[.uk] Interior Transformations (ISBN 1906417121)

write a book to pay for your home redo:
was drawn in by the lovely living room on the cover. after going through book, found that most rooms and ideas were of the author's new home, which limited the number of ideas offered for those of us with different style homes. also,on closer inspection, curtain details, etc. were not especially orginial or inspirational. in all, the cover photo is the best thing about this book.

NOT for those interested in English Country House Decoration:
This book was surprisingly disappointing to me, a big fan of "English Country House" decorating, as illustrated in books by other Colefax and Fowler associates (Chester Jones, Roger Banks Pye). I bought the book on the strength of the author's Colefax and Fowler connection, only to find that the author is a designer at one of a number of subsidiaries of the corporate Colefax and Fowler Group, and apparently has never worked for the Colefax and Fowler design firm. As a result, her style is nothing at all like traditional Colefax and Fowler, with its period furniture, lush fabrics and liberal use of trimmings, antique accessories, paintings and engravings. If that is what you are looking for, don't buy this book. Instead, look for "Colefax and Fowler" by Chester Jones or "Interior Inspirations" by Roger Banks Pye.

Classic Simplicity:
This interior design book has a much lighter palette of colors, than say, Colefax & Fowler's Interior Inspirations (dark woods, old english country style). While the images seem deceptively simple, the juxtaposition of colors, neutrals and contrasts of textures packs a punch. There are lots of plaids, stripes, assorted ticking fabrics and some toile presented in this beautiful full color book (my favorite is the photograph of a blue and white eiderdown made from a contemporary print fabric, but bordered in an antique floral remnant, p.94). For anyone familiar with Katrin Cargill's books on swedish style and fabric decorating (Cargill's Fabrications book is the *perfect* companion to this volume - the use of fabrics are almost identical; Cargill's book is closer to a sewing sourcebook), Grafton and Cargill share the same design sensibilities; that style is inherently english. The book is also faintly reminiscent of the current Laura Ashley look. Perfect if you're looking to decorate your living quarters for the summer, or even year-round.

Three stars for content, five for style:
This is my favorite coffee table interior design book. I like to give it a flip-through when I need some ideas, or just want to look at some lovely interiors. It is not really a how-to book (there are no DIY projects included), so I give it three stars because of this. But I love Ann Grafton's ways with pattern and fabrics, and her refined, yet comfortable style.