Books to Help You Create a Home That You Will Love

By Chris Weber

I am the last person to ask about interior design, so when I need help with redoing a room, I usually head to the furniture store. For most people, the desire to create their own space is extremely personal. They want their homes to reflect what they love! While they like other people’s ideas, they want to be in charge of all final decisions, and they want their thumbprint on their home. Below are two new books that may help you find solutions without breaking the bank.

Budget Luxury: Your Guide to Creating a Beautiful Home Without Breaking the Bank by Clare Sullivan:

A few years ago, the author decided to leave her corporate job, After graduating from Parsons with a degree in design, she realized that while she loved luxury interior design, she also wanted to create more affordable options open to all. With a large social media following after launching her TikTok account in 2021, she moved into a budget mode. Now she shows her audience how to create beautiful spaces without spending a ton of money. In this book, she guides the reader, regardless of whether they rent or own, on how to navigate beginner interior design. She recommends creating a budget, using thrifted materials throughout, and gives shopping advice for those looking to scour flea markets and vintage stores for the perfect project materials at a low cost.

Free Style: Unlock Creative Home Designs: An Interior Design Book by Liz Kamarul:

Creating the perfect home comes down to unlocking your own personal style and design to reflect it. Designer and artist Liz Kamarul has always believed this, and in Free Style she shares her methods for creating uniquely beautiful homes. 

Rather than rules and checklists, Liz offers a different approach for home design. She asks the reader questions that can help them start the design process.

• What do you already love? You’ll learn how to highlight specific colors, textures, and features so you can bring more of what you love into your space.
• What’s the one thing you really don’t like? Sometimes it’s as easy as finding the biggest pain point and making it a positive. Elements that are unavoidable–like permanent fixtures you didn’t choose or pesky cords hanging from electronics–can be transformed into eye-catching design elements that elevate your décor rather than becoming an eyesore.
• What do you already have? Stunning design doesn’t have to be expensive, and Liz shares her tips and tricks for giving new life to the things you already own and creating a new style around existing fixtures.

Finally, good luck to all of you designer novices! And remember, you don’t have to get stuck with all the family antiques unless you really want them.

Chris Weber is a partner of The Bookshelf, Madeira’s only small, independent bookstore, where every book is carefully selected to meet both contemporary literary trends and bestsellers.

The Bookshelf is open 10-5 Monday-Saturday and Sunday 1-5.