Walls: The Best of Decorative Treatments

This book is a beauty. A real Livingroom Table Book. The pictures are gorgeous.It is a history lesson that is in-depth and carefully researched.It is not a how-to book. if that is what you are looking for, stop now and look elsewhere.It's like something out of Discovery Channel. I am a color addict - a chromophile - and I am totally absorbed in the details of the different types of murals, wallpaper and paintings.I debated on whether or not to buy it. I'm glad I did.It may not be a how-to but it is definately inspiring.

Received my copy of "Walls: The Best of Decorative Treatments" in the mail in record time! It is positively the BEST collection of decorative treatments I've seen in quite some time...if ever!! The only thing missing is the "how to" on a lot of treatments. The Author showcases everything with such taste and flow and makes me want to try everything, everywhere in my home!! It's really extraordinary and I definitely suggest purchasing this for yourself...a true treat!

These walls, are walls you'll want to talk to.By including informative history and practical uses of the art, this book is filled with a plethora of ideas when wanting that "certain something" that elevates any room.

Yes, believe the previous reviews. I did not. Regret purchase. I really wanted this book to be beautiful. Nothing new, limited information and mediocre.

gorgeous book and well written.

One of the most inspirational new design books this spring is author and decorator Florence de Dampierre's new book. Filled with page after page of beautiful room treatments, this book dazzles with ideas for anyone who loves painted and paneled walls as well as wallpaper and stenciling.As the author of "Chairs: A History," published in 2006, de Dampierre gives us a well-researched and comprehensive round-up of the history of each wall treatment, including a page of advice on maintenance at the end of every chapter. Her writing style is easy and effortless, making this well-researched book both educational and a pleasure to read."Walls" begins with a chapter on murals, then wood paneling, continues with stenciling, and then finally shows page after page of beautiful wallpaper designs. De Dampierre travels around the globe, showing examples like the stunning 1760s lacquer room from the Chateau d'Epoisses in Burgundy, Frederic Church's stenciled 19th -century homestead Olana in upstate New York, and the historic Hacienda Jaral de Berrio in Mexico, which dates from 1909.."Beginning with the earthy mysterious cave paintings, wall decorations have evolved to include elegant masterpieces," de Dampierre writes, "More than mere decoration, wall treatments reflect the fashion and thinking of particular times. For example, the numerous Renaissance frescoes of the Palazzo del Te in Mantua illustrate the pageantry associated with the rulers of sixteenth-century Italy." But don't think this book is stuck in the distant past- rooms by contemporary decorators Martyn Lawrence-Bullard, Tim Whealon and Alberto Pinto add touches of modern glamor to its pages. The photos are superb-- this is a wonderful book for anyone who enjoys beautiful and elegant spaces carefully chosen from all over the world.

Having been a big fan of de Dampierre's book Chairs: A History, I was excited to discover that she was tackling the subject of walls. Just like Chairs, Walls is filled with intriguing examples of historical design ideas and demonstrates the seemingly boundless creativity humans bring to feathering, gilding, plastering, papering, and otherwise decorating their nests. De Dampierre is a thoughtful guide to the history of the decorative arts as well as an inspiring one, who shares her own expertise as a designer with helpful tips to those who might want to take on their own decorating projects. Even if you're not planning to retool your walls anytime soon, this volume is a perfect "armchair" decorating book.

This is a truly beautiful book that also is filled with fascinating history. Florence deDampierre writes with such grace and style that we don't even realize how much information we're receiving! "Walls" shows us what remarkable artistry has gone into the decoration of the spaces in which we live. We're led to realize how these creations reflect their times. We can learn from walls. And we can gaze in wonder at the result of all the skill and imagination that went into creating them.I highly recommend "Walls". It's a book to savor and return to again and again.

Present

Love the book. Great ideas