Houses: Inside and Out

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The award-winning designer and author of Rooms showcases inspiring opportunities for the exteriors, interiors, and details of houses in this lavishly photographed book

Celebrated designer Mariette Himes Gomez believes that a house becomes a home only when it is infused with personal touches, when its individual parts flow together logically, and when it assumes a warm and welcoming character. In Houses, Gomez begins by inviting readers to consider the many elements that unify a house. She reveals how each detail—from the doors, fireplaces, and staircase, to the more conceptual elements of balance, color, and movement—contribute to the home's overall aesthetic, and how each can be combined to create a certain effect. She provides practical guidelines for building, buying, or renovating to create the perfect home, while illustrating how to instill flow and harmony in your overall design. Subscribing to the philosophy that less is more, Gomez reveals how to create homes of unparalleled beauty and grace.

Complementing Gomez's invaluable advice are stunning photographs of the interiors, exteriors, and details of breathtaking houses in a variety of gorgeous settings. An inspirational guide for every design-minded home buyer, builder, or renovator, Houses illuminates the world of possibility that opens up when you create your own home.

A true inspiration. An absolute must for anybody who wants to decorate their house.Clear layout, beautiful photos and a very interesting text.After I finished reading the book, I opened it again and browsed through all the wonderful photos.I am going to buy another book by the same author, "Rooms".

I had seen this book in a bookstore and so I knew what I was getting. If you like these kind of books, I think you'll like this one. It's a good read and the pictures are lovely and interesting.

In my mind, she captures in words a great sense of how a house should "feel" in addition to how it "looks". Ms. Gomez's style is timeless, classic. I also appreciated her articulation of the necessary relationship between all of the parts that make up a home (the rooms, porch, landscaping, pool, etc). I enjoyed reading this book (in addition to the beautiful photos).

The book chronicles the harmony found in thoughtful design from the ground up. Gomez's writing style is refreshingly open and steeped in designer wisdom. I reviewed 'Rooms' when it first came out and was followed by a review alluding to my being in the publisher's camp. Gomez's second book is a good read like her first. 'Houses Inside and Out' is an excellent companion book to 'Rooms' also by Mariette Himes Gomez.

'Houses inside and Out' features Gomez's understanding of a house being more than its interior. I like the photographs for their visual detail and because they showcase good design in collaboration with good architecture in environments suiting the homes. I'll refer to 'Houses Inside and Out' (as I do with 'Rooms') for useful inspiration and when the company of a good interior design books beckons me. I enjoy absorbing her thoughtful approaches to color choices, furniture groupings, scale and texture and placement of art and accessories. I was a Gomez fan prior to her first book, 'Rooms', which I think is one of the most useful interior design books available.

They also showcase Gomez's artful arrangement of shapes and forms in the volumes of the homes she designs within. 'Houses Inside and Out' is a delightful complement to my collection of interior design, architecture and landscape design books. Not the case, but as a fan of Gomez, I still sticky-note my issues of 'Architectural Digest' whenever a Gomez interior is featured.

The cover is seductive because it makes you feel as if you're being invited into that house. Also looks at starting out buying and decorating your first home. Beautiful photography of gorgeous interiors & useful, informative text on decorating, illustrating how interiors can be gorgeous, functional and practical at the same time. Not terribly oversized like some recent decorating books - compact & neat looking. And the cover is just the beginning - the rest of the book is just as tempting. All color & good quality glossy paper used.