The Principles of Pretty Rooms

The photos inside are even more charming than I expected, and her tip about mixing patterns has already changed how I arrange my living room. It's the kind of book you keep on your coffee table just to flip through for inspiration.

I bought this after seeing the author's rooms in a magazine, and the chapter on layering patterns and textures alone was worth it. The photos are large and clear enough that I actually copied the pillow arrangement trick in my own living room.

Phoebe Howard's approach to layering pattern and color finally made my living room feel intentional instead of cluttered. The photos alone are worth it, but her chapters on getting a room's bones right before decorating are what I keep flipping back to.