Product Description

Emmy award-winning author Christopher Lowell is back with his second groundbreaking book, ready to inspire his millions of fans with hundreds of ideas that can transform their homes—and their lives. With his first book, Christopher Lowell’s Seven Layers of Design, Lowell introduced design basics layer by layer, demystifying and reassuring the first-time home decorator. Now he takes the process one step further, encouraging readers to discover their own hearts’ desires so they can turn their dreams into unique realities.

Taking us by the hand, Lowell starts with his own experiences of self-discovery as a guide for the dreaming process. Next he provides a questionnaire that helps you identify your own sources of pleasure and fulfillment. Finally, he illustrates the process with exciting design projects built on particular themes. The longing to entertain friends in a cozy cocktail room transforms an awkward space into a “Martini Lounge”; dreams of living
by the seashore become “Coastal Living”; the desire for travel and theatrical surroundings informs “Moroccan Mystique”; and a nostalgia for the mid-twentieth century finds its creative expression in “Retro Chic.” Each of these imaginative rooms not only expresses the creative spirit, but also feeds the soul.

As Lowell explains it, no matter what your budget, no matter what your talents, if you begin to understand the relationship between the interior of your mind and the interior of your home, you can create beauty in both. The sense of satisfaction promised by a home that you yourself decorated is not beyond your reach or your budget, if you follow the simple steps of America’s favorite design guru.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #495360 in Books
• Published on: 2002-09-10
• Released on: 2002-09-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 176 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Lowell, the host of an eponymous home decorating show on the Discovery Channel and the author of the very successful Christopher Lowell's Seven Layers of Design, has a vivacious, flamboyant persona that's garnered him a considerable squadron of fans. His forte: inspiration on the psychological side, and re-design on the physical. Taking a room in a modest house or apartment, for example, he applies a theme ("Theater Living," say, or "Zen-sational Office") to liven it up; "every dream, like every good room," he writes, "needs a theme." Unfortunately, most theme projects provide an opportunity for cliché: "Martini Lounge" means zebra print pillows and bar stools; "Moroccan Mystique" translates into hanging tapestries and paisley prints. The unifying style that Lowell achieves is something cramped, gaudy, and busy to the point of exhaustion, flooded with the brilliant color spectrum of the mall teen-furnishings store. On the other hand, he does empower his fans to pursue their home decorating fantasies in whatever wild and potentially wonderful direction they may lead.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap
Emmy award-winning author Christopher Lowell is back with his second groundbreaking book, ready to inspire his millions of fans with hundreds of ideas that can transform their homes?and their lives. With his first book, Christopher Lowell?s Seven Layers of Design, Lowell introduced design basics layer by layer, demystifying and reassuring the first-time home decorator. Now he takes the process one step further, encouraging readers to discover their own hearts? desires so they can turn their dreams into unique realities.

Taking us by the hand, Lowell starts with his own experiences of self-discovery as a guide for the dreaming process. Next he provides a questionnaire that helps you identify your own sources of pleasure and fulfillment. Finally, he illustrates the process with exciting design projects built on particular themes. The longing to entertain friends in a cozy cocktail room transforms an awkward space into a ?Martini Lounge?; dreams of living
by the seashore become ?Coastal Living?; the desire for travel and theatrical surroundings informs ?Moroccan Mystique?; and a nostalgia for the mid-twentieth century finds its creative expression in ?Retro Chic.? Each of these imaginative rooms not only expresses the creative spirit, but also feeds the soul.

As Lowell explains it, no matter what your budget, no matter what your talents, if you begin to understand the relationship between the interior of your mind and the interior of your home, you can create beauty in both. The sense of satisfaction promised by a home that you yourself decorated is not beyond your reach or your budget, if you follow the simple steps of America?s favorite design guru.

About the Author
Christopher Lowell is the host of The Christopher Lowell Show (formerly Interior Motives), the most popular daytime show on the Discovery Channel. His eclectic background as an actor, artist, classical pianist, creative director, and teacher of interior design has given him both the skills and the authority of someone who has truly paid his creative dues. On his show, Christopher brings his practical experience and talent to people looking for problem-solving ideas. He delights in teaching them to decorate their homes with fabulous projects and improvements that are achievable, affordable, and fun. Loyal viewers tune in twice a day and still can’t get enough of Christopher; their response has inspired a line of decorating products and custom paint. As Christopher would say, “Love that!”

Customer Reviews

Chris's Real Talent
"That is the ugliest room I ever saw" "Why on earth did he do that?" "I would certainly have done something different there" are some of the thoughts I had while reading this book. Precisely. What a springboard he is! While looking closer (in order to argue better) I noticed something else. Every single one of these rooms Worked, and worked well. Chris Lowell's real genius (aside from his showmanship) is furniture design and placement. You can see this in the drawings and plans for a freestanding desk, a headboard/vanity, and other ingenious plans. You wish for more instruction on how to build some of this stuff, or get that paint effect. Maybe that can be his next book. I wouldn't choose his colors or fabrics a lot of the time but I'd love to have those built-ins. Nobody breaks down the functions of a room so brilliantly. Nobody adds functions to a space better -- see "Family OnLine". So he inspires two ways - function and taste. You find yourself thinking outside your own boxes, and that's quite a gift. Thanks, Chris!

If not familiar with his shows, his books are virtually useless....
Don't get me wrong, I love his shows, although I think his rooms are somewhat overfilled with stuff. His built-ins and projects are great!

However, unless you've taped his shows, the instructions for the few projects he did include (l really would have liked the instructions for the desk in the kid's race car room but it wasn't there--looked very "Jetsons") leave a LOT to be desired. And instead of nice pictures of the entire room and full furniture layouts, you got a lot of his drawings over the color pictures.

So, bottom line, you cannot just pick up this book and hope to do this stuff without watching the particular episodes he's referring to.

I hope future books are written to correct this problem (present in all the books except his entertaining book), and also that he puts out a book with ALL of the projects he builds in it, with good instructions and lots of pictures.

Tap Into Your Inner Decorator
This was my first encounter with Christopher Lowell and his energetic decorating. I'd recommend starting with his Seven Layers of Decorating book first. If You Can Dream It builds on that earlier book.
This is not just a collection of pretty room photos. It really makes you think about how decorating relates to your inner feelings and dreams. He gives the reader a great tool in the Dream Questionnaire, then explains how your answers can be applied to home decorating.
His own questionnaire reveals his love for things tropical/water/organic/bamboo, etc. That explains the dramatic rooms pictured in the book which may be overly theatrical for some people. The martini lounge and the retro room put me off, but I fell in love with his down-by-the-sea bedroom and some of the others.
Sandwiched in are projects (usually 2 pages each). These include making a circular pouf, a saucer fountain, a bookshelf room divider, an ottoman, modular bookshelves, a nautical bedside table, deco sconces, a bed/storage combo, refacing kitchen cabinets, and finally a car bed for a kid's room.
Well, worth a look.