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}
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)
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…
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
I really need help with incorporating color in my living room. Everything is beige and boring right now.
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Hey Roeschel- I have a few paint projects around here and need a little inspiration. I always love BHG books!! Have a great weekend.
I am trying to get more portable color in my life. As a renter, I want good pieces that will make any white box into my home quickly and stylishly. But color is frightening! Any help is so appreciated (and needed!)
I need help figuring out my kitchen color scheme.
I was looking at these at the library just yesterday since we are in the middle of making decisions about our kitchen/living room/dining room/breakfast room remodel. I need the inspiration! Thanks!
Thank you for this chance to win! I “need’ help in my kitchen which I’m trying to make more ‘cottagey’.
We are beginning to plan out our kitchen remodeling (after 28 years). I could use both of these publications to help with our decisions. We have wood trim and pine cabinets that I know my husband will not paint, so I will have to work around that, and will need help. Thank you for this chance.
I always love new ideas for using color in my home!
I would love to win, fingers crossed! I’ve been using more and more color but I want to make sure it all still “goes”, not just an explosion of orange in one room and pink in another:)
Jessica
To hear my husband, we could really use the color book because my love of neutrals (textured and all) is a bit boring (smile). Though I don’t live in a cottage or small space by any stretch of the imagination, I do like the style and like incorporating some of the space usage and vignette ideas.
I pinned this giveaway
I also posted about this on my B3HDtheBLOG Facebook page.
And I also tweeted this from my B3HDtheBlog twitter handle.
I recently moved into a 2600, mid century repossession. I am looking for a cohesive paint scheme and an appropriate cottage look to warm up the sharp lines and lack of architectural detail (not to mention the sad, abused original bathrooms and kitchen).
Have done research on what I want to do – Want to balance with mostly white and some colors. Would love the books!
I’ve been wanting to redo my family room but am overwhelmed with all the color options out there. I’d love the opportunity to win copies of BHG Color & New Cottage Style books!
Ohhh, I could really use this. I want to infuse pops of color into a serene palette and just never feel like I know exactly how.
The look of our home has definitely grown tired and stale, but we hope to sell our house when the housing market picks up. I want to update our home, but don’t want to limit the appeal. Ugh!! I need help.
We just moved about six months ago, and I’ve been mulling over paint choices ever since. These books would be great!
Just tweeted! https://twitter.com/MerMarty/status/221686947616276481
I need magazines and books for ideas on how to decorate my house.
I would love to have these books, especially the Color Guide. We are renting our house, and while we’re allowed to paint the walls, it is still a rental, so I can’t go too overboard. I need all the color inspiration and help I can get! Maybe a subdued cottage style (for easy renting) with pops of colorful decor?…
I could definitely use some color inspiration. I have been struggling with what color to paint my daughters room.. And the New Cottage Style book would be an added bonus! Thanks for the chance to win.
I live in a little cottage & love fresh new ideas for it. I’ve never been good at choosing colors without help & look forward to seeing the ideas in the color book. I’d really enjoy both books!
I just painted my laundry room BRIGHT aqua, so I’m delving in to color in a big way! And, you know I love me some Cottage style stuff!
I pinned it! 🙂
These two books will definitely help me determine how and where to add color as I will be furnishing one of the rooms in our new home.
Just pinned it! : )
I always enjoying learning something new about color and design. I tend to go more neutral and add color in the less expensive things.
I Love cottage style and love looking at those types of magazine and blogs.
Cheri
Sharing on Pinterest.
Sharing on FB.
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I love thumbing thru decorating books and getting inspired! There’s lots of color in my house, and I’d love to add more colorful patterns with curtains. Then some of my rooms are more cottage style, like my bathroom which has similar colors to your half bath!
Kelly
Happily shared this giveaway on FB!
Kelly
And tweeted!
Kelly
Whoo-hoo! I’m a huge neutral girl, too…I could use a little color inspiration. Thanks for hosting!!
I have facebooked–and I REALLY need this book! I am renovating a 1940s cottage, but want it to look current.
…and tweeted!
Can you say INSPIRATION- I would love to get my hands on these to get inspired.
Shared on Facebook
got my tweet out
Even got it to Google+
As a renter, I’m always in need of good ideas! Usually I just get decorating books from the library, but if I had my own…I’d be more inclined to do more things…;)
We are buying our first house and need these tips since we have been renters for so long! I need to start embracing color on my walls!
I’d love to learn how to put together a cohesive style when there are so many styles I like I can’t settle on just one (or two!) I also like to learn how to add a new, fresh color to my home without redoinv everything I’ve already done!
someluckydog at gmail dot com
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tweet!
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I would love to win this giveaway. I need help picking a color for my living room. Right now it is a tan color in gloss that I hate.
I love inspirational books! I could always use more ideas for how to decorate our master and bathrooms!
I am in phase 2 of my color selection – tired of teh old, lovely colors I have, so this book would give me some new fresh inspiration
I’d love to add these books to my library to help me settle on a new look for our upcoming downstairs refresh!
I just bought a new home and these books would give me the inspiration I need….especially in my family room!
I pinned this giveaway on Pinterest
I also forwarded all the info to my home design DIY junky friends! 🙂
I would love to get ideas for my living room decorating it cottage style and also need to start painting around the house so these books would really help. Thanks Jessica
Neutral rooms make pretty pictures but I need color! Both these mags would be great to have for inspiration photos, tips and some needed guidance.
I tweeted the giveaway. https://twitter.com/MelisaM10/status/222820308460122113
I loved the original Cottage Style Book and it inspired me immensly. As for the color book, there is a lot I need to learn.
I need some help in the color dept! PICK ME!
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shared on my FB page!
I really need this book. I have a totally orange living room, and it is driving me crazy. I need a better situation fast.
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I would love to have these books! We’re going through a color change throughout our home, so the color inspiration would be appreciated. And who doesn’t love the comfortable charm of cottage style? I would love to grab some tips from that book and make them my own too! Thanks for the chance to win!
I posted this on fb! I’m looking for cottage inspiration for my little farmhouse.
I really love the new trends of using turquoise, coral or green in a room. I’m just not sure how to do it without overwhelming the space. I would LOVE to be more confident with color.
Love to have these books! I just met a new friend who said, “I just love beige!” Say what?!?! I’d drop these books right off at her house (after I looked through them of course).
Oh, I would LOVE to have these books! They would come in handy for our whole house, but I think they would especially provide the perfect inspiration for finishing our living room. Thank you!
I’m hoping maybe seeing clean houses would inspire me to declutter mine! ha!
I would love to win these two books! I am itching to remake some of the rooms in my home and would love some new ideas and inspiration!
Thanks for the giveway!
Stacey of Embracing Change
I Facebooked about the giveaway!
Stacey of Embracing Change
I tweeted about the giveaway!
I just moved into a new house and the entire house is tan. I need some inspiration on how to add some color and some personality to this new space. Hope I win!