[.uk] Shabby Chic

Good info:
I've find the information in the book (text) very useful in creating a soothing, unfussy, shabby environment at home. However I was expecting it to be the otherway around; I thought there'll be beautiful photographs in the book and the text just going to state the obvious... I was expecting more photos of the 'typical shabby' look (white walls, furniture, crystals, pinks, pastel colors, etc.) Instead you'll find a little bit of this and a little bit of that of varous styles mixed with shabby chic(traditional, modern and just a few of that typical romantic style)...so I am a little disapointed about that but on the whole, this book is o.k.

Great starter book:
This book will introduce you to Rachel's concepts. It's a good place to start. I enjoyed it more than some of her more recent books.

Pretty but useless book; bathroom reading:
This is one of those books that is great to flip through in a bookstore or friend's house but never buy. And I am quite a fan of Shabby Chic and Rachel Ashwell. So if you don't even like her stuff, nothing in this book will sustain your interest. There is not much copy to read, her "tips" are very generic or just off-the-mark (she says it's ok to buy termite-ridden antiques because "a simple commercially available spray" gets rid of termites - somehow I don't see many women attempting this), and the book is mostly photos. While pretty, the photos are sourced from the same few celebrity homes she knows, so one feels a bit shortchanged.

The "Shcbby Chic" home design:
This book protrayed the essence of the Shabby Chic home decoration. It has a good balance between the written word and photographs. I did enjoy the book and got a lot of ideas from it.

A total joy!:
This was the first book I bought when I closed on my country home. My style has always been contemporary and I wanted ideas for decorating a turn of the century farmhouse. This and Shabby Chic Home is to decorating what Betty Crocker is to cooking. You will never go hungry again!:)