The Interior Design Handbook: Furnish, Decorate, and Style Your Space Hardcover – Illustrated, October 27, 2020
This is an affiliate link. Buyyyah may earn a commission if you buy through it, at no extra cost to you.
Description
The new comprehensive bible of interior design, from a home styling guru who has coached an entire Scandinavian generation in the art of creating a harmonious home. Frida Ramstedt believes in thinking about how we decorate, rather than focusing on what we decorate with. We know more today than ever before about design trends, furniture, and knickknacks, and now Frida familiarizes readers with the basic principles behind interior and styling—what looks good and, most of all, why it looks good. The Interior Design Handbook teaches you general rules of thumb—like what the golden ratio and the golden spiral are, the proper size for a coffee table in relation to your sofa, the optimal height to hang lighting fixtures, and the best ways to use a mood board—complete with helpful illustrations. Use The Interior Design Handbook to achieve a balanced, beautiful home no matter where you live or what your style is. Read more
Details
Product details Publisher : Clarkson Potter Publication date : October 27, 2020 Edition : Illustrated Language : English Print length : 240 pages ISBN-10 : 0593139313 ISBN-13 : 978-0593139318 Item Weight : 2 pounds Dimensions : 7.74 x 0.98 x 9.91 inches Best Sellers Rank: #2,986 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #2 in Home Design & Construction (Books) #6 in Interior Design #7 in Home Decorating (Books) Customer Reviews: 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (4,617)
Customer reviews
-
Very useful
I bought this book after returning the top-ranked so-called “interior design” book on Amazon (which turned out to be very repetitive design porn from an influencer - nothing instructional or helpful). If you want glossy pics of what’s trendy (and expensive) or what a particular designer/influencer uses repeatedly, this book from Frida Ramstedt is not a good choice. I had know idea who she is and I really don’t care (though the book mentions she has a popular blog and I suspect she’s well known in Scandinavia). Unlike the aforementioned book, Ms. Ramstedt’s book isn’t about her preferences and favorite projects. It’s not even particularly focused on Scandinavian design (though there is a section where Scandinavian architecture is illustrated with line drawings). It is an actually useful guidebook with general rules and advice for anyone who wants to design their own interior or better understand how an interior designer (versus an influencer) approaches a project. I just finishing skimming the book and I know I will come back to it for guidance on everything from paint colors to furniture buying and placement to creating still lifes with items I already own. Ms. Ramstedt isn’t trying to sell her “brand,” she’s actually providing an instructional handbook (it even includes an index for quickly finding answers to your specific design questions). Very glad I replaced my early purchase with this!
I bought this book after returning the top-ranked so-called “interior design” book on Amazon (which turned out to be very repetitive design porn from an influencer - nothing instructional or helpful). If you want glossy pics of what’s trendy (and expensive) or what a particular designer/influencer uses repeatedly, this book from Frida Ramstedt is not a good choice. I had know idea who she is and I really don’t care (though the book mentions she has a popular blog and I suspect she’s well known in Scandinavia). Unlike the aforementioned book, Ms. Ramstedt’s book isn’t about her preferences and favorite projects. It’s not even particularly focused on Scandinavian design (though there is a section where Scandinavian architecture is illustrated with line drawings). It is an actually useful guidebook with general rules and advice for anyone who wants to design their own interior or better understand how an interior designer (versus an influencer) approaches a project. I just finishing skimming the book and I know I will come back to it for guidance on everything from paint colors to furniture buying and placement to creating still lifes with items I already own. Ms. Ramstedt isn’t trying to sell her “brand,” she’s actually providing an instructional handbook (it even includes an index for quickly finding answers to your specific design questions). Very glad I replaced my early purchase with this!
-
A Comprehensive, Elegant Guide to Interior Design
The Interior Design Handbook: Furnish, Decorate, and Style Your Space is a standout resource for both design enthusiasts and aspiring professionals. It strikes the perfect balance between inspiration and practical advice. Highlights: Clear, actionable guidance: From space planning and lighting to materials and color, each concept is explained with clarity and illustrated with helpful visuals. Beautiful styling: The photography, layouts, and typographic choices make reading a pleasure — the designs themselves feel current, aspirational, and achievable. Depth & balance: It doesn’t just show “pretty rooms” — the author discusses budget constraints, ergonomics, and how to make design that’s both aesthetic and livable. Broad appeal: Whether you’re redoing one room or designing a full home, this book offers valuable insights at all levels. If you care about shaping your home thoughtfully — not just decorating — this is a go-to handbook. Five stars for marrying artistry and functionality.
The Interior Design Handbook: Furnish, Decorate, and Style Your Space is a standout resource for both design enthusiasts and aspiring professionals. It strikes the perfect balance between inspiration and practical advice. Highlights: Clear, actionable guidance: From space planning and lighting to materials and color, each concept is explained with clarity and illustrated with helpful visuals. Beautiful styling: The photography, layouts, and typographic choices make reading a pleasure — the designs themselves feel current, aspirational, and achievable. Depth & balance: It doesn’t just show “pretty rooms” — the author discusses budget constraints, ergonomics, and how to make design that’s both aesthetic and livable. Broad appeal: Whether you’re redoing one room or designing a full home, this book offers valuable insights at all levels. If you care about shaping your home thoughtfully — not just decorating — this is a go-to handbook. Five stars for marrying artistry and functionality.
-
So much good information!
As someone with absolutely no experience in design, this book was extremely helpful. It doesn't exactly tell you what specific items to pick for a specific look you are trying to achieve, but it explains the "why" behind interior design choices. I found that information so much more valuable. I also already had an idea of the theme for our home though, so this definitely helped to narrow down which items within that theme would also be esthetically pleasing according to interior designer standards. The only downside that I can think of is that, because there are so many concepts in the book, I had to sometimes read sections in small increments to fully digest all the information. However, this isn't really a "con." 10/10 would recommend this book to everyone!
As someone with absolutely no experience in design, this book was extremely helpful. It doesn't exactly tell you what specific items to pick for a specific look you are trying to achieve, but it explains the "why" behind interior design choices. I found that information so much more valuable. I also already had an idea of the theme for our home though, so this definitely helped to narrow down which items within that theme would also be esthetically pleasing according to interior designer standards. The only downside that I can think of is that, because there are so many concepts in the book, I had to sometimes read sections in small increments to fully digest all the information. However, this isn't really a "con." 10/10 would recommend this book to everyone!
-
Would make a great gift for aspiring or experienced designer!
I love both the content and the physical feel/presence of this book. The information is presented so succinctly and it is easy to understand as someone who has no experience in interior design. My favorite part is that the book doesn't just give you 100 pages of tacky Pinterest farmhouse chic pictures. Instead, it explains design fundamentals and encourages you to make your own decisions on style. That's hard to find in a sea of full-color full-page picture books on design. The book itself is also very nice and feels very high quality.
I love both the content and the physical feel/presence of this book. The information is presented so succinctly and it is easy to understand as someone who has no experience in interior design. My favorite part is that the book doesn't just give you 100 pages of tacky Pinterest farmhouse chic pictures. Instead, it explains design fundamentals and encourages you to make your own decisions on style. That's hard to find in a sea of full-color full-page picture books on design. The book itself is also very nice and feels very high quality.
