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At some point or another, we’ve all probably wondered: “But where do I put the couch?”
Well, home décor experts, authors and lifestyle bloggers Melissa Michaels (The Inspired Room) and KariAnne Wood (Thistlewood Farms) answer this question and much more in But Where Do I Put the Couch? And Answers to 100 Other Home Decorating Questions.
This is a home design book that’s not only ready for a coffee table closeup, since it’s filled with so many beautiful pictures, it’s also a practical, down-to-earth resource for home decorating enthusiasts of all stripes, from the novice to the seasoned pro and everyone else in between.
“Your house doesn’t need to look like it stepped straight out of a magazine. It just needs to look as though it stepped straight out of your heart. So decorate with confidence — and don’t allow anyone to tell you what to do.”
KariAnne Wood,
Co-Author,
But Where Do I Put The Couch?
The book contains a ton of sound design tips that can be revisited again and again as needed, but what really stands out is the authors’ sage advice to confidently step to the beat of your own design drum and do what’s authentically you, when it comes to design and life.
“If you like wood stumps or neon plastic tables or exit signs or 50 clocks on a wall, and no one else agrees with your design choices — design it anyway,” says Wood. “Your house doesn’t need to look like it stepped straight out of a magazine. It just needs to look as though it stepped straight out of your heart. So decorate with confidence — and don’t allow anyone to tell you what to do.”
Corralling The Couch
So how do they know where that couch goes?
“We know because during our 20-plus years of combined blogging, that question has surfaced more than a lint-covered quarter from beneath a sofa cushion,” say the authors.
And really, who can’t identify with finding a lint-covered quarter, among other things, underneath the couch cushions?
So continuing in that humorous, friendly and conversational style, Michaels and Wood answer a host of design questions posed by their blog readers, that include chapter titles such as:
- How Do I Choose Timely Over Trendy?
- How do I Single Out My Style?
- How Do I Own My Style While Renting?
- Are Kids And Neutrals Allowed To Coexist?
- How Can I Love My Kitchen Again?
- Any Encouragement For A Color Coward?
- Does A TV Have To Take Over A Room?
Tackling Junk Drawers And More
They also discuss how to tame clutter, tackle the proverbial junk drawer (which we have!), designing on a budget, paint terminology (such as matte, semi-gloss, eggshell, etc.), how to transform a bathroom into a spa and outline how to choose the right color tone from an array of grays.
And if you need advice on incorporating family photos into your home, they’ve got them.
“The heart of the home is the people who live in it, so preserving memories and telling stories matter more than any design trend,” says Michaels.
Decorating From The Heart
And where does the couch actually go?
The authors give several pointers on the subject, but advise that you start off by finding the room’s focal point. Then place the couch facing the wall with that focal point.
This is a decorating reference book that’s not only filled with loads of handy tips, it’s big on empathy as well.
In the words of KariAnne Wood: “Decorate from your heart, and let the rest take care of itself.”
Amen!
Check out last month’s review of children’s book How Big is Your Brave?
Stay tuned for July’s book review.
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