Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com
Summary:
In 2001, Texas Hill Country textile artist Robin Brown established Magnolia Pearl—a design company showcasing her unique and remarkable style. Almost instantly, she became a cult figure to the fashionable young women who snap up her fantastic bags and couture clothing at high-end boutiques across the country. Now, in her first lavishly photographed book, Robin explains her interior design philosophy and shows us all how much you can do with just “a bit of velvet and a dash of lace.” In her fresh, young, and truly one-of-a-kind approach to home decoration, Brown combines colors, textures, and materials to create environments of endlessly fascinating detail. Her incredibly ornate rooms feature an eclectic mix of Victorian, oriental, and vintage American décor—yet they’re easy and affordable to duplicate and personalize. In addition to taking us layer by layer through each phase of decoration, and providing easy-to-follow and irresistible projects, Robin offers a delightful discussion of her unusual childhood that’s as personal and inviting as her own designs.
Customer Reviews:
Average Customer Rating:
Lovely book, fantastic styling and pictures, wonderful story
Customer Rating:
Contains not only devastatingly beautiful pictures but also plenty of nice reads, among which the life's story of the woman behind Magnolia Pearl. As I will never be able to afford one of her items, I will have to console myself with this book.
Country Living a Bit of Velvet & Dash of Lace
Customer Rating:
Robin Brown is a fun writer and the book is well done. Any one that has a remote interest in the Victorian style will love it. Her own words of saying her style would be Queen Victoria partied with Janis Joplin and Alice in Wonderland is enough to tease you into reading the book. After getting the book and reading it had to get one for my step-daughter who is about the same age as Robin and of similar background, she loved it!
Take Your Time and Enjoy Every Page
Customer Rating:
Just as her handbags are incredibly unique, her book is a one-of-a-kind treasure. Every page is filled with scrumptious pictures that I've gone back to look over again and again. Robin tells fun stories of her childhood and how it (and her family) helped form her style. Interesting little tidbits that I've not read about in the magazine articles. You'll want to take your time with this book as Robin walks us through "Living Beautifully". Truly my favorite decorating book by far!
Huge Dashes of Grace from Magnolia Pearl
Customer Rating:
I have long been a fan of the Magnolia Pearl style, pre-ordered this book months ago (February 2008) and counted the months until it's arrival. No disappointment whatsoever... This is a book filled with luscious photos and beautiful reading for the soul. I have savored each page from the very first photo of Robin and John's home at Twilight to Robin's last words of remembering to be true to yourself in your decorating style (somehow these words set me free - you'll understand after you read the book!). Beautiful antiques, peacock feathers galore, welcoming porches, enchanting lighting, gorgeous windows, lush beds with layer upon layer and even a section for Pets. This book is truly a feast for the eyes and Robin's easy writing style feeds the soul. I did not want this book to end. In other words, I highly recommend this beautiful book and feel you will want to put aside a few minutes each evening to truly take in this book... "Enjoy"!
Why shouldn't decorating be fun?
Customer Rating:
This is a fun and entertaining book which pretty much thumbs its nose at traditional interiors. "There's no such thing as too much color" (p 91) Magnolia Pearl decided.
Certainly her choices color are astonishing--layer upon vivid layer, one explosion of red and gold piled on top of pink and purple--yet she manages to pull it off. Laces and velvets, damasks and bits of feathers combine to dazzle the eye in every room.
If you are, say, a college student living on a shoestring, and wish you could think of some way to liven up your shoebox of a dorm room, this book will fill you with ideas. This is certainly the way to turn trash and flea market treasures into colorful, intensely personal style. Also there are great hints. She very carefully explains how to tea stain any bits of lace you may have.
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