A new book, "Room Redux," by designers Sheran James and Joann Eckstut, sets down the basic principles of home decorating in a way even the least visually minded folks can understand. It's useful whether you're dealing with a brand-new house or just a room that needs sprucing up.
The colorful book is full of illustrations that help you visualize lighting arrangements, upholstery fabrics or architectural details that could change a room completely.
Check-off lists and questionnaires in the beginning of each chapter help you determine your priorities whether a room needs a to be completely revamped or if you can build on the design elements you already have.
An especially fun part of the book has punch-out-furniture templates in a variety of dimensions. You first draw our a model of your home's layout on graph paper and then punch out templates that match your own furniture measurements. At that point you can arrange furniture and rearrange it until you get it just right without hurting your back.
It seems there's always something more you can do for your house. Of course, you can hire an interior decorator if you have the money, but why not learn the practice yourself and go from there?
A new book, "Room Redux, " by designers Sheran James and Joann Eckstut, sets down the basic principles of home decorating in a way even the least visually minded folks can understand. It's useful whether you're dealing with a brand-new house or just a room that needs sprucing up.
The colorful book is full of illustrations that help you visualize lighting arrangements, upholstery fabrics or architectural details that could change a room completely.
Check-off lists and questionnaires in the beginning of each chapter help you determine your priorities whether a room needs a to be completely revamped or if you can build on the design elements you already have.
An especially fun part of the book has punch-out-furniture templates in a variety of dimensions. You first draw our a model of your home's layout on graph paper and then punch out templates that match your own furniture measurements. At that point you can arrange furniture and rearrange it until you get it just right without hurting your back.
It seems there's always something more you can do for your house. Of course, you can hire an interior decorator if you have the money, but why not learn the practice yourself and go from there?
A new book, Room Redux, by designers Sheran James and Joann Eckstut, sets down the basic principles of home decorating in a way even the least visually minded folks can understand. It's useful whether you're dealing with a brand-new house or just a room that needs sprucing up.
The colorful book is full of illustrations that help you visualize lighting arrangements, upholstery fabrics or architectural details that could change a room completely.
Check-off lists and questionnaires in the beginning of each chapter help you determine your priorities whether a room needs a to be completely revamped or if you can build on the design elements you already have.
An especially fun part of the book has punch-out-furniture templates in a variety of dimensions. You first draw our a model of your home's layout on graph paper and then punch out templates that match your own furniture measurements. At that point you can arrange furniture and rearrange it until you get it just right without hurting your back.
Sheran James teamed up with Joann Eckstut to form Room Redux, a do-it-yourself design firm that has been featured in the New York Times, Metropolitan Home, and elsewhere. She lives in New York.