Shades of Country: Designing a Life of Comfort

by Chippy Irvine

Country living and style permeates every aspect of our culture- we yearn for the simplicity and comfort of country style living as seen in the pages of popular publications like "Country Living" Magazine and in Shabby Chic decor. There are many shades of country to match your personal style and "Shades of Country," written by "Chippy Irvine," masterfully presents some of America's most beautiful, charming and fascinating country houses. Chippy...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1561588164
• ISBN13: 9781561588169
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: Taunton Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 3.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 9.4" x 10.9"

Customer Reviews

inspiration for your dream home

I can seldom resist a good décor book, especially one on Country Style. My current excuse is that I'm looking for ideas I can use in my own country house which I've been renovating for the past 5 years. Shades of Country is perfect for the amateur decorator and it's reasonably priced too. It is profusely illustrated with a wealth of examples of actual American homes -- including the author's own country retreat -- which are not only beautiful but emphasize comfort & practicality. Some of them are derived from European country styles, but most are what we think of as typically American - east coast farmhouses, Shaker simplicity, Montana ranch and rustic Adirondack cabin. There is something for every taste here; cosy bedrooms with iron beds & antique bureaus & old quilts in muted pastels; walls painted, wallpapered, wainscotted or of varnished logs; walls hung with blue and white platters, old portraits or prints or ornate mirrors; a stair rail made from a birch tree; support posts disguised as palm trees; kitchens with open shelves of china bowls or glassware, and red-painted iron pots hanging from overhead beams; staircases plain or classic; toile's and stripes and rose-bouquet chintzes; floral cushions on a jade green slip-covered sofa; cobalt blue cushions on spruce-green wicker chairs on a white-painted verandah; a window box on a country out-house, and bookshelves - which I seldom see in American decor magazines - including one converted from a fireplace hole-in-the-wall (I guess I'm not the first to think of doing that) and fluted pilasters high-lighting an otherwise plain bookshelf . Whether you are renovating your home; or still dreaming of that someday home in the country; updating a tired décor or looking for ideas for colour schemes or a knick-knack shelf, this book will inspire you.

Beautiful Country Homes

This may not break any new ground in decorating, but I never fail to enjoy browsing one more book on the topic of country style. This shows use of fabrics, accessories, paint and furniture that makes country style what it is. It also defines some sub-genres of country; Farmhouse, Grand Country, Cottage, Rusticator, Clean and Simple, and Urban Arcadia. If you like Country Living magazine or enjoy the Shabby Chic trend, then you'll find pleasure in this book.