Room Rescues: Decorating Solutions for Awkward Spaces. Jane Burdon

by Jane Burdon

If you're like most of us, you have at least one room in your house that's too dark, small, or narrow or whose style seems bland or dated. "Room Rescues" offers simple and effective ways to make the most of every room regardless of its imperfecton. In each chapter, Jane Burdon tackles a different type of challenge in the same practical way. Start by studying the Golden Rules about decorating choices and use of space and then review the fully-illustrated solutions pages to see numerous creative decorating remedies from real homes. Next, consult the Decorations Palettes for suggestions for colour schemes, patterns, and styles and the Combinations section to see how to mix and match solutions when dealing with a room that has more than one trouble spot.

128 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2005

Reviews

[Amberwench · Rating 4 out of 5]

Addresses some of the most common issues- high or short ceilings, odd angles, poor lighting- and fixes both high and low tech. Some suggestions are a bit too high end for me (add a skylight?!), some can be DIY for anyone with a tape measure and willingness to get creative. Many good ideas delivered in small snippets, and more shown in the pictures but not addressed in print, this book is great for those who want to give their home a functional, if maybe quirky, comfort.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the photos in this book. Once again, it was a decorating book that suggested things such as tearing down walls or putting in skylights, which are beyond my capacity as a renter. But it was more helpful than most, offering suggestions such as paint color, furniture placement, and lighting solutions for a variety of problems. The chart in the back, suggesting remedies for rooms with more than one problem, is particularly helpful.

I liked the chapter near the end about making a place "your own." It suggests buying things that you love, rather than buying things because they go with your existing decor, which jives with my personal decorating philosophy. The book also suggests decorating a room in "layers" rather than all at once--gradually adding and changing elements until it has the feel that you like, rather than trying to decorate or redecorate all in one go. For those of us who don't have the budget for a complete overhaul, this advice is refreshing. It also makes sense for those who are at a loss about where to start: start by weeding things you don't like and replacing them with things you love, and your home will gradually become more of a reflection of yourself.

I'm surprised this book doesn't have more reviews on Goodreads. The photographs are beautiful and the advice is helpful. Best of all, I think, is that it provides advice for a variety of decorating styles. You can take the principles in this book and apply them to your own style, whether it's modern, traditional, romantic, spartan, or whatever.

[Martha]

lovely photos