Product Description

• Design-conscious readers can examine creative makeovers that cost less than $1,000

• Highlights 20 rooms from the show, including before-and-after photos

• In-depth instruction for projects from stenciling walls to customizing furniture

• Show's talented design team provides plenty of practical tips and foolproof techniques to restyle, recolor, remake, and rearrange any room of the home

• Includes a room arranging kit with dozens of templates

• Provides detailed buying resource information

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #408315 in Books
• Published on: 2003-12-16
• Released on: 2003-12-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Customer Reviews

In Some Ways- Better Than Trading Spaces!
Like many folks out there, I wrote a lot of checks to "professionals" before even thinking I could tackle any type of home improvement myself. Sure, Bob Villa and Norm were out there teaching folks, but they were the ultimate DIY geeks. Just look at the plaid shirts! I didn't even own anything flannel! How could I do it myself? Then Paige entered my life.

Trading Spaces showed me and my wife that we were capable of doing a lot around the house ourselves. If some of the chuckleheads they had on could help Ty or Amy-Wyn without losing digits then there was no reason for us to be afraid of power tools either. Then I discovered HGTV and Design on a Dime.

The projects are completed by professional designers and builders, but they walk the viewer through all steps of design and construction. While Frank may give a couple of hints to the home owners viewers mainly get to watch them rolling paint onto the walls or stuffing pillows. There are loads of great ideas, but no detailed, step by step instruction. (It's not that type of show) After watching an episode of Design on a Dime anyone with half a brain should be able to complete at least one of the projects competantly.

This book is a great companion to the series with detailed, step by step instrucitons on how to complete almost everything in each of the rooms showcased. Thoughts on the mechanics of planning the room are included and the photography is beautifuly done as well.

Check out the show, pick up the book and dust off the hammer and saw. Inspiration is right around the corner.

Very Few Inspirational Ideas
I checked this out of the library, hoping I would find some inspirational ideas. I was disappointed. When Design on a Dime first premiered on TV, I tended to only like 2 out of 10 of their designs. I have noticed over the past year, the designs have improved tremendously.

I enjoy home decorating projects and like sewing, upholstery and doing any type of project where I get to work with my hands. I believe that you don't have to spend gobs of money to have a beautiful environment that reflects your style. Knowing that many of these rooms were created on a $1000 budget, I expected more. The photography is not even very good. Many of the rooms look somewhat washed out and lack detail, as if taken with a lower resolution.

The "tips?" were so general that I did not find them helpful. The info is more like what you already know. There was a paragraph titled "Enliven with Fabric", the tip was "Extra doses of color enter the room through fabric on the chairs." It then described the fabric on the chairs, but nothing useful about fabric selection or why the colors were chosen. The worst part of the book was a lack of instructions for many of the projects shown. For example, on page 13 there is a caption for picture B that says "Summer prepares to complete a 1950's atomic-style light fixture." Where are the instructions?! Nothing! Why is there a picture of someone building something if there are no instructions or buying resources if it can be purchased (it is not in the Credit/Resources section in the back of the book).

This book needs work.

My favorite Xmas gift
I bought this with a gift certificate, and I am so glad I did. I never miss Design on a Dime. The rooms are great and the cast is cool. I always want to see more of every episode. I always wish I could pause my TV and study what the designers have done to the rooms. This book lets me do that. In the book I can see more details of rooms from the show, and the book also has detailed information on how to create projects from the show which is a real plus to me. On the show they don't have enough time to show enough "how to" steps. But those steps are in this book. The book captures the fun of the show but offers more than the show itself. It's my favorite Xmas gift.