The Big-Ass Book of Home Décor: More than 100 Inventive Projects for Cool Homes Like Yours

by Mark Montano, Auxy Espinoza (Photographer)

You have a problem. Your current home “décor” is ugly, shabby, and boring, but you can’t afford lots of new stuff. Or maybe your house is filled with tired old junk that you just can’t bear to throw away. Or maybe you bought all your furniture at a big box store, but it irritates you that it all looks like you bought it there.
 
You have a solution—or, rather, a whole houseful of solutions. In this newest Big-Ass Book, do-it-yourself guru Mark Montano presents 105 practical, simple, and decidedly unboring projects for every space in your home. Montano’s wizardry—accomplished with masking tape, spray paint, and glue—transforms everything from accessories, to walls and windows, to lighting, to major pieces like headboards, tables, dressers, and chairs. (And there’s even a chapter on turning the anonymous items you got at IKEA into one-of-a-kind treasures.)

Genres: Crafts, Nonfiction, Reference, Design, Art, How To

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Ligaya · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think I've read all of Mark Montano's Big-Ass books and this one is decidedly upscale, which isn't saying much because a lot of the projects still look tacky and cheap. Relies heavily on hot glue and spray paint... There's inspiration to be had here, for sure, but his finished projects don't look very high end - and I firmly believe things can be hand-crafted AND expensive-looking.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though Mark Montano has some questionable taste in about half of the projects included in this book, I still found quite a few good ideas for some projects I'd like to do around my own house. Most of the projects are pretty affordable and easy to do yourself, so that's a definite plus. Mark emphasizes re-purposing old items found either at secondhand shops or in the back of your closet or shed, so that's really nice for folks on a budget like myself. I really liked all the ideas he had for how to jazz up and customize clear glass plates that can apparently be found at dollar stores (hopefully my local dollar stores sell them). I also want to try to make the cast-plaster candle holder made out of a plastic plant holder. There are some cool resources in the back of the book too like templates (for the cute birdcage pillow, for example) and a list of stuff to keep on hand for future projects and a list of vendors and websites that Mark likes to use. Now if only I could somehow pin the ideas I actually like and want to do from this book to my DIY board on Pinterest. Hmm...

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, this is a book I perused more than read cover-to-cover, but it still counts. I found a lot of great ideas and now that I have a sewing machine, I need to attempt a few. First, I have to open the box that the sewing machine is currently existing. :O

[ATZ DECOR · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Mills · Rating 1 out of 5]

Look, I like Montano's attitude that there can be beauty in imperfection. I love the sound of his Aunt Ginny. What I do not like is his style. There were exactly three projects in this book that I might consider doing:

- buying an old coffee table, painting the legs a bright colour and adding a glass top
- creating a succulent out of fabric (I actually have some felt ones I made already because god knows I cannot keep an actual plant alive)
- decorating drawer knobs

The rest are an acquired taste that I, well, have not acquired.

[Sarah Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall the writing and instructions on how to do the projects were good. There is also a lot of pictures which I really like in these types of books. Really the reason I marked down one was because I agree with other posters that some projects were tacky, however it's personal preference and I did find some things in there that I did enjoy and would like to make and a few I thought their version was ugly but I could tweak it to make it fit my tastes and décor.

[Violet Laflamme · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you've read the Big-Ass book of Crafts, also by Montano, you'll recognize the style of the projects in this book pretty quickly. There were a lot of repeats on the same thing, such as many different ways to do glass plates, but there were a lot of original ideas in here too. I'd say this book is definitely worth picking up for anyone who wants to get some good ideas for how to DIY a really unique space on a budget.

[Parkhill]

Decorate your best interiors with the help of this book. It has the best insight about sofa set for a small space and other exciting things interiors to make your best home.Also find good ideas about interiors here at this website.

[Bettina · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of these look cheap and tacky not inexpensive and kitschy. Not cute.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

DEFINITELY glad I borrowed this from the library instead of bought it! While I appreciate that all of the projects have really simple instructions & materials that are easy to find... the projects themselves just don't fit with my taste. To be totally honest, like a few of the other reviewers mentioned, I found most of the projects looked pretty tacky—granted, you can take almost anything in there and put your own spin on it (the lighting chapter has a couple cute chandelier ideas), but just paging though, I didn't see much that appealed to me.

My advice? Borrow this from a friend/the library rather than buy it, just to make sure it matches with your taste before it moves in with you.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I borrowed this from the library. I added it to my "to purchase" list on Goodreads when I saw all the reviews. I really must ask: are you blind?? Or just wildly uncreative? These projects are amazing. Like, ah-may-zing. There are a few that aren't my personal style, but they are still well-thought out. I mean, the hand stitched curtains, all of the dinnerware (especially the comic book plates), the aluminum sconce, the butterflies under glass, the decorative door knobs, the tea set, the pillows...I could keep going, but really, I'll tell you this book is for you if you like to think outside the box, and don't want your house to look like every other McMansion on the block. Can't wait to get my hands on the big-ass book of crafts.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, I saw in this book what a lot of people said about the author's "big ass book of crafts." A lot of the projects just look cheesy or tacky or both. I would not want most of them in my home. The only thing that caught my eye is the hand-stitched curtain panel on page 61, and I though I might actually make something similar, and I thank him for the inspiration, I will do it differently and use different materials. (Embroidery with regular yarn? Really?) Some projects are fine, just not my tastes, but others are really out there.

[Angelina Justice · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were exactly 4 things in the entire book that I would even think about doing. Most of the ideas were just too "out there" for me. My other big problem with the book is that it might just be them most "ungreen" decor book published in the past decade. Not only were there a plethora of chemicals used, but most of the "decor" would not last long. Short decor life usually equates to more "stuff" in out landfills.

[Melissa Wehunt · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is really cute stuff in this book, but most are things that I would never have any inclination to create. Let alone be able to use in a program-type setting. There was a few art crafts that I'd love to use in my home and a few lamp and upholstery projects that would be fun...but most were pretty well out of my league and/or not to my taste.

[Heather Pehnec · Rating 2 out of 5]

As the title suggests, some of the projects are pretty tacky. That said, some ideas are pretty cool like the butterfly doodle pillow and the Ikea-hacking projects. It's perfect for young folks starting out in a first apartment or house.

[Annette · Rating 2 out of 5]

While there were a few cute ideas in this book, most are so specific that the ideas cannot be applied in ways that are not exactly like the projects he used. Also, most are really garish and somewhat scary (as in, I and everyone I know would not ever want these things in our homes).

[Jennie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the use of colour and pattern are a little much for me but the idea of transformation is great.

With a little imagination these would be great to use for a new apartment, nursery or living room.

Great for new ideas.

[Lenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some really awesome looking projects in here; if only I knew how to sew or had the money to spend on supplies.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good ideas but nothing I actually wanted to make. I was expecting more re-purposed craft projects so I was disappointed. Still worth checking out of the library and flipping through.

[Little]

Fun and crafty home decor projects with an emphasis on spray paint.

[Manintheboat · Rating 2 out of 5]

It looks like you made it with your feet!

I would have gotten a 1, but it made me think about a piece of art I have been stuck on.

[LA Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Lots of fun projects.

[Elizabeth Olson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tons of good ideas and how-to's, enough to keep the creative juices flowing, and the projects coming, for months and months.

[Tanya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lots of crafts using day to day and ordinary things, just didn't see anything that sparked my creativity.

[Meleofa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just not my cup of tea.

[AJ]

There are a lot of projects in here that I would LOVE to do for the house but don't have the time right now.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were some really interesting ideas. But a lot of it was either too gaudy or too modern looking. The taste level was lacking.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found alot of thing that I would like to try, Some of them where a little tacky but all in all it was a good book

[Ramona Rice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of great ideas!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many crafts for the home with step-by-step instructions. I don't think I'll be trying any of them, though.