The New Decorator - Hardcover

A home is more than a place to eat, sleep, and do the laundry: it can be a "calm haven in a hectic world," according to author Julia Barnard, "a state of being" that can be tailored to appeal to all five senses. Because we human beings experience the world around us through our senses, New Decorator devotes whole chapters to strategies for using space, light, color, surfaces, air, sound, and home comforts to create a home that's both sensuous and practical:

Remember that light and air are necessary for your well-being, and that a house must breathe to be healthy. Use color to set the tone of a room.... Choose natural and sustainable materials, such as bamboo and jute, and appreciate their surface texture and variation of color. Acknowledge that silence is sometimes golden, and buy appliances that have the quietest sound.

More than 500 color photos of such sensuous rooms show that this novel, commonsense approach to interior decorating can be realized with thoughtful decorating decisions. The beginning decorator will appreciate sections on such basics as combining primary and secondary colors, using light to create atmosphere and mood, and working with patterns. Do-it-yourself projects include a double-sided screen, rolled beeswax and pressed-flower candles, homegrown milk paint, and a leaf-printed wall, all of which give designers the chance to "enter into the give and take of homemaking." --Stefanie Durbin

An internationally famous designer and stylist, Julia Barnard is the author of DK's Soft Furnishings, part of the 101 Essential Tips Series. Nicholas Barnard is a widely traveled design consultant who has written several books on home decorating and folk art, including DK's The Complete Home Decorating Book.