HOME & GARDEN

Designing Rooms with Joie de Vivre: A Fresh Take on Classic Style

by Amanda Reynal
Abrams. Oct. 2023. 256p. ISBN 9781419765667. $40. INTERIOR DESIGN
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Reynal, an Iowa-based interior designer with nearly 30 years of experience, shares her tips for creating rooms that are classic, joyful, and comfortable. The book showcases her work in chapters with titles like “Creating Wow Moments: Pushing the Envelope” and “Turning Practical into Stunning.” The title is jam-packed with practical design ideas that are spotlighted in numerous color photos, all of which illustrate how layering color and texture can impact a room’s feel in a significant way. It is useful information, but there’s not much here that hasn’t been covered in similar titles. Unfortunately, the book’s tips are distributed in a somewhat unorganized and haphazard way, instead of being categorized by type of room or design element.
VERDICT Features attractive photos and solid ideas, but doesn’t offer many fresh takes on design.
Reviewed by Eva Mitnick , Oct 01, 2023
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