It's the Little Things

Wanted this book sooo bad

A most interesting book, very artistic ways of showing collected finds in the home.I much enjoyed the ideas for the "little" room.Often a much neglected place. Thank you.

Even in this golden age of interior design publishing, Susanna Salk's "It's the Little Things" is a standout. In a book that features the work of many designers and a large stable of photographers, there is, with few exceptions, remarkable consistency in the beauty and intrigue of the tableaux and the quality pf page layouts, The size of the book, smaller than a typical coffee-table volume, suits the subject matter perfectly, and the quality of the paper adds to a sense of the book's enduring value."It's the Little Things" is divided into five chapters: Surfaces, Walls, Mantels, Little Moments, and Big Moments. The range of decor styles varies dramatically, from the classic and luxe of Ann Getty to the spare, modern, and avant garde. But commonalities also exist. Most notable is the juxtaposition of objects both precious and modest to produce major decorating impact. For many readers, the book's most important feature will be its ability to inspire our own efforts, for it shows how objects already owned but previously overlooked and even unearthed at second-hand stores and in gardens can, in combination, create a sense of wonder and celebration.

I love Susanna Salks YouTube videos! Unfortunately watching the YouTube and taking screenshots would have made better pictures than the quality of photography in this book. I'm not one for leaving bad reviews but this book gives the impression it is comparable to a high school yearbook. If we're talking about "the little things" , as the book is entitled, the book falls short on too many points. I was expecting to see beautiful pages full of captivating arrangements of precious trinkets along with text that includes how/why to arrange the little things and make vignettes. Instead just poor photography that often is unclear is paired with a small reference caption of whose house it came from. (And what's with the oval accent cropping?) I can drink up most books about interiors and stare for hours but this one left me unsatisfied and squinting. Watch and pause her YouTube instead. ((Photos in my review show comparison of this book and her other, better, book "decorate fearlessly" which I recommend above this even if it is still only captions without much text)

The decorating style presented in this book is not one I would use myself. Not sure what to call it - Boho??? Most of the rooms and houses depicted seem to be very old, which is also true with the contents. There is lots of color, which I do appreciate. Probably the only room in my house that would be similar to the style in this book is my home office with navy walls, art work covering the walls, a desk painted blue in order to give it a new life, my grandfather's antique dresser, and a mix of items and books curated over time. Most of the rest of my house is much more muted in color but still elegant and curated.Despite the difference in decorating style represented in this book, I enjoyed reading each of the chapters brief intros and the captions with the different photos. Much of the decorating wisdom that is shared is true regardless of whether the photo is something you would like in your own home or not, and emphasizes that things in your home should be meaningful to you, and how wonderful it is to curate or collect over time. I also just enjoyed looking at the different photos, and appreciate others style.