Mad about the House: The budget how-to guide for smart home decorating with style

Bought as gift for daughter, moving to UK from US and intending to do up an old house. Book packed with practical and inspiring hints and info.

The second book from interiors journalist Kate Watson-Smyth ticks all the boxes. At a time when Pinterest is our go to inspiration tool, guiding us through all our renovation and styling projects, Watson-Smyth realises that the overload of information can actually result in our taking long to plan and even longer to execute projects of all sizes. So where should you turn to before making expensive interiors choices? Watson-Smyth thinks that fashion can help and that by looking into our wardrobes we can get a feel about the colours that we like overall. A small section of the book is dedicated to colour, its historic associations and psychology and how each one is perceived or can be used. This will be a great reference guide for those who embark in their journey into interiors but may feel 'light' to those who live and breathe interiors on a daily basis. The book is then divided into chapters, each one dedicated to a different room in the house. Handy checklists help readers focus on key takeaways. With a good sense of humour (the book is written in the style of the author's interiors blog) and beautiful illustrations throughout, this book will be the perfect reference point for those embarking on a renovation project, first time home buyers looking to make changes and have no idea where to start. Everything has been covered, from storage to bedside tables to finishing touches like the light switches. I wish I had this book when we bought our home. And when you're done with the renovation, it will look brilliant on your coffee table too.

I liked this book but didn't agree with all of it. I liked the part about including things that have emotional value like gifts you receive along the way and family memorabilia. These help to make a home. But I do think that people should have more confidence and treat this book as a general guide. I didn't agree with using black in a room, nor looking at the colour of clothes in your wardrobe. Mine is full of blue, a lot of it navy blue but that would not suit my style of home at all. So it is really interesting to read and pick up hints and tips, all of which are useful.

Just received this lovely book a few days ago. It's got lots of great advice and says "This book will help define your style". Because frankly most homes are functional when you have a family and you don't want to make expensive "mistakes". Our kids are grown up now, so I want to get "my style" put back in our home. The book hasn't stylised photos but has a few drawings and photos but that's the point. It's a guide to find what YOU like and WANT to live with, not what an IKEA or Habitat catalogue suggests (love both shops though).

A lovely book. Written in the author's inimitable style which is friendly and funny - she has a knack for making you think you are sitting round a kitchen table together. Agree with another reviewer's comment re it perhaps feeling "light" to some readers. But in some ways this is part of the charm of the book - it takes you back to basics and puts the focus on the things you should really be thinking about for your home. Unlike most interior books, it is not another glorified Pinterest board full of images and has very few glossy pictures. Instead it is one of the few such books that I have actually READ. It is also very refreshing in that - while its principles would apply to all - the book appears to be aimed at people without extravagant budgets and makes one realise that having a lovely home is achievable.

A beautifully written , photographed and illustrated book packed full of sensible advice on making your home work for you with good design . I wish Kate had written this book years ago. My kitchen would have worked so much better with her advice. I could have planned it with the instore kitchen planner so much better. I throughly recommend this book to anyone who is renovating their home or planning to decorate just one room.

Not really for you if you already have your own ideas on style, but some interesting points. Better for novices trying to get started

Not one to normally leave a review but in this case felt compelled. Having bought my first flat recently I was excited at the idea of decorating and buying any nice thing I see. Kate's book does an amazing job of verbalising a lot of what goes on inside my head when I think about the 'how' and 'what' of style (both personal and in the home). She brings to life beautifully what you should consider for your home and what will best work for you and takes away the lure of what we see in glossy magazines. I couldn't recommend this book more highly, a sheer joy to read for those new and old to the world of interiors.

Repleto de buenas ideas. Muy bonito y cuidado. La entrega muy rápida.

Great book. Suitable for interior designers and decorators or even a home owners for decorating their house. The language style is easy to absorb

The author is a very successful blogger in the UK after spending years as journalist writing on interior design. The book is an easy read with lots of advice, some of it not a repeat of the stuff repeated in every decorating book. It is worth buying.

Innerhalb von zwei Tagen habe ich das Buch bereits halb gelesen, es sind wirklich wunderbare Tipps enthalten, die ganz logisch sind, aber morbid so klar waren. Kate Watson Smyth hat einen lustigen und klaren Stil, ich musste bisher oft lachen und nehme einiges für unser Haus daraus mit. Klar ist es recht englisch. In Deutschland stellt sich die Frage nach Teppich kaum, bzw auch nicht nach Teppich Läufer auf der Treppe.

Ich habe mir das Buch in Englische Sprache bestellt, weil ich gerne einmal wieder Englisch lesen wollte, aber auf einem Niveau, das ich gut verstehe! Das trifft es voll. Es macht Spaß, sich mit Möglichkeiten für ein schöneres Wohnen auseinanderzusetzen. Mir gefällt auch, dass die Autorin hier praktische und alltagsnahe Tipps auch für Menschen mit normalem Geldbeutel nennt. Etwas schöner hätte ich noch mehr Fotos gefunden, deswegen nur 4 Sterne.