Structured as a complete course in interior design, internationally acclaimed interior designer Mary Gilliatt explains the principles of successful design through a series of easy-to-follow sections. The book is divided into 2 main sections - The Basics and The Specifics. The first looks at planning principles and the main elements of good design: lighting, colour, texture and pattern, and scale and balance. The Specifics, takes the reader through each element of the room - walls, windows, floors and furnishings - and discusses the different approaches available for each.
Mary Gilliatt is an acclaimed international interior designer and writer. Presenter of a successful decorating series on US television, she is also the author of over 30 best-selling books on aspects of decoration and design. She has been a design consultant for major companies, including Liberty of London, and has written for newspapers and magazines on both sides of the Atlantic. Previous titles by Mary Gilliatt for Conran Octopus include New Guide to Decorating, Introduction to Decorating and Short Cuts to Great Decorating.