BHG Color and New Cottage Style Book Review, Inspiration and Giveaway

I’ve recently announced that we’ll be renovating our small apartment. One thing with owning a rental is making the basics appeal to everyone’s style and that means walls in a fresh clean neutral color palette and bringing in color with decorative accents, fabrics and furniture. Not only will we be renovating on a very small, very tight budget, we’ll need to be creative with thrifty decorating since this will be the home of our college bound baby girl.

When I was asked to review Better Homes and Gardens COLOR…the complete guide for your home and New Cottage Style, they were the perfect source of inspiration for plans for our small space.

BHG Color…the complete guide for your home:  I needed to read the color theory discussions with detailed information on color schemes filled with inspiring photos of a variety of successful color palettes and ways to master adding color to decorating. Some of the topics discussed:

  • Color inspiration (getting started, making it personal)
  • Color mood and meaning (turquoise = cool gemstone color creating calming spaces and helps room occupants focus their thoughts…I need a turquoise room!)
  • How to use color in rooms (examples and photos!)
  • Adding color in stages (accessorizing, the power of paint, fun fabrics, etc.)
  • Color through the house (cohesive composition)

For the past couple of years, I’ve been trying to keep things neutral after a DIY red living room fail. Our bathroom makeover shows my love of neutrals but I could pretty much add any color to this space and despite the lack of color, the patterns and texture keep it interesting…

We had the same neutral plans for our family room makeover in progress, but you can see that reading BHG’s Color guide has had a little influence in shoving those fears away…{color palette for family room}

colorful DIY candlesticks

With decorating the apartment coming up, we’ve been collecting some estate sale finds and I’ve been embracing color. Normally, I’d want to reupholster chairs with the colors green, purple, fuchsia and orange but these awesome $6 chairs (woo hoo!) are going to be perfect for adding color to an apartment with a neutral background…(that’s if I can part with them. I’m really loving having them ‘hang out’ in the sitting room right now)

thrift store chairs

BHG New Cottage Style:

Cottage style is a popular timeless trend and I’m definitely in love with all things cottage. Our love of charm and character in “vintage and rustic” fits perfectly into the cottage category.  I love the flexibility to adapt cottage to fit our farmhouse style and how my love of thrift store finds mix so well with creating our own take on the cottage feeling in our home. I feel our cottage style half bathroom is a beautiful update but that the little cottage influence reflects our home’s history…

powder room before and after

BHG New Cottage Style covers home tours, everyday living, classic looks, welcoming retreats and special spaces (with beautiful inspiring images). So much character and comfortable cottage eye candy.

Enter to win your own copies of BHG Color & New Cottage Style!

  • Leave a comment about how these two books will be of help with decorating decisions in your home.
  • Leave a comment for each way you help spread the word about the giveaway (i.e. Twitter, G+, Facebook, Pinterest, etc.). Thanks so much!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED. WINNER OF THE BHG DECORATING BOOKS IS BETH FROM UNSKINNY BOPPY! CONGRATULATIONS, BETH!

Giveaway is for one set of these two books to one DIY Show Off reader. Giveaway starts 7/7/12 and ends 7/14/2012 at midnight EST. Giveaway is open to US residents only. Please include an email address if you can’t be reached via your profile.

*Disclaimer: I received BHG Color guide and BHG New Cottage Style {2 paperback books} in exchange for a review. Opinion and review are my own words and my own experience. I accepted the book offer because these books were on my wish list. Review and giveaway are sponsored by

Wiley Craft Blog

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