Decorating Is Fun!: How to be Your Own Decorator

by Dorothy Draper

This is a book about how to have a good time decorating. - Dorothy Draper After being out of print for more than sixty years, Decorating Is Fun! is finally being reissued with its original illustrations. Amazingly, the book which was originally published in 1939 on the eve of World War II, is still practical, amusing, and inspirational. Draper's earnest enthusiasm feels fresh and contemporary. She believed that though there were troubles in the world, one's home should be a refuge, a cheerful place for entertaining one's friends and a colourful and comfortable shelter from the storm. Decorating Is Fun! is also a serious book about decorating that does not take itself too seriously.

Genres: Interior Design, Nonfiction, Design, Classics

274 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1939

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun read but not as much fun as her book on Entertaining. A few suggestions had me recoiling in horror (she suggests removing any stained glass windows you have and I adore stained glass), some had me laughing (her suggestion on wallpapering your ceilings), and others were great (suggestions on sizing lamps was very useful).

[Katiep · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun read and great inspiration for my decorating projects! The only advice I really found too outdated to be useful was the need to supply lovely boxes of cigarettes and ashtrays everywhere!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes delightfully outdated, sometimes hilariously outdated, sometimes painfully outdated -- but Draper's confidential, breezily encouraging tone is so enjoyable and energizing. She’s like an elderly relative who has no clue about anything in my life or my world but is just SO CONFIDENT I can do ANYTHING I set my mind to, I can’t help but love her (but would prefer not to talk to her about politics etc, probably).

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as completely delightful as her other book about entertaining, but this is very fun and packed with a lot of good tips. I was surprised at how much of the concepts are timeless, but definitely there is a lot that is just no longer in style. Can you imagine walking into a house where the owner has painted their beautiful wood floors glossy black?

[Audrey Selene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book because I really like Dorothy Draper’s Espana chests. She’s not afraid to voice her opinions alongside resourceful solutions. This makes sense since she made interior designer a real profession and founded a woman-owned business in the 1920s. As an interesting side effect, I got to learn about life in the 1930s.

[Stephanie Toigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Dorothy Draper! She was not formally educated in design, but I feel like she wrote the rules. She was so successful in a male dominated profession! This book shares them! It is super practical and helpful. It is a lot of text and her describing her vision. I wish there were pictures with it, but other than that it is pivotal for the design world.

[Alix · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book years ago, after staying in a hotel decorated by a Dorthy Draper devotee, and have picked it up from time to time. Well, I finally got serious and read the whole thing. It is less a book about how to as it is a combination of practical advise and flights of fancy that I really enjoyed.

For a book published in 1939, it is interesting to read of style trends that have come back around (a few times).

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the middle of this witty "how to" book by Dorothy Draper (originally published in 1939). Ms. Draper decorated the Greenbrier in WV and had a vibrant, bold style. Interesting to note how home decorating styles have -- and haven't -- changed over time.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is an oldie, but classic goodie. Some decorating ideas are dated, but many of Dorothy Draper's tips and suggestions are timeless. Wish I had know about this book much earlier.