I currently have 6 unread style and design books on my desk just waiting for me to dig into. My husband recently asked me “where are all of these coming from? Does the library have a steady stream of them?” Well, yes. Yes they do. And they are all making their way to our house. My ideal day would involve a coffee run, reading design books all morning, and then shopping and decorating all afternoon using the inspiration I gleaned from design books. So, yes it’s safe to say that I really like design books. I have reviewed several other design books, and you can find those reviews on the What I’m Reading page.
Today I’m going to share the 5 things I liked about the book Domino: The Book of Decorating (affiliate link) by Domino Editors Deborah Needleman, Sara Ruffin Costello and Dara Caponigro. This is the second book I’ve read by Deborah Needleman. The first is called The Perfectly Imperfect Home and I loved it so much that it now lives on my console table in my living room. I am also a big fan of Domino, and here’s why:
Beautiful Photography
I wish that I could show you how stunning the photographs are in this book, but I”m afraid that could be considered copyright infringement, so you are just going to have to go find a copy of the book for yourself. This book covers so many different styles, from dramatic and luxurious to classic and neutral. There is definitely something for everybody, and the book shows you how to mix and match styles with photos of how they did it.
Color Stories
Domino breaks down color stories visually. Hmm, do you think maybe that’s a given? What I mean is that they pull small color samples and/or fabric samples together on one page and explain why they work. And it’s not just theoretically how they work, it’s an actual color story you are looking at in a photograph of a room. I thought it was really helpful in training my eye to pick out the color story in other photos.
Instant Expert
Domino tackles just about every room of the house and shares pictures, color stories, how to mix and match styles, and an explanation of furniture pieces specific to a room. For examples, there are small sections on consoles and benches for the entryway, sofas for the living room, and beds for the bedroom. There are illustrations of the 7 or so different styles of each piece, plus what size to look for, how to place it, and other furniture buying insider tips. So so helpful. Just look for the little boxes that say “Instant Expert” to find all the how-to’s of buying furniture.
Decorating Tricks
Probably my favorite sections of Domino were the decorating tricks for each room. Tons of pictures of each room of the house with little captions explaining how to keep a black and white color scheme from feeling cold, how to camouflage an ugly sofa, and how to exude drama or hospitality.
Personal Stories
As I have mentioned, Domino is broken down into chapters based on each room of the house. At the end of each chapter, someone from Domino Magazine (an editor or an art director) shares a room from their own home. They share where the inspiration for the space came from, items from the space they got rid of because it just wasn’t working, items they kept, and some items they purchased. It was really fun to see how these very creative people who live and breathe design put together their own personal spaces.
Domino is definitely an oldie, it was published back in 2008 (that makes it old right? The older I get the less I have a concept of what “old” really is), but it’s definitely worth reading. I’ll bet that your local library has one, that’s where I picked up a copy! But I’ll let you in on a little secret. When I find books that I love from the library that are more than a couple years old, I look for used copies on Amazon and you can often find them in really good condition for a steal!
Once I get through my stack of books, I’ll need to get some new ones. So write a comment and tell me your favorite!
