They’re the rooms where you relax, where family and friends gather, where most of home life gets lived: the living and dining rooms. Who better than the experts at House Beautiful to show how to make these spaces attractive, inviting, and fresh? Divided into two sections, this stunning guide features hundreds of lavish, inspirational images, enhanced with checklists and explanatory sidebars. “Design” covers everything from planning to selecting the permanent elements of the interior: this is the time for thinking and research, for making crucial long-term decisions about the layout, lighting and electricity, flooring, storage space, and furniture. “Decorate” is devoted to the look, focusing on color, wall finishes, window treatments, and those small but important touches that make a house a beautiful home.

PART 1:DESIGN

Be prepared

Assess your lifestyle

Plan the layout

Lights

Floors

Storage

Furniture

PART 2:DECORATE

Decorative style

Color confidence

Walls

Window treatments

Finishing touches

Photography credits

Index