A Simple And Easy Way To Start.  I have had a lot to say during recent weeks abou how to develop you own style and tastes in exterior home design and interior home design.  I discussed how much information is available from the many sources available to you including magazines and books at your local book store.  After you start gathering such information, unless it (for example) is a book about design it can be hard to start putting the pieces together.  Unfortunately, a book about exterior design and/or interior design can often end up gathering dust on a shelf or on the “I’ll get around to it” stack on your coffee table.  With this in mind I would like to direct your attention to the Winter 2007 issue of Beautiful Homes (by Better Homes and Gardens).  I think you might find this a great place to start.

How Do You Put A Room Together?  see pages 16 and 17.  Here you will see comments on balancing the elements of a kitchen: lighting, range hood, cabinetry, faucets, countertop.  You don’t like this particular kitchen?  So what?  That’s not what is important.  What is important is getting the idea of how they went about selecting the harmonious balance of items selected. 

Creating a Comfortable Scale - pages 48 and 49 (part of a larger article).  Here you will see interior cut away plans of two levels of a 9,394 square foot home.  The task set before the designer was to create areas of comfortable scale within larger areas of two levels of the home.  There are also photos of the areas so you can see the plan, arrangement and finished product.

Lessons In Civic Style - (pages 50-55)  Photos and relevant elements of how an architect developed a home in Atlanta that had to fit the need of the client and the area it was built it.  It was built in an area that connects a historical area and a high rish office building area.  The interior and exterior needs are explained and what the architect designed to meet them.  Again, you see the cut away plans and the key areas defined so you can see how they function and work together.  There is also a question and answer section with the builder.  To tie it all together there is, on page 121, a resources section that lists the sources of most of the materials used in the home.  You lose much of the value of what is provided it you look at it as a simple list without doing some digging by going to some of the websites listed and seeing who they are and what they offer.  If you will do this you will start to gain an understanding of how materials are selected and put together and also start to appreciate what an excellent magazine it is and what it has to offer you.

There are four other homes presented that break down their designs as well.  If you purchase the magazine and really dig into each article you will learn more about design, style, color and other elements of putting a home together in a short period of them than you might think possible.  Furthermore, you have the luxury of taking just one article at a time and digesting what it has to offer rather than trying to get a text book understanding of all that an entire book presents.  Do this and it won’t be long before you no longer think of yourself as an outsider looking in.

John Fish Telephone: (919) 696-3474   Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com

Raleigh, North Carolina.  Individual Home Style And Design.  Will The Real You Please Stand Up!  Time and again I am asked, “How can I define what I like in a home and in interior design and decorations?”  Most who ask (usually women but a few men as well) don’t have time to take any courses in architecture or interior decorating.  This makes laying a strong foundation in those areas a difficult task; difficult but certainly not an impossible. 

DEVELOPING YOUR OWN TASTE IN HOME STYLE AND DESIGN.  In my opinion the best way to start developing a reasonably well defined idea of the types and styles of homes you like, how interiors should look and what your personal preferences are is to start at your local bookstore.  The maga-bookstores, such as Barnes and Noble and Borders, have a staggering number of magazines about all types and styles of homes, interiors, interior decorating, remodeling, etc.  You name your interest and someone is turning out a quarterly or monthly publication about it.  Whether your preference leans toward ultramodern, Victorian or anything in between I think you will find a magazine about it. 

Here is a list of some of the publications you will find:  Home & Design, Old-House Interiors, House & Garden, Florida Design, Arts & Crafts Homes, Miami Home & Decor, Log Homes,  Log Homes Illustrated, Log Home Design, Country Living, Architectural Digest, Veranda, Old House Journal, English Home, American Bungalow, Fairway Living, Country Home, Cottage Living, Cottage Style, Timber Homes, House Beautiful, New Old House, Metropolitan Home, Maison Francaise, Elegant Homes, Traditional Style, Renovation Style, Southern Living, Sourthern Accents, California Architecture & Design, Country French Decorating, Elle Decor, The World of Interiors, Waterfront Home & Design, Coastal Living, Decorating, Romantic Homes, Dream Kitchens, Western Interiors, This Old House, Mega Dream Homes International, Pool & Spa, Dream Lofts, Kitchen & Bath Ideas, MACO Caribbean Living, Smart Homeowner, Cottage Style and California Homes.  Is this a complete list?  Not by a jug full.  With regard to California Homes, the issue currently on the racks is loaded with ”goodies”.  If you like lantern style lighting see “Lantern Masters” on page 84.  If you like an elegant ranch style look try the home that starts on page 107. 

SUGGESTION: You probably can’t buy every magazine that has information in it you want.  Usually, if there is an article about a home or lighting or whatever, there is information about where the home is, who made the lighting (or whatever) and where you can get further information about it and/or purchase it toward the back of the magazine.  Record these items and the magazine, date of publication and page.  In the future you can either write to the manufacturer or write to the magazine and get the information you need.

The holiday issues are cram jam full of mouth watering food photos, recipes, Christmas decorating ideas and decorations.  To say the least these magazines will drown you with ideas but what a way to go!  If they confuse you even more - fine.  You have to start somewhere.  How long will it takes to develop your style?  I think that finding out what you like and don’t like will start to take shape rather rapidly.  Look at a lot of magazine for three or four months, take notes and you will really start to put it together.  When you really have it all put together?  Hopefully - never!  The true joy of the effort is that it is a never ending process.  If you have been struggling for ideas about what to give a friend or relative for Christmas a subscription to one of these magazines would a wonderful gift to give and to receive.  Oh yes, I have only talked about magazines.  To go even deeper into the world of homes and interiors there is a mountain of books available that cover more than you every wanted to know about every facet of homes, styles, decorating, etc.  More of that another time.

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John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com