Lisa Cregan - House Beautiful Style 101: 400 Designer Secrets to a Beautiful Home

INTRODUCTION

ITS A COLE PORTER WORLD IN INTERIOR DESIGN today, literally Anything Goes. And at House Beautiful we couldnt be more delighted. In our over hundred-year history, wed be hard pressed to name a time when theres been as much innovation, energy, and flat-out rule breaking as there is in interior design right now.

The upside? Lots of looks to choose from. The downside? Rank confusion. We thought we might try sorting things out a bit.

This book aspires to help you define your style, the first step toward making any kind of dcor decision. Are you a Glam? A New Ruralist? An Accessorator? A Traditionalist with a Twist? A Modernist? Dont know what were talking about? You soon will.

Were going to draw out the personal style lurking deep in the nest-building lobe of your brain. Once you know thy style self, you can get advice from the pros who fill the pages of House Beautiful every month with invaluable insights, insider tips, and photos of Americas most strikingly beautiful homes.

After seeing where your taste fits in the wide world of style, dont be afraid to color outside our lines. Flipping through these chapters, youre going to find plenty of beautiful, complementary looks that spill over the boundaries of one style to another. Lets just say these are more guidelines than rules.

Special thanks to House Beautiful editor-in-chief Newell Turner, as well as to all the magazines talented editors who, month after month, face the impossible task of deciding which gorgeous homes, surprising new products and dazzling designer insights are extraordinary enough for the readers of House Beautiful. All you have to do is turn the pages.

Now find your style and get going. Its pretty exciting out there.

LISA CREGAN

WHY A QUIZ? Heres why: How you answer these questions will determine the style or styles you gravitate toward. And that will clarify every decorating decision you make. No more staring for days at mounds of swatches, no more self-doubting return trips to the paint store for even more chips. And most importantly? No more expensive mistakes.

TRUST US. Take out a clean piece of paper and your number 2 pencil (or your flashy glitter gel pen should your style so dictate). Were asking fifteen questions aimed at revealing which design flock you fly with. Total up your answers and then turn to the relevant chapters so we can help you home in on the things youll love and edit out the stuff that looks great in the showroom, but frankly? just isnt you.

A CAUTIONARY NOTE: We encourage assigning this quiz to your significant other too, but be prepared for some dcor differences of opinion.

Which dining chair is sexiest?

a. beech with linen slipcover, Darcy from Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic

b. antique black finish with black velvet seat, Napoleon from Jayson Home & Garden

c. gesso finish with bronze leg collars, from BeeLine Home by Bunny Williams

d. Lucite with tufted seat, George II from Plexi-Craft

e. 1930s design with a lacquer finish, Frances Elkins Side Chair from Downtown

My dream bedroom has

a. an antique door for a headboard

b. a canopy bed draped with fabric

c. a steel four-poster

d. crisp ironed sheets

e. a splashy upholstered headboard

If I could only have one window treatment it would be

a. antique shutters

b. silk panels with gold leaf hardware

c. taffeta drapes beneath a shapely fabric valance

d. sheers

e. colorful roman shades

My idea of the perfect flower arrangement is

a. a small bunch of roses or peonies in a mug

b. fragrant pink sweet peas in a hand painted tole vase

c. deep blue delphiniums in an antique ginger jar

d. a group of bud vases filled with playful anemones

e. fragrant gardenias in a crystal bowl

My idea of a luxurious tub is

a. a big cast iron tub, Candide Freestanding from WATERWORKS

b. a Chinese white marble number from URBAN ARCHEOLOGY

c. classical lines by MICHAEL S. SMITH FOR KALLISTA

d. a sleek blue mineral composite tub, ELISE FROM MTI WHIRLPOOLS

e. a sweet yellow clawfoot, MADELINE CLAWFOOT FROM LOWES

I wish my living room had

a. a raw pine-paneled ceiling

b. peacock blue lacquer walls

c. an elegant wainscot

d. a wall of windows

e. lots and lots of built-in bookshelves

The movie home Id most want to live in belonged to