Do you ever wonder where design ideas and inspirations come from? The design world has a great relationship with social media outlets such as Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and online blogs, but one of the most important sources of inspiration are books curated by the designers themselves. From start to finish, these books go into great detail regarding the who, what, where, when, and why of design.

We’ve curated a list of the 10 best design books to buy right now that offer plenty of design wisdom, guidance, and inspiration!

10. The Interior Design Handbook: Furnish, Style, and Decorate Your Space

By Frida Ramstedt, illustrated by Mia Olofsson

Starting things off at number 10 is The Interior Design Handbook: Furnish, Style, and Decorate Your Space. In it, Frida Ramstedt focuses on the basic design rules of what looks good and, most of all, why it looks good. Ultimately, the book illustrates how to create a harmonious home with furniture and accessories.

The Interior Design Handbook (Frida Ramstedt)

9. Live Beautiful

By Athena Calderone

In Live Beautiful, Athena Calderone uses her network of decorators, fashion designers, and tastemakers to reveal how her interiors come together. She gives readers a look into her own homes and how she designed them.

Live Beautiful (Athena Calderone)

8. Home Stories: Design Ideas for Making a House A Home

By Kim Leggett

Home Stories: Design Ideas for Making a House A Home focuses on all things interiors. Kim Leggett puts her no-rules approach that is all about using what you love to create rooms that tell your personal story.

Home Stories- Design Ideas for Making a House A Home (Kim Leggett)

7. Inspired by Nature: Creating a Personal and Natural Interior

By Hans Blomquist

Inspired by Nature: Creating a Personal and Natural Interior comes in at number 7 on our list. In this book, Hans Blomquist discusses the essential components of a well-loved home. With nature being at the heart of his decorating philosophy, he focuses on the harmonious link that design and the natural worlds have and the benefits we get from it.

Inspired by Nature- Creating a Personal and Natural Interior (Hans Blomquist)

6. This is Home: The Art of Simple Living 

By Natalie Walton

This is Home: The Art of Simple Living is a back-to-basics guide on how to create authentic interiors. Natalie Walton focuses on simple living and incorporating elements into your home that genuinely make you happy.

This is Home: The Art of Simple Living (Natalie Walton)

5. Down to Earth: Laid-back Interiors for Modern Living

By Lauren Liess

Down to Earth: Laid-back Interiors for Modern Living goes beyond the basics. In it, Lauren Liess invites readers to incorporate the main components of her familiar design aesthetic: nature, easy living, and approachability, into their homes. She focuses on the use of layers, texture, and repurposing.

Down to Earth: Laid-back Interiors for Modern Living (Lauren Liess)

4. Make Life Beautiful

by Syd Mcgee and Shea Mcgee

Make Life Beautiful, by Syd McGee and Shea McGee, focuses on living the best version of your life. The book provides tips about how to prioritize values, define goals, and put your dreams into action.

Make Life Beautiful (Syd Mcgee and Shea Mcgee)

3. How Design Makes Us Think: And Feel and Do Things 

By Sean Adams

In How Design Makes Us Think: And Feel and Do Things, Sean Adams expands beyond aesthetic design. He encourages the reader to dig deeper to understand the ways design can convince us of a certain way of thinking. He examines design philosophies and the psychology behind the reasons certain designs are appealing to different people.

How Design Makes Us Think: And Feel and Do Things (Sean Adams)

2. Design the Home You Love: Practical Styling Advice to Make the Most of Your Space

by Lee Mayer and Emily Motayed

In Design the Home You Love: Practical Styling Advice to Make the Most of Your Space, Lee Mayer and Emily Motayed teach you how to identify your style and how to incorporate that into your own home on a budget. Their overall goal is to fulfill your home’s potential and make you love your space!

Design the Home You Love- Practical Styling Advice to Make the Most of Your Space (Lee Mayer and Emily Motayed)

1. Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave

by Joanna Gaines

Rounding off the list at number 1 is Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave. In it, design guru Joanna Gaines walks you through how to create a home that reflects the personalities and stories of the people who live there. Her guide will help you order your priorities. It also provides practical steps for discovering and embracing your authentic design style.

Home Body (Joanna Gaines)

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Originating in the English countryside, the shabby chic style has been welcomed into homes for decades. With its quaint and comfortable yet stylish qualities, shabby chic takes the classic farmhouse look to a whole new level. It is increasingly popular among designers and stands true to its definition of “pleasantly old and slightly worn.” With its elements of vintage glamour and rustic charm, this style is simpler to incorporate into your home than you might think.

Since its introduction into the design world almost 40 years ago, its Victorian and eccentric style elements have remained. Today we will be looking at all things shabby chic, including the style’s history and some key elements that go into creating a polished look.

Where it all began

To begin designing your home with this popular aesthetic, it’s important to know how the design style became popular in North America. Raised in the United Kingdom, Rachel Ashwell found a love for pastel palettes and moved to the United States in 1980. It wasn’t until 1989, that Ashwell opened the first Shabby Chic store in Santa Monica, California, where she sold furniture slipcovers and items she handpicked from flea markets. The daughter of an antique book dealer and doll maker, she found her love of vintage markets at a young age. While learning the skills of buying and selling art, Ashwell was able to support her blend of “slightly worn” and ornate styles. She transformed the second-hand decorating stigma into design spaces to be envied.

Rachel Ashwell (from Getty Images)

In her career, Ashwell has experienced the triumphs of expanding her business, she’s filed for bankruptcy, and she’s also made a victorious comeback! This comeback was so successful that she now has six brands in her Shabby Chic family, including Shabby Chic Couture stores, a bed a breakfast called The Prairie, and an ongoing collaboration with Target.

Shabby Chic truck at The Prairie (from Shabby Chic)

Key elements of Shabby Chic

To begin transforming your space into a shabby chic wonderland, there are some key elements that you will need to be thinking about while planning, shopping, and executing.

Furniture and Lighting

Furniture and lighting are integral foundations when creating a shabby chic space. The area should be filled with furniture layers with a mix of larger and smaller pieces. This gives the depth and “calm chaos” that shabby chic is famous for.

Living space (from The Little White Farmhouse)

Farmhouse Easter vignette (from The Painted Hinge)

Fusion of rustic and lavish styles

At the core of any shabby chic design is a blend of the rustic and the extravagant. A distressed wooden cabinet or side table paired with dainty linens or crystal is classic. Plus, you can’t forget the furniture slipcovers that were the initial inspiration for Rachel Ashwell’s shabby chic style.

Shabby Chic spring living space (from Deb and Dannelle)

Bedroom  (from Deb and Dannelle)

Pleasantly old and slightly worn surfaces

The best part about the shabby chic design style is that the “old and worn” look is a good thing! Being imperfect is perfect. The appearance of distressed and lived-in furniture and decor emulates Ashwell’s vision for vintage treasures becoming heirlooms. If you find it harder to find furniture with a distressed look within your budget, you can create your own with a simple DIY project.

Bathroom vanity (from The Little White Farmhouse)

Dining room table (from Sylvia Cook)

Assorted items and era-inspired pieces

In addition to furniture layering, a collection of items from a range of different periods complements any shabby chic space. This creates an essence of extravagance and romance within the design layers, while also incorporating historical features such as artwork, glassware, or candle-lit sconces.

Soft pastel or floral palettes with neutral underlays

Wallpaper is frequently featured in shabby chic spaces – and not just on walls!. It is common for wallpaper to be decoupaged on furniture as well. The soft palettes emphasize the feminine and dainty ambiance of the style while the natural elements ground the design with overlapping textures and shapes. This can be recreated anywhere with soft hues and pastel patterns on neutral backgrounds.

Interior inspiration (from Amy Neunsinger/Rachel Ashwell Couture Prairie)

Breakfast nook (from Shabby Chic)

Lace, plants, and shiny details

The final touches in any shabby chic-inspired space include lace detailing, plant placement, and shiny or reflective accents. When it comes to shabby chic, the more of these special details you use, the better!

Entryway inspiration (from Kenneth Berg/HGTV)

Small detail (from Shabby Chic)

Salon in shabby chic (from Houzz)

Vintage telephone (from Pexels)

Have fun transforming and creating your dream space and remember, the hunt for decor can be just as much fun as enjoying your finished room!

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A fresh coat of paint will keep your house looking spotless and help protect the facade. This significant improvement will also enhance the curb appeal, increasing your home’s resale value. Regional styles sometimes dictate paint colors, but homeowners might want to go for more unique choices that show off their personality.

The color choice also depends on whether you want to add a unique charm to your home or prepare it for selling. In this post, we round up the most popular color choices and share additional tips for painting your exterior! 

Tips for painting your house exterior

Ideally, homeowners should paint the exterior every 5 to 10 years, depending on the weather conditions and whether the previous paint job was done correctly. Keep in mind that painting an average family home can take up to four days. 

For a brick exterior, it’s best to stick with elastodynamic or acrylic latex exterior paint. For vinyl siding, go for acrylic paint. When the paint is all set, don’t forget to change the outdated hardware for a revamped look. 

Whether you want to make a bold statement or choose a neutral hue that appeals to potential buyers, there are lots of options to choose from. Next, we share the most popular color house exterior colors! 

Off-white

Off-white is a soothing color, making it an ideal choice for a house exterior. The basic color gives you plenty of freedom to experiment with accents. Also, this allows you to paint the front door with a lively color for a dramatic effect. 

Off-white is a timeless classic (from Houzz)

Yellow

With a wide range of tones available, you can choose whether you prefer a more vibrant or muted hue. Complemented with white trim, yellow is a pretty popular color choice for the exterior. On the other hand, it is a versatile choice that fits many color combinations. A yellow house exterior and green details are a cheerful combo. However, you can stick with a monochromatic color scheme that includes various shades of yellow for a subtle look.

Muted yellow for enhanced curb appeal (from Houzz)

Red

Ranging from bold red to more natural shades, this color is a common choice for house exteriors. If you prefer a traditional barn red, then Cottage Red by Benjamin Moore is an ideal option. 

Red is a bold choice for a house exterior (from Houzz)

Blue

Blue is a calming color that flatters a wide range of materials. This shade is a favorite for many, so it is a safe color option if you don’t feel like experimenting. Something Blue by Sherwin Williams is a gorgeous light blue that brings freshness. Lily White by Benjamin Moore is a lovely pale tone that can be considered a neutral since it goes well with many colors.

Light blue is a fresh color choice (from Houzz)

Light blue is a popular color (from Home Depot)

Blue is a serene color (from Sherwin Williams)

Gray

Gray is a lovely neutral, so you are free to introduce bold choices for the accents. White details such as window frames and columns will make a beautiful contrast with the darker tones. If you prefer a modern approach, choose two tones of gray.

A gray house exterior is a traditional yet modern option (from Houzz)

Taupe

Taupe is a sleek color that conveys warmth. If you want to enhance the curb appeal to raise the value of your home, this tone is one of the best choices. Everyone has different tastes, so sticking with neutrals is the safest option when you intend to sell your house in the near future.

Taupe is a lovely neutral (from Sherwin Williams)

Sage

Sage is a gorgeous muted green tone that blends in with the surroundings. Match the soothing color with selections from the yellow-green family for the ultimate visual touch. 

Sage is a soothing color (from Bob Vila)

Blue-gray

Blue-gray is a lovely deep tone that pairs excellently with white trim for a bold contrast. Alternatively, use soft neutrals for a streamlined neutral look.

A dark blue house exterior (from Bob Vila)

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