The Principles of Pretty Rooms

by Phoebe Howard

Overview

In Principles of Pretty Rooms, beloved interior designer Phoebe Howard shares her style secrets for creating truly pretty rooms filled with grace and charm.

The design world’s favorite Mrs. is back, with tried and true décor “rules” and classic strategies for creating pretty, charming, and timeless interiors. Celebrating warm, welcoming style, each chapter explores the color palettes, fabrics, and special little grace notes that make a room pretty.

As always, Mrs. Howard delivers a range of inspiring examples, from pretty rooms in townhouses, beach houses, and country escapes to pretty-meets-grand-style in estates and manors. She also presents how-to-get-the-look advice, including favorite color combinations, fabric patterns, furnishings, and accessories that instantly transform a space. The majority of the projects have never been published, creating an irresistible guide for all who dream of having the signature Mrs. Howard look: interiors filled with light, easy elegance, and pretty details.

Includes Color Photographs

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419743856
Publisher:	Abrams
Publication date:	04/20/2021
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	600,804
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 10.10(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Phoebe Howard has stores in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. Her work is frequently featured in House Beautiful, Coastal Living, Southern Accents, and Veranda. Howard lives in Atlanta and Jacksonville.

Editorial Reviews

04/19/2021

Interior designer Howard (Coastal Blues) demonstrates ways to create serene, inviting environments in this eminently practical guide. The projects stem from Howard’s principles of “pretty rooms,” among them embrace symmetry, reduce color contrasts, mix old and new, use upholstered pieces, decorate walls with art and mirrors, focus on creating softness and pools of light, and plan carefully. Howard then puts the principles into practice, offering city, country, and beach versions. The city assortment includes two Atlanta homes: a light-filled pied-à-terre done in shades of white and cream, and a four-story townhouse packed with richly textured fabrics such as alpaca and mohair (plus a spa-like bathroom). Country is decidedly elegant, with a Hamptons retreat done in pale blues with painted furniture, and a Tennessee farmhouse in shades of green. The most appealing designs are found in the beach section: in Florida, sophisticated whimsy abounds in a nostalgic Palm Beach cottage, and beach-meets-modern in Atlantic Beach, with clean lines and a central ocean view. The gorgeously styled full-bleed photos will inspire readers to redecorate, if only mentally. For those who prize pretty, Howard’s delightful handbook is the place to start. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly