I recently bought the New Decorating Book by Better Homes and Gardens.   I had set out to just pick up a fresh new magazine for some inspiration and then stumbled into it in the interior design area of the store.  It was on sale for $15 which seemed like a good deal, especially when I considered that one magazine costs about $5 and this book has over 300 pages with absolutely no advertisements.

The truth is, I’m quite happy with my purchase.  I pored over it from cover to cover when I first bought it and since then I’ve browsed the pages every now and again.  Each time, something different catches my eye.  There’s no groundbreaking design to be found in the book but it is chock-full of tips and tricks that, in true Better Homes form, one can easily incorporate to make a room look and feel both stylish and personalized.

From front to back it’s full of beautiful photographs.  They did a great job of showing rooms filled with color and I love how, no matter the style, they all look inviting and livable, not just styled for publication.  There are also a few pages of before and after photos complete with pointers for fixing common flaws.

Here are some photos of a few pages of the book, just to give you an idea of the variety inside.

There are design lessons, color palettes, home tours, simple DIY projects, and so much more.  Everything is affordable and accessible which, for me, is a great part of its appeal.