, and other useful things' and 'More bins, bowls and baskets' following earlier pontifications on 'Bins, bowls and baskets' (seriously, these are real chapter and sub-chapter titles). There are also very detailed step-by-step instructions on how to make the bed, and pearls of wisdom such as: 'Sconces. There are two distinct kinds: those that extend out from the wall [...] and the sconcier sconces' 'Hanging Lights [...] come in a multitude of appealing forms - lantern, pendant, orb, chandelier'I could have tolerated the writing if the book had tons of inspiring photos. As it is, this book is a complete waste of money. I recommed getting  Decorate: 1000 Professional Design Ideas for Every Room in the House  instead - that one is an excellent book indeed.

Such practical, down to earth tips to decorate your own home. The ideas are not a budget breaker but still very tasteful. A great allrounder book suitable for novelists in interior design as well as those who know their subject. I keep it at my bedside table so I can refer to it every now and when. Would make a lovely present for anyone who is into eclectic colourful interior design.

I've always wanted to have the kind of home that is beautifully decorated but at the same time inviting and warm. This book showed me how this can be achieved. Even though I can't put much in practice now (we all have a budget to work with) I could do little things and touches that are already transforming my house into a cosy stylish home. I recomend it.

This book gives great tips for putting together a room that really feels like you. I think its a very light read and you can understand all the ideas. Just a warning, all the images are painted and not pictures of actual furniture.

I read a lot of interior books and magazines, so when I read an enthusiastic review of this one in a magazine, I ordered it straight away. Its nicely illustrated, and easy to read, but I didnt feel I had gained any new info.Much of the content is plain common sense. This would be a good book for someone starting out on homemaking, and I have passed it on to my daughter to browse.Price, as always from amazon, very competative.

I really like the drawings

Bought this as a gift for my daughter, who has bought a new house. She thought it was excellent, and loved the illustrations.