Amazon.com
Drawn from Victorian originals, the 50-plus projects in this book provide a how-to survey of some favorite 19th-century crafts, a good introduction for anyone looking to try out a variety of skills before deciding which to pursue in depth. Designs range from needlework (quilting, needlepoint, cross-stitch, lacework, tassel making, beading) to papercraft (decoupage, quilling, papier-mâché) to floral and shell work, all accompanied by good color photos.
Book Description
A superb collection of more than 50 projects using decoupage, beading, shellwork, quilting and needlepoint that's for everyone who would like to recreate the ever-fashionable Victorian look for their home or as gifts. Many of the designs are adapted from genuine Victorian magazines, and the projects have a charming 19th century air. Each craft is described in step-by-step detail and there are projects suitable for beginners and the more experienced.
Customer Reviews:
Introductory but interesting.......2007-06-27
This book was not quite what I was hoping for, to be honest. I am a fairly accomplished craftswoman, and most of the projects seemed a little basic. The choices of crafts seemed at once limited and oddly varied. For example: there are no projects for crocheting, knitting, or tatting; but the author gives directions for gluing shells to a frame. You might consider this book, but I found Inside the Victorian Home very informative about many aspects of Victorian domestic life. In addition, Project Gutenburg has some interesting, free e-texts from the period that might be a better choice, such as Mrs. Beeton's Book of Needlework.
Amazon.com
Vivid colors, bold simplicity, textural contrasts, stone, tile, and stucco--these are the hallmarks of this refreshingly unpretentious style, which is easy to live with and surprisingly simple to evoke at home. Vibrant photos and detailed, practical text explore all the elements of the look and explain what to do with your own walls and floors, windows and doors, furnishings and accessories to re-create the look. And the 12 step-by-step projects (including sand-textured or distempered walls, a pebbled floor, a fretwork window screen, studded doors, and a mosaic tabletop) prove that it doesn't take a huge effort or a huge budget to achieve the relaxed grace of this popular decor. The sun-drenched rooms filled with natural materials and accented with the occasional exotic touch (a filigreed lantern, Moroccan dishware, a kilim rug, Moorish arches, Spanish-style wrought ironwork) are extremely inviting--you'll want to sprawl on a cushy divan and sip a cool beverage as you drink in the enticing warmth of this wonderful style. --Amy Handy
Customer Reviews:
I had to purchase this book.......2005-11-15
I've checked this book out of my local library three times. We've been working with an architect to design a French country house, very simple. No amount of pictures has conveyed the message of simplicity to our architect. He kept giving us elaborate Palladian designs, and I kept saying, "French Mas". not "French Chateau" and certainly not some Monster House version of an Italian Villa. We've decided to end this expensive misunderstanding and begin again with another designer, this time showing the simple pictures in "Mediterranean Style" to convey the simple rusticity that we desire.
Simplicity, Warmth and Inspiration.......2005-02-04
Due to unforeseen circumstances whereby my lower living area was suddenly subjected unceremoniously to several feet of murky moisture, I found myself in need of a partial home makeover, but with a shoestring budget and a short time frame.
Fortuitously, this book came through it unscathed, and I took it as an omen that Mediterranean was the way it should be.
The pictures are strikingly beautiful, the colors breath-taking, and my family may not be over-excited to hear that the foyer will now be a washed purple color with an earthen colored roof, accented by a canary yellow metal staircase. The book banishes all fear of the lavish use of color, clearly illustrating how color can enhance your surroundings, making a cozy nest of warmth and harmony.
The furniture and accessories are all rustic and simple, the formula being wood, iron, stone, tile and carpet.
If you're the Victorian or romantic type, there's no toile de joie in lavender and pink in this book, no overstuffed chairs or furniture bearing the legs of any deceased monarch. If however, you're into relaxed, simple, harmonious, rustic and durable decor, this is a good book to use as a guide.
Amanda Richards, February 3, 2005
Little bit too rustic for my taste.......2002-12-17
I just got this book, and although lots of others rave about the photos, the style is a little bit too rustic for my tastes. If you are looking to decorate your home a la small Mediterranean village style, this is definitely for you. However, you won't find any luxurious palaces or mansions here. This book primarily appeals to those who prefer the simple, assymetrical, and distressed look that evoke a centuries-old Mediterranean charm. If your home has fitted carpets or wooden walls as is typical in the San Francisco Bay Area, the style just doesn't seem to fit. I am also far from impressed with the text as it's kind of repetitive, the author mentioned so many times that the Mediterranean style is simple, open, and it evolved due to the balmy Mediterranean climate! As if mentioning the very obvious once is not enough.
Magnificent!!!.......2002-11-05
This is a wonderful book, filled with pages of beautiful pictures and creative ideas. It is a book that will inspire you to redecorate your home a "La Mediterranea" or maybe even send you off on a trip to visit such magnificent places. I highly recommend anyone interested in Mediterranean design/decor to get this book, as it not only gives you ideas, but also some easy-to-follow steps on achieving certain effects as pictured. Thumbs up for this one.
Beautiful and Useful.......2002-05-26
I have the highest praise for this book and would recommend it to anyone who appreciates and wishes to decorate in the Mediterranean Style. I agree with another reviewer that many of the ideas can be easily and inexpensively implemented. The ingredients of style are all there, making it possible to create a Mediterranean atmosphere in just about any home or apartment.
Book Description
Brimming with affordable ideas for interior design and decoration, "Style on a Budget" provides all the information and inspiration you need to create a beautiful home with cash to spare.
Customer Reviews:
Decorating with Dirty Shoes.......2006-03-18
I was looking for a book with inspirational pictures of rooms that would be accessible, clever and plenty of fodder for thought. THIS book has at least two pictures of dirty old shoes plopped on dirty tile or stacked onto an utilitarian steel rack as an example of "style." Style to whom? I don't want to decorate with shoes.
I have found books on decorating to be either stuck on some weird aesthetic -- like this book's fascination with putting everyday items on display in dirty or messy surroundings -- or to be too focused on architectural detail instead of the decorating itself. The reality is that my house is of new construction and looks frighteningly like other people's houses and it is almost devoid of the type of architectural detail lauded in such books. What am I supposed to do? Tear down a wall? That's not decorating to me, that's construction.
Sometimes these books can redeem themselves by offering interesting commentary that can spark good ideas, but, not in this case.
Do not waste your money unless you are interested in decorating with your worn out sneakers.
Not one of my favorites...........2006-02-12
The book may appeal to someone with cheap tastes but for me to many of the examples were cluttered and to 'cute'. Or maybe I was simply looking for a book that had more style, or a book that would be more California or NYC friendly.
The initial photographs on each new chapter pages whet my appetite and made me assume that what would follow would be more of the same, but alas I would turn the page and be met with more cheap style ideas, if one can even use the word style. The books cover suggests a book that has style and a zen mode, but is far from either for me. The majority of rooms in the photographs in the book are more cluttered and cute.
Anyone for Making Felt Out of Old Wool?.......2004-01-05
Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This is the Place
It is my belief that this book would be most useful for those decorating a first apartment, a loft, a very small house, or a second home but certainly this book will spark anyone's imagination.
The authors offer ideas won't bust a budget for fabrics, window treatments, storage, flooring and other materials for the home. They include suggestions for finding treasures in unlikely places and making do with inexpensive materials from places like Pottery Barn, Pier One Imports and flea markets. Resources such as these are included, and picture credits are given.
All in all, Style on a Budget will not disappoint.
(Carolyn Howard-Johnson's first novel, This is the Place, has won eight awards.Her second book, Harkening, has won three.)
Customer Reviews:
Just Relax.......2004-05-07
Mary Hood, the author of ""The Relaxed Home School has a PhD in Education and is a popular workshop speaker and editor of a newsletter with the same name as her book's title. At the time the book was released (5 years ago), she had been home schooling for 12 years, I was interested in reading her book because she and her family reside in Georgia, as I currently do, and I thought that would give me more insight into home schooling in my state.
The author's point introduces a middle ground or "third approach" to what were the current home schooling styles, having too much or too little structure. I can identify with this approach because I like the idea of un-schooling, (allowing the child to explore and learn on their own), but I fear that in my families quest for excellence, important lessons would go left unlearned. At the same time, I don't see the point of home schooling if one is going to duplicate a classroom setting.
The book is written from Mary Hood's point of view, and in a style that is second nature to her and her family. From the front cover to the table of contents to each chapter introduction, at first glance you would think this book was a review on the theatre. The hood family is heavily in the fine arts, with artists, musicians and actors in their family. "In their spare time, they enjoy participating in community theatre and playing music together." The table of contents is the first clue that portrays how theatre is second nature in this family. It is as follows:
Introduction: this chapter explains her point of view of using the middle ground approach versus the two possible extreme styles
The production Crew: Discusses how a play the family in participating in is still surviving in spite of the producer's hospitalization. It goes on to correlate and parallel how a well-run family home school should mirror this kind of structure where everyone understands their roles and works together cooperatively for a successful performance.
Writing the Script: This chapter correlates the writing of a Script with a home school's Philosophy of education. Such a philosophy would include a family's worldview, their ideas about learning, and their goals, including goals for each child, methods, and materials.
Setting the Stage: This chapter compares the stage manager to the mother or person who is actually doing the teaching. It discusses emotional preparedness, temporal preparedness (time-related), and physical organization (household management)
Act I. Natural Literacy: This chapter suggests an absurdness of every child learning to read and write on the same timetable. There is no theatre comparison here, but an imaginary example of what would happen if the school system were in charge of teaching children to speak as well.
Act II. A Living Curriculum: This chapter discussed the different subjects like science, math and the arts and the relaxed way to go about teaching these subjects. The Ms. Hood suggests using a living curriculum "that does not break the real world into bits and pieces known as subject areas". Rather she suggests that curriculum be allowed to "flow out of everyday life" revolving around current events and interests of family members.
On to Broadway! : With this chapter the author returns to comparing the theatre to home schooling. This chapter discusses a Childs future option in life. A child has to make a choice between preparing for future academics or a straight to career path. She does warn though that since she had not "graduated" a child at the point at which the book was written that her advice is to be take cautiously.
Answering the Critics: This chapter compares the morning after opening night reviews with the reviews home schoolers regularly face. It discussed how to prepare for such reviews by practicing for tests and keeping accurate records.
Postscript: No OBE for me: This final chapter of "The Relaxed Home School", departs from the subject of home school and briefly explains the authors feelings on Outcome Based Education initiative that are becoming the standards in schools today. It suggests that OBE is an affront to traditional values and "is going to be one f the biggest fights that we have ever witnessed in the educational area". This chapter is strictly her opinion, and too short to prove her claims that the government is attempting to take over teaching of morality to our children. However I do agree with her that such a morality would be purely subjective and dangerous, and that we should all do our homework, and look into it as she suggests.
"The Relaxed Homes School, written in 1997 is not the most up to date home schooling book one can currently find. Many home school styles have been introduced since the publication of Ms. Hood's book, but most methods with their fancy names and methodologies fall somewhere between the two extremes just as this book suggests. Being only 99 pages long, this is the perfect book to pass on to those curious about the average home school experience. This will be the book that I give to my husband to read so that we can begin to develop our plans of actions and discuss our respective goals.
Though the book is outdated, there is updated information by and about this author at her website relaxedhomeschool.com, and her newsletter the "The Relaxed Home School"
Before I read this book, I felt a bit conflicted and compelled to choose a learning style. Now I feel a little more relaxed (un-intentional pun) about the whole situation, but I am still looking for some true examples of after home schooling success, which no book, including this one, has been able to show me up to date.
Good summary of relaxed homeschooling at its best.......2000-03-18
Mary Hood's book encouraged me in my family's journey of delight driven learning. For anyone stuck in the "school at home" method or anyone needing encouragement in unschooling, this is the book for you.
Average customer rating:
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Address Book: Relaxed Home
Manufacturer: Ryland Peters & Small Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound
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ASIN: 1841721387 |
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- Lovely colors & Fresh style of home decorating
- Largely unpractical
- Buyer beware!
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The Relaxed Home
Atlanta Bartlett
Manufacturer: Ryland Peters & Small
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 184172310X |
Book Description
Atlanta Bartlett shows you how to create a relaxed ambience in every room in your home. Relaxed Simplicity is a softened, pared-down look; Relaxed Romantic gives pretty floral fabrics a fresh new feel. Those who crave the unashamedly sensual will love Relaxed Sensuality, while glamour aficionados will love Relaxed Elegance. And if you can't stop collecting, Relaxed Eclectic will show you how your treasures can look truly chic. --This text refers to the Paperback edition. About the Author Atlanta Bartlett is a leading stylist whose hallmark is her relaxed and accessible apporoach to interior decoration. She contributes to a number of publications, including Red, Harper and Queen, Homes and Gardens, and Marie Claire. She also numbers Harrods, Habitat, and Laura Ashley among her clients. Polly Wreford is a well known lifestyle and interiors photographer whose work appears in many prestigious magazines, including Homes and Gardens and Red. She is also regular
Customer Reviews:
Lovely colors & Fresh style of home decorating.......2003-06-16
I just bought this book yesterday, after thumbing through all the pages at the bookstore. I can see why the previous readers were disappointed with the book; this book doesn't contain much information or tips that you don't already know.
But the reason I bought this book, is because the photos were so lovely and "relaxed". I loved all the colors and palettes that were used. For me it was a really "tasteful" book, a style reference if you like. I think this book should be enjoyed more as a photography book, rather than a serious interior decorating project workbook.
I personally appreciated the lightness in approach to home decoration. I also liked the keywords "relaxed comfortable", "relaxed eclectic" and "relaxed elegant" and so on. I'm a 20 something art director, so I appreciated the prettiness and fresh colors used throughout the book, but I don't think I'd have bought this book if I were in my 30s.
The author suggests little things like hanging your floral print dress that you love on the wall for decorative effect, or placing a bunch of candles in the fireplace that is not used, and using decorative fabric to inject unique personalities in your room. As you can see, all of these are things anyone can do, but I just liked the way she presented these in such a pleasing visual presentation. I also loved her use of modern and old furniture (although sometimes a bit too shabby), together with ethnic prints - for me it is like East meets West in the most pleasing way possible.
I can't say this book is for everyone, but this book is what it is, and I happen to love it just as it is. I'm giving it 4 stars because I think this book would have benefited from a few quotations here and there to go with the photographs. I would like to thank the author for putting this book together; I want to bring some of that relaxed, comfortable, yet fresh feeling into my little home, and also into my wardrobe! Reading this book, I feel inspired to dress in this "relaxed, comfortable" way too.
Largely unpractical.......2003-03-25
I was disappointed. Interiors like these are for the most part unliveable, both because they are very limited in elements (60's or industrial, and some ethnics and florals) and unpractical. They also seem very contrived. No children in these rooms, please. And no pets either. For all the "relaxed" motto, I rather think these interiors would take more to upkeep than more traditional ones.
Buyer beware!.......2003-01-24
If you already own "The Comforts of Home" by Atlanta Bartlett, don't buy this book - because it's the same book!! I can't imagine why they would change the title, but the two books are identical.
Amazon.com
We all want true relaxation when we come home--a place to put our feet up, close our eyes, and ignore the world outside. Too often, the "stuff" of day-to-day living interferes with that relaxation, but Atlanta Bartlett is determined to help us all create a personal space where comfort and peace are the focal points. In The Comforts of Home, the gorgeous photos, specific suggestions, and unique styles work together to get you started creating a special haven. Five different decorating styles are highlighted. Whether your taste runs to elegant or eclectic, you're sure to find one that resonates. Bartlett encourages the use of color on walls and ceilings as a focal point--when walls are a delicate blue or pale pink, additional art becomes unnecessary. Unusual uses for items are also encouraged: a bright sari drapes a bedroom window to beautiful effect, while plain and chunky glass tumblers work nicely as vases. Collections of beloved items are shown off to advantage in settings such as wide staircases, kitchen walls, and fireplace mantles. Neutral colors are enhanced with a variety of textures like velvet, leather, satin, rough concrete, and sheepskin to present a living room that combines luxury and simplicity. For every room in the house, Bartlett shows that "less is more" when the "less" has special qualities and sentimental value. With a cozy blanket, family photos, and your favorite chair arranged in front of a sunny window, you may find it difficult to do anything but relax! --Jill Lightner
Book Description
The Comforts of Home offers the inspiration you need to stamp your own style on your surroundings, to showcase your personal taste and so create a relaxed, welcoming environment in every room of your home--and even in your garden!
Taking you through the home room by room and out onto patios and terraces, Atlanta Bartlett shows--in five unique chapters--how to introduce a comfortable look. "Relaxed Simplicity" explains how to soften and update a stark, cool interior by adding bright splashes of color, interesting textural effects and clean, curving lines. Pretty floral fabrics make a subtle comeback in the "Relaxed Romantic" chapter. Used sparingly and combined with pale, uncluttered interiors, these fabrics add a fresh new feel to any room. Those who crave the unashamedly sensuous-embroidered silks and satins or crisp cotton sheets--will love "Relaxed Sensuality," while glamour aficionados who long to surround themselves with elegance will revel in the fin-de-siecle carved wooden mirrors and crystal in "Relaxed Elegance." And if you can't stop collecting-junk shop finds, holiday mementos, beautiful antique clothing--"Relaxed Eclectic" will show you how your treasures can become the inspiration for a truly chic interior.
Full of achievable, affordable decorating ideas, The Comforts of Home provides ideas for an enjoyable retreat no matter what your style preferences--a haven that is a restorative for all the senses.
Customer Reviews:
Uncluttered Romantic Style.......2005-11-11
I love romantic, cottage country style decorating. But usually associate it with with an over-abundance of Stuff. On the other hand I found the minimalist style overly cold and too contemporary and modern for my tastes.
This book takes the best of both styles...the romantic, soft look of the one...and the uncluttered, open spaces of the other...and blends them together. Creating a pleasing fusion of what I would have thought were two incompatible styles.
It's wonderful to see that uncluttered and open spaces don't have to look cold and barren, but can be soft, elegant, and romantic instead.
Looking through this book inspires me to unclutter my home and create open spaces that are more suitable to the life I am trying to live.
My kind of romantic.......2002-04-27
I enjoyed this book because it appealed to my sense of style. I love modern decoration and variations on it also (ie modern country,cottage,ethnic, etc) and this did a very good job of adding a romantic feel without it being fussy. Great pictures and wonderful ideas. A-
Not what the title suggests.......2002-02-27
I give this book 3 stars for lovely photography. But it does not contain many real-world decorating tips and certainly not those in what I would call the romantic style, as the cover claims.
Mostly, it is about how to inject a little color and freshness into extremely minimalist and modern rooms. The author does this by using things like a pair of glittery shoes on an old stairway. She's also found of huge gilt mirrors leaned on walls and dressmaker's dummies.
The pages are beautiful, but the ideas are not practical. And with the cold minimalist backdrops, not what I would consider romantic either.
It's an interesting read, if you like interior design, but the style is not very accessible. It is nothing like Shabby Chic or Cottage. I found it pretentious, impractical, and not at all relaxed.
The contents do not seem to go with the title.......2001-12-21
The book promised me comfort. What I see are very chilly rooms in cool whites and pastels. Nothing comfortable and snuggly here. And there is a lot of repetition in terms of the rooms shown. Also no ideas that I can use. Big waste of money.
The sames photos everywhere!.......2001-08-30
I was known that it would not be a decorating book -- but I was expecting a lot of inspiration to make my home an enviroment of peace and relaxing. And, finally, I was upset and disappointed. I think the author registered only one house's interior -- the same furniture, rooms in different angles every page. There was a pair of pink shoes that appeared three times in different positions, as if their owner was relaxing in same place of this house! Three times! Maybe the photographer wanted to use all the pictures he took, without editing the material very well. I felt the I lost money and time. Sorry.
Average customer rating:
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Family Handyman Relaxed Living Home Plans: Over 300 Home Plans with Casual Style (The Family Handyman)
Family Handyman Magazine Editors
Manufacturer: Readers Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0762106336 |
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Relaxed Home Compact
Atlanta Bartlett
Manufacturer: RYLAND PETERS & SMAL
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1845970926 |
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Relaxed Home: Address Book (Paperstyle Stationary)
Small
Manufacturer: Ryland Peters & Small
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound
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ASIN: 1841723703 |
Book Description
These gorgeous, elegant address books are spiral-bound to lie flat when in use and feature smart cloth quarter-binding. Each address book includes vibrant colour photographs that illustrate themes ranging from gorgeous homes and gardens to pampered pets.
Books:
- Vintage Quilts: Identifying, Collecting, Dating, Preserving & Valuing
- Warmachines No.4 : Israeli M4 Sherman and Derivatives
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- Warman's Jewelry (3rd Edition)
- Weaving Contemporary Rag Rugs: New Designs, Traditional Techniques
- Why Does My Rabbit . . . ? (Pet Care)
- Worldwide Creative Ojo Book
- Zen and the Art of Quilting: Exploring Memory and Meaning in Patchwork
- 88 Keys - The Making of a Steinway Piano
- ABC Go!: a Completely New Selection of Outstanding Children's Stories and Poems Compiled for Enrichment Reading By a Distinguished Editorial Board of Children's Librarians: Collier's Junior Classics Young Folks Shelf of Books Volume ONE (1962 Green Hardcover Edition, THIS BOOK AND THIS BOOK ONLY)
Books Index
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