Confession: I don’t own a lot of decorating books. I’ve never cracked open the cover of the Nate Berkus book. My eyes haven’t seen inside that famous Domino decorating book. I’m just not a decorating book reader. I’m more of a magazine kinda girl.
BUT…
I love the Pottery Barn books.
Have you read them? They are chock full of eye candy…and really teach decorating vs. saying this-is-where-we-got-it-good-luck.
I already own the ones pictured above (Outdoor Spaces
Pottery Barn Storage & Display
And this one
So tell me, is there a must-have decorating book that I am totally missing out on? Do you have a favorite? Is it Pottery Barn books or are the catalogs totally enough for you? I know I stash those suckers like crack. Just call me Whitney-Lindsay-Sheen-Downey Jr.
p.s. are you as excited as I am about YHL‘s book in the works? Yeah…I am totally gonna buy like thirty of ’em and have Sherry sign em (I’ll hold a ceramic animal hostage to encourage good penmanship) and then sell them on ebay. I’m gonna be RICH!
Ha! Sherry will sign away if you hold her ceramic animals hostage :-O
I don’t have decorating books because – get this!!! – I have 10 million blogs to read. And that’s more fun than anything!
Happy Mother’s Day!
Mary
Redo 101
I have the Domino book and it’s awesome. I’ll have to look into those used PB ones…
I only have one…The Nest Home Design Handbook. But I’ve referred to it lots and even discussed ideas with friends while using it as a reference. Oh, and my stack of Domino magazines.
I don’t have any decorating books either. I’m with Mary…I have too many blogs to read for inspiration (including your blog) which I am totally obsessed with! Like seriously needtogetprofessionalhelpwith obsessed. Haha.
Ok, so totally off topic but, have you seen this? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SSVZLW/ref=s9_simh_gw_p21_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=0JM3FKH6WJHAGH3YCH1W&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938811&pf_rd_i=507846
I’m sure you have, but I have to say it totally reminded me of you when I saw it. HAHA.
Happy Mother’s day, KB!
Oh great, just what my crowded shelves needed – MORE good book suggestions :-).
I don’t own any either. Maybe i’ll just keep my decorating-book virginity for the YHL book!
I have to agree. I like to browse decor books and soak up the free A/C at Barnes & Noble when it’s 110 degrees outside. The internet is just *filled* with an everlasting supply of decor inspiration.
I luhove my PB decorating books, too. I save the catalogs and look at them over and over for ideas.
PS: I forgot to mention that I WILL be buying a YHL decor book… and if you had signed copies, I would fork over a pallet load of bacon as payment.
I never knew PB had books! Where have I been?! Under a rock?! Gee whiz.
I do have the Domino book but honestly, I bought it new and I barely look at it because I don’t want it to get messed up.
I’ll definitely buy a YHL book. I hope they go on tour so I can geek out and get a pic/signed copy from them! A Bower Power book would just make my year!
Pottery Barn also has one called “Pottery Barn Photos.” It will NOT disappoint you!!!! It has fabulous ideas for hanging and decorating with photos. I am with you on the “Outdoor Spaces” book. I found it on a bargain table. LOVE IT!
PSST! I don’t know if there’s a Tuesday Morning near you, but I found some of the PB books for $7 a pop at there one here in Athens a few weeks ago =)
Haha – I’ve never seen the inside of that Domino book either 🙂 I do have the Nate book – but I’ll be honest while I love him (and his show) I bought the book because the hardback cover has a really cool design on it and looks great on my coffee table. Yeah- I took the paper back off 🙂 I always buy used as well. I only have one of those PB books – I think it’s called photography and it’s all about gallery walls. I’d love a copy of Undecorate. Thanks for the tip – I may need to pick up a few more of those PB books.
Gosh…they say everyone has a twin out there and I think your my twin!!! As soon as a read this post I ran to show my husband that I am not the only one that hoards PB catalogs! Gosh I feel so much better about myself!! I swear that I cannot walk through the mall without picking some up!!! I have like 2 bins full in the basement!! Are there anymore of us out there?? We should form a meeting…..”hi my name is Joanna and I’m addicted to all things PB!-“Hi Joanna”! Ha! Ive definitely checked out most of the books from the library a few times over! Love them all! I’m excited about yhl’s book too!! BTW….where to you stash all your catalogs?
I will totally buy the YHL book when it comes out. I will also trade bacon for one of the signed copies that you score. I’m also an internet kind of girl (especially with pintrest), but I do enjoy magazines. I guess I know what I want to get my mom for mothers day though…she needs a PB book for me to borrow!
STFU! Pottery Barn has BOOKS!? I hoard their magazines too!
WHAT? YHL is having a book come out? How in the world did I miss that when I hang on to every word they write when I’m reading their 2 posts a day!!!!
Where did they announce it?
Hold the phones- What am I missing? A YHL book?!!?
Such pretty books! I’ll have to peak through them at the bookstore sometime, can you get them in a store or just at PB?? And for those of you who haven’t heard about the Petersik’s book deal…this post might catch you up:
http://www.younghouselove.com/2011/03/newspaper-some-big-paper-news/
That’s exactly what I was thinking……..a bower power book would be awesome!
Katie, I have the pb kids room book and just put it in my goodwill pile. It’s a good one, I ‘m just trying to declutter. I’d be happy to mail it to you. I know it’s kinda random but consider it my “spread some kindness” dead for the day. Email me if u are interested.
Okay make that my good ‘deed’ …
It’s still in the works…but be assured I’ll be bragging on my BFF when it comes out 🙂
xo – kb
Haha! For some reason car fresheners remind me of people rubbing them on their shirt for the scent…which reminds me of that old superbowl commercial – the one with the girl who colognes herself with Planters peanuts. Which is funny because I actually think that bacon smell would make boys come runnin!
xo – kb
Katie, do you have any top tips, either from the books or something that was inspired by the PB books? I love the casual, sophisticated rooms you put together, but I’m such a novice- I’d love some direction 🙂
Are YOU the one that just broke the news on John and Sherry’s book? Or maybe I just missed reading it on their blog!
Haha, thought I was the only one who missed that YHL post!
I have the Outdoor Spaces one and the Kids Rooms one – I love them both. But speaking of Kids, I would highly recommend Cool Spaces For Kids, which I found on Amazon here http://www.amazon.com/Cool-Spaces-Kids-Sam-Scarborough/dp/B002UXS084/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1304804798&sr=8-1
I can’t wait for YHL book to come out, I’ll be snapping it up for sure… and agree a Bower Power book would be awesome 🙂
I have the Outdoor Spaces one and the Kids Rooms one – I love them both, and bought them both used too. But speaking of Kids, I would highly recommend Cool Spaces For Kids, which I found on Amazon here http://www.amazon.com/Cool-Spaces-Kids-Sam-Scarborough/dp/B002UXS084/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1304804798&sr=8-1
It has heaps of good ideas for fun little places you can create for your kids to play and read… I’ve used quite a bit from this book for my 3 year old boy – fishing with magnets, special cubby for over the table (I’m still to make the proper one) and a back yard tent out of sheets so far! Great ideas I was just too tired to think of on my own!! Lol
I can’t wait for YHL book to come out, I’ll be snapping it up for sure… and agree a Bower Power book would be awesome 🙂 Its hard to get Pottery Barn books here in Australia, or expensive to have them shipped here anyways… but I’ll keep searching for bargains!
I love the Pottery Barn books! I have almost all of them, and Outdoor Spaces is my fave, too. I think the workspaces on your list is just an old edition (or a newer one) of the one in your stack, but I could be wrong.
The only other decorating books I have are some Better Homes & Gardens ones I bought on clearance from Barnes&Noble and one my mom bought me for my birthday. There are a TON on my Amazon Wish List though, most notable AT’s Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces.
Yep. Those are my references, too! Love The Nest and I have Domino’s book, too. Love looking through them for inspiration.
I don’t own a lot of decor books either, but I do have the Domino Book of Decorating and love it! I have to agree that I like magazines more. They seem more up to date and I don’t mind ripping out pages!
Seeing as how I love flipping and re-flipping through PB catalogs, I may have to peruse Amazon for one or more of these!
I didn’t even know Pottery Barn had their own decorating books! I could stare at the PB catalog for days. I am the proud owner of 1 Nate Berkus book and that famous Domino book of decorating. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE them.
I didn’t even realize that there were pottery barn decorating books! Thanks for the heads up!
I am totally a magazine reader as well–I have to read people magazine front to back weekly (totally addicted to celebrity gossip)! And as far as decorating–I hit the blogs!
Lori
http://www.wom-mom.com
This is so funny that you posted this … I just bought 9, count ’em 9 Pottery Barn Books off of Craigslist last week, along with 3 Pottery Barn feather pillow inserts for $50. My mom thought I was crazy for wanting PB Books, now I’m gonna show her this post and say see Ma? This crazy girl I always talk about her blog says she likes them too, as if that’ll make all the sense in the world 🙂 Don’t be too jealous but the Kids’ Room & Storage/Display books were in my loot as well, love them 🙂
I forgot to mention that I took the Living Room one with me last week when I took my little guy to an indoor bounce house on a rainy day … other moms were reading their magazines and I’m the dork carrying around a heavy hardback PB book while hollering at Noah for going up the slide 🙂
I don’t own any decorating books either, maybe one. They are not always cheap and I would rather spend that $20+ on something I can turn into a light fixture or curtains or a bucket of paint or a bucket of original chicken from KFC. I will say, nice find on the secondhand score!
No see post above someone linked it. It was a while ago.
http://www.younghouselove.com/2011/03/newspaper-some-big-paper-news/