girl wonder, some books I've found useful and enjoyed:
Interior Design Master Class: 100 Lessons from America's Finest Designers on the Art of Decoration by Carl Dellatore: "Creating a library-worthy resource on design, the volume’s editor, Carl Dellatore, recruited one hundred top American interior designers to contribute essays on a particular aspect of design, interspersed with examples of their work. Useful for both aficionados and professionals, the volume reveals the meticulous and often heady process that goes into creating great interiors." There's a very good good write-up and interview with the author at the design blog Quintessence.
Habitat: The Field Guide to Decorating by decorator Lauren Liess (who is basically self-taught, which is why she calls herself a decorator rather than an interior designer), who has a great blog (not updated much anymore) where she has explained her choices and decisions.
Mary Gilliatt's Interior Design Course by Mary Gilliatt
Domino: The Book of Decorating: A Room-by-Room Guide to Creating a Home That Makes You Happy by Deborah Needleman
The Perfectly Imperfect Home: How to Decorate and Live Well by Deborah Needleman
A few of the interior design books I've picked up in the past few years, which gave me a greater sense of appreciation for what interior designers and decorators do:
The Interior Design Reference & Specification Book: Everything Interior Designers Need to Know Every Dayby Linda O'Shea, Chris Grimley, Mimi Love
Interior Design Course: Principles, Practices, and Techniques for the Aspiring Designer by Tomris Tangaz
Some earlier helpful threads in the GardenWeb Home Decorating forum:
Where to go for "Home Decorating 101"?
What's your favorite Interior Design Book?
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