Surprisingly well done, useful, readable reference, 01 Oct 2008
I love color in interior design but have never been a whiz at deciding whether this exact blue in conjunction with that exact red will give me this exact effect. McCloud's book ingeniously solves my problem by presenting beautifully simple double-page spreads dedicated each to a particular color scheme with explanation. There are sophisticated schemes based on variations on a single color, well-researched and amusingly explained period palettes, palettes for northern or southern exposures, neutral palettes, vibrant palettes, and probably some I'm forgetting. Possibilities range from pale eggshell sophistication to primary blue on red modern shock. Throughout, McCloud educates the reader about the history of color and its effect on the emotion, always with a light touch and never dipping into dullness. The color reproduction, as you'd expect, is perfect.

Erudite but also incredibly accessible, 06 Dec 2007
Warning: this book can become addictive. I've just been renovating a whole house and I spent so much time with my head in this book, friends started to tease me. It's beautiful, but it's also thoughtful and brilliantly creative. I can't believe some reviewers on here don't find it useful. McCloud covers so much, from every shade of each colour to period colours (like the 1930s palettes I ended up using) to colours for beach homes or cold climates or loft style apartments. In short, there is a wealth of knowledge in this book and it's written with the passion one has come to expect from McCloud. To those who find this book hard to use, what do you want Kevin to do, come round your house and choose the colours for you? Be creative, pick what you like and experiment. That's the whole idea of the book! I did and I've ended up using colour in a way that I never thought possible.

Recomended, 20 Apr 2006
Well put together. An interesting read as well as a useful reference in helping with colour choice.

Very pretty.. and pretty useless, 04 Feb 2005
This book is a very pretty book. It has lots of nice colours and pictures. But it is very hard to use & I don't feel I've learned much about how to use colour!
And while the colours are very nice, perhaps one reason I still can't work out what colours go with what, is that there aren't many colours in here that I would actually use in my home. The style is very classic / seaside cottage and I'm more of an urban trendy sort of gal.

Too cool, 22 Jan 2005
Great if you have a house like some of the exotic examples in this book. Not so good if you don't. A little bit too cool for its own good I did not find this to be very user friendly. It is very hard to relate any of the examples to real world rooms - they are just all like show homes. It might suit some though, perhaps semi-pro interior designers.

Surprisingly well done, useful, readable reference, 01 Oct 2008
I love color in interior design but have never been a whiz at deciding whether this exact blue in conjunction with that exact red will give me this exact effect. McCloud's book ingeniously solves my problem by presenting beautifully simple double-page spreads dedicated each to a particular color scheme with explanation. There are sophisticated schemes based on variations on a single color, well-researched and amusingly explained period palettes, palettes for northern or southern exposures, neutral palettes, vibrant palettes, and probably some I'm forgetting. Possibilities range from pale eggshell sophistication to primary blue on red modern shock. Throughout, McCloud educates the reader about the history of color and its effect on the emotion, always with a light touch and never dipping into dullness. The color reproduction, as you'd expect, is perfect.

Erudite but also incredibly accessible, 06 Dec 2007
Warning: this book can become addictive. I've just been renovating a whole house and I spent so much time with my head in this book, friends started to tease me. It's beautiful, but it's also thoughtful and brilliantly creative. I can't believe some reviewers on here don't find it useful. McCloud covers so much, from every shade of each colour to period colours (like the 1930s palettes I ended up using) to colours for beach homes or cold climates or loft style apartments. In short, there is a wealth of knowledge in this book and it's written with the passion one has come to expect from McCloud. To those who find this book hard to use, what do you want Kevin to do, come round your house and choose the colours for you? Be creative, pick what you like and experiment. That's the whole idea of the book! I did and I've ended up using colour in a way that I never thought possible.

Recomended, 20 Apr 2006
Well put together. An interesting read as well as a useful reference in helping with colour choice.

Very pretty.. and pretty useless, 04 Feb 2005
This book is a very pretty book. It has lots of nice colours and pictures. But it is very hard to use & I don't feel I've learned much about how to use colour!
And while the colours are very nice, perhaps one reason I still can't work out what colours go with what, is that there aren't many colours in here that I would actually use in my home. The style is very classic / seaside cottage and I'm more of an urban trendy sort of gal.

Too cool, 22 Jan 2005
Great if you have a house like some of the exotic examples in this book. Not so good if you don't. A little bit too cool for its own good I did not find this to be very user friendly. It is very hard to relate any of the examples to real world rooms - they are just all like show homes. It might suit some though, perhaps semi-pro interior designers.

Not for Decorating Help - Great for a History of F&B Paints, 12 Aug 2004
The negatives, which are derived from trying to use the book for a purpose other than it's intent (which I discovered after buying it.) :I had hoped that this book would help me choose paint colors for the Georgian house that I am restoring. I wanted pictures of Farrow and Ball paints in interiors. (Their paint colors are really lovely.) While this book is comprised of F&B paints in interiors it is not really a big help in choosing colors. The reason is that majority of the pictures come from old, old houses where they can show early use of the color. This means that many of the colors are applied in very old techniques which, as they very interestingly explain, creates a very different effect. And the colors are mottled with time. Also, the rooms sometimes are so very very different from the "castles" we live in today that it is hard to get a good feel. For example, some of their rooms are so heavily laden with ornamention (cornices, plints, etc.) that it is hard to get a feel for the color in a less broken up state. Finally, some of the colors shown in the book are not available today (e.g. architectural pink) and many of the colors they offer today are not shown in the book.

The positives; It is a beautiful book. It has certainly expanded my willingness to work with color in my Georgian house. The history of their paint colors are interesting. Thus I am glad that I bought it.

Surprisingly well done, useful, readable reference, 01 Oct 2008
I love color in interior design but have never been a whiz at deciding whether this exact blue in conjunction with that exact red will give me this exact effect. McCloud's book ingeniously solves my problem by presenting beautifully simple double-page spreads dedicated each to a particular color scheme with explanation. There are sophisticated schemes based on variations on a single color, well-researched and amusingly explained period palettes, palettes for northern or southern exposures, neutral palettes, vibrant palettes, and probably some I'm forgetting. Possibilities range from pale eggshell sophistication to primary blue on red modern shock. Throughout, McCloud educates the reader about the history of color and its effect on the emotion, always with a light touch and never dipping into dullness. The color reproduction, as you'd expect, is perfect.

Erudite but also incredibly accessible, 06 Dec 2007
Warning: this book can become addictive. I've just been renovating a whole house and I spent so much time with my head in this book, friends started to tease me. It's beautiful, but it's also thoughtful and brilliantly creative. I can't believe some reviewers on here don't find it useful. McCloud covers so much, from every shade of each colour to period colours (like the 1930s palettes I ended up using) to colours for beach homes or cold climates or loft style apartments. In short, there is a wealth of knowledge in this book and it's written with the passion one has come to expect from McCloud. To those who find this book hard to use, what do you want Kevin to do, come round your house and choose the colours for you? Be creative, pick what you like and experiment. That's the whole idea of the book! I did and I've ended up using colour in a way that I never thought possible.

Recomended, 20 Apr 2006
Well put together. An interesting read as well as a useful reference in helping with colour choice.

Very pretty.. and pretty useless, 04 Feb 2005
This book is a very pretty book. It has lots of nice colours and pictures. But it is very hard to use & I don't feel I've learned much about how to use colour!
And while the colours are very nice, perhaps one reason I still can't work out what colours go with what, is that there aren't many colours in here that I would actually use in my home. The style is very classic / seaside cottage and I'm more of an urban trendy sort of gal.

Too cool, 22 Jan 2005
Great if you have a house like some of the exotic examples in this book. Not so good if you don't. A little bit too cool for its own good I did not find this to be very user friendly. It is very hard to relate any of the examples to real world rooms - they are just all like show homes. It might suit some though, perhaps semi-pro interior designers.

Not for Decorating Help - Great for a History of F&B Paints, 12 Aug 2004
The negatives, which are derived from trying to use the book for a purpose other than it's intent (which I discovered after buying it.) :I had hoped that this book would help me choose paint colors for the Georgian house that I am restoring. I wanted pictures of Farrow and Ball paints in interiors. (Their paint colors are really lovely.) While this book is comprised of F&B paints in interiors it is not really a big help in choosing colors. The reason is that majority of the pictures come from old, old houses where they can show early use of the color. This means that many of the colors are applied in very old techniques which, as they very interestingly explain, creates a very different effect. And the colors are mottled with time. Also, the rooms sometimes are so very very different from the "castles" we live in today that it is hard to get a good feel. For example, some of their rooms are so heavily laden with ornamention (cornices, plints, etc.) that it is hard to get a feel for the color in a less broken up state. Finally, some of the colors shown in the book are not available today (e.g. architectural pink) and many of the colors they offer today are not shown in the book.

The positives; It is a beautiful book. It has certainly expanded my willingness to work with color in my Georgian house. The history of their paint colors are interesting. Thus I am glad that I bought it.

., 23 Jul 2007
really nice photos, but not as inspiring as usual - found it a bit cold. also she appears in many of the pictures. anyway, brilliant use of coulour as ever

Surprisingly well done, useful, readable reference, 01 Oct 2008
I love color in interior design but have never been a whiz at deciding whether this exact blue in conjunction with that exact red will give me this exact effect. McCloud's book ingeniously solves my problem by presenting beautifully simple double-page spreads dedicated each to a particular color scheme with explanation. There are sophisticated schemes based on variations on a single color, well-researched and amusingly explained period palettes, palettes for northern or southern exposures, neutral palettes, vibrant palettes, and probably some I'm forgetting. Possibilities range from pale eggshell sophistication to primary blue on red modern shock. Throughout, McCloud educates the reader about the history of color and its effect on the emotion, always with a light touch and never dipping into dullness. The color reproduction, as you'd expect, is perfect.

Erudite but also incredibly accessible, 06 Dec 2007
Warning: this book can become addictive. I've just been renovating a whole house and I spent so much time with my head in this book, friends started to tease me. It's beautiful, but it's also thoughtful and brilliantly creative. I can't believe some reviewers on here don't find it useful. McCloud covers so much, from every shade of each colour to period colours (like the 1930s palettes I ended up using) to colours for beach homes or cold climates or loft style apartments. In short, there is a wealth of knowledge in this book and it's written with the passion one has come to expect from McCloud. To those who find this book hard to use, what do you want Kevin to do, come round your house and choose the colours for you? Be creative, pick what you like and experiment. That's the whole idea of the book! I did and I've ended up using colour in a way that I never thought possible.

Recomended, 20 Apr 2006
Well put together. An interesting read as well as a useful reference in helping with colour choice.

Very pretty.. and pretty useless, 04 Feb 2005
This book is a very pretty book. It has lots of nice colours and pictures. But it is very hard to use & I don't feel I've learned much about how to use colour!
And while the colours are very nice, perhaps one reason I still can't work out what colours go with what, is that there aren't many colours in here that I would actually use in my home. The style is very classic / seaside cottage and I'm more of an urban trendy sort of gal.

Too cool, 22 Jan 2005
Great if you have a house like some of the exotic examples in this book. Not so good if you don't. A little bit too cool for its own good I did not find this to be very user friendly. It is very hard to relate any of the examples to real world rooms - they are just all like show homes. It might suit some though, perhaps semi-pro interior designers.

Not for Decorating Help - Great for a History of F&B Paints, 12 Aug 2004
The negatives, which are derived from trying to use the book for a purpose other than it's intent (which I discovered after buying it.) :I had hoped that this book would help me choose paint colors for the Georgian house that I am restoring. I wanted pictures of Farrow and Ball paints in interiors. (Their paint colors are really lovely.) While this book is comprised of F&B paints in interiors it is not really a big help in choosing colors. The reason is that majority of the pictures come from old, old houses where they can show early use of the color. This means that many of the colors are applied in very old techniques which, as they very interestingly explain, creates a very different effect. And the colors are mottled with time. Also, the rooms sometimes are so very very different from the "castles" we live in today that it is hard to get a good feel. For example, some of their rooms are so heavily laden with ornamention (cornices, plints, etc.) that it is hard to get a feel for the color in a less broken up state. Finally, some of the colors shown in the book are not available today (e.g. architectural pink) and many of the colors they offer today are not shown in the book.

The positives; It is a beautiful book. It has certainly expanded my willingness to work with color in my Georgian house. The history of their paint colors are interesting. Thus I am glad that I bought it.

., 23 Jul 2007
really nice photos, but not as inspiring as usual - found it a bit cold. also she appears in many of the pictures. anyway, brilliant use of coulour as ever

This book gives you confidence to try and succeed, 29 Aug 2000
I agree with all the other comments about excercises etc etc. I personally found this book gave me the confidence to actually do the work. I have many books that I have studied but the other authors always managed to convey the idea that this is difficult. Not so with this one - my first project was a wood effect floor - with many different types of woods. As soon as I had read the wood chapter I was ready to go. Even though I prefer to use acrylics, this book allows for that as well. Excellent

It's the only faux book I've read cover to cover !!!, 10 Mar 1999
What a great book ! I have at least a half dozen other faux painting books - most of which I read a chapter or two. This book is so interesting you want to read every page and practice all the techniques.

By far the Best., 01 Mar 1999
I've been searching for some time for a good book of Faux finishes. I've looked at and bought plenty. This book is the best in its' class. Well written, well illustrated, and inspiring. Well done Pierre.

My best buy ever in faux finishes books, 05 Feb 1999
Fantastic pictures, wide range of very well-explained step-by-step techniques (marbles, woods, stencil, grisaille, etc).

What I loved most (as a self-taught beginner): 1) The "techniques exercises" at the beginning of the marble/wood chapters, which allow you to gain confidence before you start following the step-by-step instructions and, most important thing, prevent you from creating "horrible looking" marbles or woods, 2) the discovery of the frisket adhesive film for the "pietre dure", 3) the chapter of materials and how you should take care of them (the author provides very clear and detailed information on this) and 4) the veining and line drawings at the end of the book, to be used as reference material.

Finally an artist/author who can teach, 03 Sep 1998
This book is well worth the money. After many attempts at the marbling techniques with the other decorative painting books, I finally rated my wall as superb. It was easy, fun, and well organized because the author, Mr. Finkelstein, knows that there are other people who really like to use oil paints. His instructions include both acrylic and oil methods. The illustrations are great reference sheets for scanning, projecting, etc., but these aren't necessary since his style of teaching is flawless.

Surprisingly well done, useful, readable reference, 01 Oct 2008
I love color in interior design but have never been a whiz at deciding whether this exact blue in conjunction with that exact red will give me this exact effect. McCloud's book ingeniously solves my problem by presenting beautifully simple double-page spreads dedicated each to a particular color scheme with explanation. There are sophisticated schemes based on variations on a single color, well-researched and amusingly explained period palettes, palettes for northern or southern exposures, neutral palettes, vibrant palettes, and probably some I'm forgetting. Possibilities range from pale eggshell sophistication to primary blue on red modern shock. Throughout, McCloud educates the reader about the history of color and its effect on the emotion, always with a light touch and never dipping into dullness. The color reproduction, as you'd expect, is perfect.

Erudite but also incredibly accessible, 06 Dec 2007
Warning: this book can become addictive. I've just been renovating a whole house and I spent so much time with my head in this book, friends started to tease me. It's beautiful, but it's also thoughtful and brilliantly creative. I can't believe some reviewers on here don't find it useful. McCloud covers so much, from every shade of each colour to period colours (like the 1930s palettes I ended up using) to colours for beach homes or cold climates or loft style apartments. In short, there is a wealth of knowledge in this book and it's written with the passion one has come to expect from McCloud. To those who find this book hard to use, what do you want Kevin to do, come round your house and choose the colours for you? Be creative, pick what you like and experiment. That's the whole idea of the book! I did and I've ended up using colour in a way that I never thought possible.

Recomended, 20 Apr 2006
Well put together. An interesting read as well as a useful reference in helping with colour choice.

Very pretty.. and pretty useless, 04 Feb 2005
This book is a very pretty book. It has lots of nice colours and pictures. But it is very hard to use & I don't feel I've learned much about how to use colour!
And while the colours are very nice, perhaps one reason I still can't work out what colours go with what, is that there aren't many colours in here that I would actually use in my home. The style is very classic / seaside cottage and I'm more of an urban trendy sort of gal.

Too cool, 22 Jan 2005
Great if you have a house like some of the exotic examples in this book. Not so good if you don't. A little bit too cool for its own good I did not find this to be very user friendly. It is very hard to relate any of the examples to real world rooms - they are just all like show homes. It might suit some though, perhaps semi-pro interior designers.

Not for Decorating Help - Great for a History of F&B Paints, 12 Aug 2004
The negatives, which are derived from trying to use the book for a purpose other than it's intent (which I discovered after buying it.) :I had hoped that this book would help me choose paint colors for the Georgian house that I am restoring. I wanted pictures of Farrow and Ball paints in interiors. (Their paint colors are really lovely.) While this book is comprised of F&B paints in interiors it is not really a big help in choosing colors. The reason is that majority of the pictures come from old, old houses where they can show early use of the color. This means that many of the colors are applied in very old techniques which, as they very interestingly explain, creates a very different effect. And the colors are mottled with time. Also, the rooms sometimes are so very very different from the "castles" we live in today that it is hard to get a good feel. For example, some of their rooms are so heavily laden with ornamention (cornices, plints, etc.) that it is hard to get a feel for the color in a less broken up state. Finally, some of the colors shown in the book are not available today (e.g. architectural pink) and many of the colors they offer today are not shown in the book.

The positives; It is a beautiful book. It has certainly expanded my willingness to work with color in my Georgian house. The history of their paint colors are interesting. Thus I am glad that I bought it.

., 23 Jul 2007
really nice photos, but not as inspiring as usual - found it a bit cold. also she appears in many of the pictures. anyway, brilliant use of coulour as ever

This book gives you confidence to try and succeed, 29 Aug 2000
I agree with all the other comments about excercises etc etc. I personally found this book gave me the confidence to actually do the work. I have many books that I have studied but the other authors always managed to convey the idea that this is difficult. Not so with this one - my first project was a wood effect floor - with many different types of woods. As soon as I had read the wood chapter I was ready to go. Even though I prefer to use acrylics, this book allows for that as well. Excellent

It's the only faux book I've read cover to cover !!!, 10 Mar 1999
What a great book ! I have at least a half dozen other faux painting books - most of which I read a chapter or two. This book is so interesting you want to read every page and practice all the techniques.

By far the Best., 01 Mar 1999
I've been searching for some time for a good book of Faux finishes. I've looked at and bought plenty. This book is the best in its' class. Well written, well illustrated, and inspiring. Well done Pierre.

My best buy ever in faux finishes books, 05 Feb 1999
Fantastic pictures, wide range of very well-explained step-by-step techniques (marbles, woods, stencil, grisaille, etc).

What I loved most (as a self-taught beginner): 1) The "techniques exercises" at the beginning of the marble/wood chapters, which allow you to gain confidence before you start following the step-by-step instructions and, most important thing, prevent you from creating "horrible looking" marbles or woods, 2) the discovery of the frisket adhesive film for the "pietre dure", 3) the chapter of materials and how you should take care of them (the author provides very clear and detailed information on this) and 4) the veining and line drawings at the end of the book, to be used as reference material.

Finally an artist/author who can teach, 03 Sep 1998
This book is well worth the money. After many attempts at the marbling techniques with the other decorative painting books, I finally rated my wall as superb. It was easy, fun, and well organized because the author, Mr. Finkelstein, knows that there are other people who really like to use oil paints. His instructions include both acrylic and oil methods. The illustrations are great reference sheets for scanning, projecting, etc., but these aren't necessary since his style of teaching is flawless.

An Excellent Reference Book, 27 Oct 2002
This is a book of swatches. Make no mistake about it. This book doesn't expect you to wade through hundreds of pages of colour theory to find out which colour compliments that dirty pink your clients logo uses!

With pages and pages of colour schemes, every designer should have a copy of this book on their desk. I bought it, and within a week it had more than paid for itself - giving me the perfect complimentary colour schemes for two commercial projects. Genius.

Invaluable guide and companion, 07 Mar 2001
On recieving this book, delight, was an understatement. A perfect size,very well laid out and easily understood. Great reference tool for colour combinations. Whether you are specialising in graphics or still at high school. The CMYK colour converstion chart cuts down on time as well as the aspects of colour and colour schemes. The basic colour scheme pages covers complimentary combinations through neutral and even clash combinations. The best ever buy,timeless, this will stay with me until it falls apart. Understanding and working with colour is a pleasure with this book. Mandy R.

A very good buy, 16 Jul 2000
An excellent reference book covering aspects of colours and how to match, mix and select colour schemes.

Explains which colour scheme creates the selected ambience.

Hundreds of examples and principles to follow

Thin on plot but rich in taste!, 10 Jun 1999
I'm not sure how appropriate this book is for the under-fourteen set. It seems the author had 82 Gremlins, because the drawings are all in marker and the plot has too many twists and turns. While this may seem like a fine how-do-you-do to most, other may see it the other way, or maybe not.

Color Harmony is bound, it has pages, it has both a back and a front cover, so I have to give it a sterling, or at least a pound, like with a mallet. 5 o'clock shadow is just the sort of thing to make you feel warm, but if your desk is tidy, you might not notice the squid.

Overall, detournement is humorous and does something, even if its effects don't strike you until much later. Color terrorists and small snails should beware!

A fantastic resource for web site and graphic design., 12 Aug 1998
I was introduced to this book through a fellow web designer. Ever since then I feel lost without it. It is a great reference for color layout, combinations, and most importantly - attitudes colors protray. Now when I set-up a web page I use this resource to take the guess work out of which colors to use. If anyone has sat back and wondered what color combination would look best in a given situation - this book is for you.

Surprisingly well done, useful, readable reference, 01 Oct 2008
I love color in interior design but have never been a whiz at deciding whether this exact blue in conjunction with that exact red will give me this exact effect. McCloud's book ingeniously solves my problem by presenting beautifully simple double-page spreads dedicated each to a particular color scheme with explanation. There are sophisticated schemes based on variations on a single color, well-researched and amusingly explained period palettes, palettes for northern or southern exposures, neutral palettes, vibrant palettes, and probably some I'm forgetting. Possibilities range from pale eggshell sophistication to primary blue on red modern shock. Throughout, McCloud educates the reader about the history of color and its effect on the emotion, always with a light touch and never dipping into dullness. The color reproduction, as you'd expect, is perfect.

Erudite but also incredibly accessible, 06 Dec 2007
Warning: this book can become addictive. I've just been renovating a whole house and I spent so much time with my head in this book, friends started to tease me. It's beautiful, but it's also thoughtful and brilliantly creative. I can't believe some reviewers on here don't find it useful. McCloud covers so much, from every shade of each colour to period colours (like the 1930s palettes I ended up using) to colours for beach homes or cold climates or loft style apartments. In short, there is a wealth of knowledge in this book and it's written with the passion one has come to expect from McCloud. To those who find this book hard to use, what do you want Kevin to do, come round your house and choose the colours for you? Be creative, pick what you like and experiment. That's the whole idea of the book! I did and I've ended up using colour in a way that I never thought possible.

Recomended, 20 Apr 2006
Well put together. An interesting read as well as a useful reference in helping with colour choice.

Very pretty.. and pretty useless, 04 Feb 2005
This book is a very pretty book. It has lots of nice colours and pictures. But it is very hard to use & I don't feel I've learned much about how to use colour!
And while the colours are very nice, perhaps one reason I still can't work out what colours go with what, is that there aren't many colours in here that I would actually use in my home. The style is very classic / seaside cottage and I'm more of an urban trendy sort of gal.

Too cool, 22 Jan 2005
Great if you have a house like some of the exotic examples in this book. Not so good if you don't. A little bit too cool for its own good I did not find this to be very user friendly. It is very hard to relate any of the examples to real world rooms - they are just all like show homes. It might suit some though, perhaps semi-pro interior designers.

Not for Decorating Help - Great for a History of F&B Paints, 12 Aug 2004
The negatives, which are derived from trying to use the book for a purpose other than it's intent (which I discovered after buying it.) :I had hoped that this book would help me choose paint colors for the Georgian house that I am restoring. I wanted pictures of Farrow and Ball paints in interiors. (Their paint colors are really lovely.) While this book is comprised of F&B paints in interiors it is not really a big help in choosing colors. The reason is that majority of the pictures come from old, old houses where they can show early use of the color. This means that many of the colors are applied in very old techniques which, as they very interestingly explain, creates a very different effect. And the colors are mottled with time. Also, the rooms sometimes are so very very different from the "castles" we live in today that it is hard to get a good feel. For example, some of their rooms are so heavily laden with ornamention (cornices, plints, etc.) that it is hard to get a feel for the color in a less broken up state. Finally, some of the colors shown in the book are not available today (e.g. architectural pink) and many of the colors they offer today are not shown in the book.

The positives; It is a beautiful book. It has certainly expanded my willingness to work with color in my Georgian house. The history of their paint colors are interesting. Thus I am glad that I bought it.

., 23 Jul 2007
really nice photos, but not as inspiring as usual - found it a bit cold. also she appears in many of the pictures. anyway, brilliant use of coulour as ever

This book gives you confidence to try and succeed, 29 Aug 2000
I agree with all the other comments about excercises etc etc. I personally found this book gave me the confidence to actually do the work. I have many books that I have studied but the other authors always managed to convey the idea that this is difficult. Not so with this one - my first project was a wood effect floor - with many different types of woods. As soon as I had read the wood chapter I was ready to go. Even though I prefer to use acrylics, this book allows for that as well. Excellent

It's the only faux book I've read cover to cover !!!, 10 Mar 1999
What a great book ! I have at least a half dozen other faux painting books - most of which I read a chapter or two. This book is so interesting you want to read every page and practice all the techniques.

By far the Best., 01 Mar 1999
I've been searching for some time for a good book of Faux finishes. I've looked at and bought plenty. This book is the best in its' class. Well written, well illustrated, and inspiring. Well done Pierre.

My best buy ever in faux finishes books, 05 Feb 1999
Fantastic pictures, wide range of very well-explained step-by-step techniques (marbles, woods, stencil, grisaille, etc).

What I loved most (as a self-taught beginner): 1) The "techniques exercises" at the beginning of the marble/wood chapters, which allow you to gain confidence before you start following the step-by-step instructions and, most important thing, prevent you from creating "horrible looking" marbles or woods, 2) the discovery of the frisket adhesive film for the "pietre dure", 3) the chapter of materials and how you should take care of them (the author provides very clear and detailed information on this) and 4) the veining and line drawings at the end of the book, to be used as reference material.

Finally an artist/author who can teach, 03 Sep 1998
This book is well worth the money. After many attempts at the marbling techniques with the other decorative painting books, I finally rated my wall as superb. It was easy, fun, and well organized because the author, Mr. Finkelstein, knows that there are other people who really like to use oil paints. His instructions include both acrylic and oil methods. The illustrations are great reference sheets for scanning, projecting, etc., but these aren't necessary since his style of teaching is flawless.

An Excellent Reference Book, 27 Oct 2002
This is a book of swatches. Make no mistake about it. This book doesn't expect you to wade through hundreds of pages of colour theory to find out which colour compliments that dirty pink your clients logo uses!

With pages and pages of colour schemes, every designer should have a copy of this book on their desk. I bought it, and within a week it had more than paid for itself - giving me the perfect complimentary colour schemes for two commercial projects. Genius.

Invaluable guide and companion, 07 Mar 2001
On recieving this book, delight, was an understatement. A perfect size,very well laid out and easily understood. Great reference tool for colour combinations. Whether you are specialising in graphics or still at high school. The CMYK colour converstion chart cuts down on time as well as the aspects of colour and colour schemes. The basic colour scheme pages covers complimentary combinations through neutral and even clash combinations. The best ever buy,timeless, this will stay with me until it falls apart. Understanding and working with colour is a pleasure with this book. Mandy R.

A very good buy, 16 Jul 2000
An excellent reference book covering aspects of colours and how to match, mix and select colour schemes.

Explains which colour scheme creates the selected ambience.

Hundreds of examples and principles to follow

Thin on plot but rich in taste!, 10 Jun 1999
I'm not sure how appropriate this book is for the under-fourteen set. It seems the author had 82 Gremlins, because the drawings are all in marker and the plot has too many twists and turns. While this may seem like a fine how-do-you-do to most, other may see it the other way, or maybe not.

Color Harmony is bound, it has pages, it has both a back and a front cover, so I have to give it a sterling, or at least a pound, like with a mallet. 5 o'clock shadow is just the sort of thing to make you feel warm, but if your desk is tidy, you might not notice the squid.

Overall, detournement is humorous and does something, even if its effects don't strike you until much later. Color terrorists and small snails should beware!

A fantastic resource for web site and graphic design., 12 Aug 1998
I was introduced to this book through a fellow web designer. Ever since then I feel lost without it. It is a great reference for color layout, combinations, and most importantly - attitudes colors protray. Now when I set-up a web page I use this resource to take the guess work out of which colors to use. If anyone has sat back and wondered what color combination would look best in a given situation - this book is for you.

The Home Colours Sourcebook: Neutrals - 100 Colour Schemes for the Home, 19 Nov 2008
What a brilliant book. I had decided roughly what colours to decorate my bedroom but wasn't sure if they would look okay together and I needed another colour to compliment what I had chosen. I order a couple of other books which were absolutely useless - but this book was fantastic. It lays out different colour backgrounds and what will go with them. It was perfect for my bedroom decision and I know I'll be able to use it in every other room in my home. If your not 100% sure if what you want is right this book is perfect for you.

Inspirational, 24 Oct 2008
Having just moved into our new home I didn't know where to start, with a blank canvas of boring magnolia walls I found this book hugely inspirational. A great book full of fantastic ideas.

Fantastic book for inspiration, 20 Oct 2008
Although i have an eye for colour this book really helped me in selecting the accent colours and highlight colours to create the finished look. I am delighted with the results and have already transformed my living space. By helping pinpoint what colours I needed for cushions and paintings my room looks like it has been created by a designer. On to the dining room next!! I recommend this book for eveyone as it gaurentees results thru the comprehensive choice of colour schemes and what a joy to be able to shop with total confidence. The best interiors book (and i have many) that I have ever bought

Magnificent first title from Buckley, 01 Oct 2008
I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in interior design, even if you're not, it's an ideal book to have on the coffee table to flick through when you need inspiration for your decor.

Surprisingly well done, useful, readable reference, 01 Oct 2008
I love color in interior design but have never been a whiz at deciding whether this exact blue in conjunction with that exact red will give me this exact effect. McCloud's book ingeniously solves my problem by presenting beautifully simple double-page spreads dedicated each to a particular color scheme with explanation. There are sophisticated schemes based on variations on a single color, well-researched and amusingly explained period palettes, palettes for northern or southern exposures, neutral palettes, vibrant palettes, and probably some I'm forgetting. Possibilities range from pale eggshell sophistication to primary blue on red modern shock. Throughout, McCloud educates the reader about the history of color and its effect on the emotion, always with a light touch and never dipping into dullness. The color reproduction, as you'd expect, is perfect.

Erudite but also incredibly accessible, 06 Dec 2007
Warning: this book can become addictive. I've just been renovating a whole house and I spent so much time with my head in this book, friends started to tease me. It's beautiful, but it's also thoughtful and brilliantly creative. I can't believe some reviewers on here don't find it useful. McCloud covers so much, from every shade of each colour to period colours (like the 1930s palettes I ended up using) to colours for beach homes or cold climates or loft style apartments. In short, there is a wealth of knowledge in this book and it's written with the passion one has come to expect from McCloud. To those who find this book hard to use, what do you want Kevin to do, come round your house and choose the colours for you? Be creative, pick what you like and experiment. That's the whole idea of the book! I did and I've ended up using colour in a way that I never thought possible.

Recomended, 20 Apr 2006
Well put together. An interesting read as well as a useful reference in helping with colour choice.

Very pretty.. and pretty useless, 04 Feb 2005
This book is a very pretty book. It has lots of nice colours and pictures. But it is very hard to use & I don't feel I've learned much about how to use colour!
And while the colours are very nice, perhaps one reason I still can't work out what colours go with what, is that there aren't many colours in here that I would actually use in my home. The style is very classic / seaside cottage and I'm more of an urban trendy sort of gal.

Too cool, 22 Jan 2005
Great if you have a house like some of the exotic examples in this book. Not so good if you don't. A little bit too cool for its own good I did not find this to be very user friendly. It is very hard to relate any of the examples to real world rooms - they are just all like show homes. It might suit some though, perhaps semi-pro interior designers.

Not for Decorating Help - Great for a History of F&B Paints, 12 Aug 2004
The negatives, which are derived from trying to use the book for a purpose other than it's intent (which I discovered after buying it.) :I had hoped that this book would help me choose paint colors for the Georgian house that I am restoring. I wanted pictures of Farrow and Ball paints in interiors. (Their paint colors are really lovely.) While this book is comprised of F&B paints in interiors it is not really a big help in choosing colors. The reason is that majority of the pictures come from old, old houses where they can show early use of the color. This means that many of the colors are applied in very old techniques which, as they very interestingly explain, creates a very different effect. And the colors are mottled with time. Also, the rooms sometimes are so very very different from the "castles" we live in today that it is hard to get a good feel. For example, some of their rooms are so heavily laden with ornamention (cornices, plints, etc.) that it is hard to get a feel for the color in a less broken up state. Finally, some of the colors shown in the book are not available today (e.g. architectural pink) and many of the colors they offer today are not shown in the book.

The positives; It is a beautiful book. It has certainly expanded my willingness to work with color in my Georgian house. The history of their paint colors are interesting. Thus I am glad that I bought it.

., 23 Jul 2007
really nice photos, but not as inspiring as usual - found it a bit cold. also she appears in many of the pictures. anyway, brilliant use of coulour as ever

This book gives you confidence to try and succeed, 29 Aug 2000
I agree with all the other comments about excercises etc etc. I personally found this book gave me the confidence to actually do the work. I have many books that I have studied but the other authors always managed to convey the idea that this is difficult. Not so with this one - my first project was a wood effect floor - with many different types of woods. As soon as I had read the wood chapter I was ready to go. Even though I prefer to use acrylics, this book allows for that as well. Excellent

It's the only faux book I've read cover to cover !!!, 10 Mar 1999
What a great book ! I have at least a half dozen other faux painting books - most of which I read a chapter or two. This book is so interesting you want to read every page and practice all the techniques.

By far the Best., 01 Mar 1999
I've been searching for some time for a good book of Faux finishes. I've looked at and bought plenty. This book is the best in its' class. Well written, well illustrated, and inspiring. Well done Pierre.

My best buy ever in faux finishes books, 05 Feb 1999
Fantastic pictures, wide range of very well-explained step-by-step techniques (marbles, woods, stencil, grisaille, etc).

What I loved most (as a self-taught beginner): 1) The "techniques exercises" at the beginning of the marble/wood chapters, which allow you to gain confidence before you start following the step-by-step instructions and, most important thing, prevent you from creating "horrible looking" marbles or woods, 2) the discovery of the frisket adhesive film for the "pietre dure", 3) the chapter of materials and how you should take care of them (the author provides very clear and detailed information on this) and 4) the veining and line drawings at the end of the book, to be used as reference material.

Finally an artist/author who can teach, 03 Sep 1998
This book is well worth the money. After many attempts at the marbling techniques with the other decorative painting books, I finally rated my wall as superb. It was easy, fun, and well organized because the author, Mr. Finkelstein, knows that there are other people who really like to use oil paints. His instructions include both acrylic and oil methods. The illustrations are great reference sheets for scanning, projecting, etc., but these aren't necessary since his style of teaching is flawless.

An Excellent Reference Book, 27 Oct 2002
This is a book of swatches. Make no mistake about it. This book doesn't expect you to wade through hundreds of pages of colour theory to find out which colour compliments that dirty pink your clients logo uses!

With pages and pages of colour schemes, every designer should have a copy of this book on their desk. I bought it, and within a week it had more than paid for itself - giving me the perfect complimentary colour schemes for two commercial projects. Genius.

Invaluable guide and companion, 07 Mar 2001
On recieving this book, delight, was an understatement. A perfect size,very well laid out and easily understood. Great reference tool for colour combinations. Whether you are specialising in graphics or still at high school. The CMYK colour converstion chart cuts down on time as well as the aspects of colour and colour schemes. The basic colour scheme pages covers complimentary combinations through neutral and even clash combinations. The best ever buy,timeless, this will stay with me until it falls apart. Understanding and working with colour is a pleasure with this book. Mandy R.

A very good buy, 16 Jul 2000
An excellent reference book covering aspects of colours and how to match, mix and select colour schemes.

Explains which colour scheme creates the selected ambience.

Hundreds of examples and principles to follow

Thin on plot but rich in taste!, 10 Jun 1999
I'm not sure how appropriate this book is for the under-fourteen set. It seems the author had 82 Gremlins, because the drawings are all in marker and the plot has too many twists and turns. While this may seem like a fine how-do-you-do to most, other may see it the other way, or maybe not.

Color Harmony is bound, it has pages, it has both a back and a front cover, so I have to give it a sterling, or at least a pound, like with a mallet. 5 o'clock shadow is just the sort of thing to make you feel warm, but if your desk is tidy, you might not notice the squid.

Overall, detournement is humorous and does something, even if its effects don't strike you until much later. Color terrorists and small snails should beware!

A fantastic resource for web site and graphic design., 12 Aug 1998
I was introduced to this book through a fellow web designer. Ever since then I feel lost without it. It is a great reference for color layout, combinations, and most importantly - attitudes colors protray. Now when I set-up a web page I use this resource to take the guess work out of which colors to use. If anyone has sat back and wondered what color combination would look best in a given situation - this book is for you.

The Home Colours Sourcebook: Neutrals - 100 Colour Schemes for the Home, 19 Nov 2008
What a brilliant book. I had decided roughly what colours to decorate my bedroom but wasn't sure if they would look okay together and I needed another colour to compliment what I had chosen. I order a couple of other books which were absolutely useless - but this book was fantastic. It lays out different colour backgrounds and what will go with them. It was perfect for my bedroom decision and I know I'll be able to use it in every other room in my home. If your not 100% sure if what you want is right this book is perfect for you.

Inspirational, 24 Oct 2008
Having just moved into our new home I didn't know where to start, with a blank canvas of boring magnolia walls I found this book hugely inspirational. A great book full of fantastic ideas.

Fantastic book for inspiration, 20 Oct 2008
Although i have an eye for colour this book really helped me in selecting the accent colours and highlight colours to create the finished look. I am delighted with the results and have already transformed my living space. By helping pinpoint what colours I needed for cushions and paintings my room looks like it has been created by a designer. On to the dining room next!! I recommend this book for eveyone as it gaurentees results thru the comprehensive choice of colour schemes and what a joy to be able to shop with total confidence. The best interiors book (and i have many) that I have ever bought

Magnificent first title from Buckley, 01 Oct 2008
I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in interior design, even if you're not, it's an ideal book to have on the coffee table to flick through when you need inspiration for your decor.

PAULA DOES IT AGAIN!, 21 Nov 2001
I FIRST DISCOVERED PAULA IN THE FOYER OF LIBERTY'S STORE IN LONDON, ITSELF A CHOCOLATE BOX OF GORGEOUS DELIGHTS. WHEN I GOT THIS BOOK AS A GIFT, THE PHOTOGRAPHY AND IDEAS CONVEYED WERE SO SUPER RICH AND SEDUCTIVE, IT WAS LIKE READING A COOKERY BOOK. SO,WHILE THE SULTRY, WINTRY COMPOSITIONS SEND A SHIVER DOWN YOUR SPINE, THE PEPPERY RED HOT COLOURS ALMOST BURN YOUR LIPS! PAULA'S GIFT IS TO CREATE IN A FRESH, HARMONIOUS, TOTALLY APPEALING WAY. SHE GUIDES AS SHE INSPIRES AND COMING FROM A BACKGROUND AS A HISTORY TEACHER, WILL DEFINITELY BE REMEMBERED WITH THE SAME AFFECTION AS ONE, FOR THE ENORMOUS BENEFIT AND INSTRUCTIVE GUIDANCE DERIVED FROM THE BOOK. THIS WILL MAKE A VERY TREASURED XMAS BOX!

Surprisingly well done, useful, readable reference, 01 Oct 2008
I love color in interior design but have never been a whiz at deciding whether this exact blue in conjunction with that exact red will give me this exact effect. McCloud's book ingeniously solves my problem by presenting beautifully simple double-page spreads dedicated each to a particular color scheme with explanation. There are sophisticated schemes based on variations on a single color, well-researched and amusingly explained period palettes, palettes for northern or southern exposures, neutral palettes, vibrant palettes, and probably some I'm forgetting. Possibilities range from pale eggshell sophistication to primary blue on red modern shock. Throughout, McCloud educates the reader about the history of color and its effect on the emotion, always with a light touch and never dipping into dullness. The color reproduction, as you'd expect, is perfect.

Erudite but also incredibly accessible, 06 Dec 2007
Warning: this book can become addictive. I've just been renovating a whole house and I spent so much time with my head in this book, friends started to tease me. It's beautiful, but it's also thoughtful and brilliantly creative. I can't believe some reviewers on here don't find it useful. McCloud covers so much, from every shade of each colour to period colours (like the 1930s palettes I ended up using) to colours for beach homes or cold climates or loft style apartments. In short, there is a wealth of knowledge in this book and it's written with the passion one has come to expect from McCloud. To those who find this book hard to use, what do you want Kevin to do, come round your house and choose the colours for you? Be creative, pick what you like and experiment. That's the whole idea of the book! I did and I've ended up using colour in a way that I never thought possible.

Recomended, 20 Apr 2006
Well put together. An interesting read as well as a useful reference in helping with colour choice.

Very pretty.. and pretty useless, 04 Feb 2005
This book is a very pretty book. It has lots of nice colours and pictures. But it is very hard to use & I don't feel I've learned much about how to use colour!
And while the colours are very nice, perhaps one reason I still can't work out what colours go with what, is that there aren't many colours in here that I would actually use in my home. The style is very classic / seaside cottage and I'm more of an urban trendy sort of gal.

Too cool, 22 Jan 2005
Great if you have a house like some of the exotic examples in this book. Not so good if you don't. A little bit too cool for its own good I did not find this to be very user friendly. It is very hard to relate any of the examples to real world rooms - they are just all like show homes. It might suit some though, perhaps semi-pro interior designers.

Not for Decorating Help - Great for a History of F&B Paints, 12 Aug 2004
The negatives, which are derived from trying to use the book for a purpose other than it's intent (which I discovered after buying it.) :I had hoped that this book would help me choose paint colors for the Georgian house that I am restoring. I wanted pictures of Farrow and Ball paints in interiors. (Their paint colors are really lovely.) While this book is comprised of F&B paints in interiors it is not really a big help in choosing colors. The reason is that majority of the pictures come from old, old houses where they can show early use of the color. This means that many of the colors are applied in very old techniques which, as they very interestingly explain, creates a very different effect. And the colors are mottled with time. Also, the rooms sometimes are so very very different from the "castles" we live in today that it is hard to get a good feel. For example, some of their rooms are so heavily laden with ornamention (cornices, plints, etc.) that it is hard to get a feel for the color in a less broken up state. Finally, some of the colors shown in the book are not available today (e.g. architectural pink) and many of the colors they offer today are not shown in the book.

The positives; It is a beautiful book. It has certainly expanded my willingness to work with color in my Georgian house. The history of their paint colors are interesting. Thus I am glad that I bought it.

., 23 Jul 2007
really nice photos, but not as inspiring as usual - found it a bit cold. also she appears in many of the pictures. anyway, brilliant use of coulour as ever

This book gives you confidence to try and succeed, 29 Aug 2000
I agree with all the other comments about excercises etc etc. I personally found this book gave me the confidence to actually do the work. I have many books that I have studied but the other authors always managed to convey the idea that this is difficult. Not so with this one - my first project was a wood effect floor - with many different types of woods. As soon as I had read the wood chapter I was ready to go. Even though I prefer to use acrylics, this book allows for that as well. Excellent

It's the only faux book I've read cover to cover !!!, 10 Mar 1999
What a great book ! I have at least a half dozen other faux painting books - most of which I read a chapter or two. This book is so interesting you want to read every page and practice all the techniques.

By far the Best., 01 Mar 1999
I've been searching for some time for a good book of Faux finishes. I've looked at and bought plenty. This book is the best in its' class. Well written, well illustrated, and inspiring. Well done Pierre.

My best buy ever in faux finishes books, 05 Feb 1999
Fantastic pictures, wide range of very well-explained step-by-step techniques (marbles, woods, stencil, grisaille, etc).

What I loved most (as a self-taught beginner): 1) The "techniques exercises" at the beginning of the marble/wood chapters, which allow you to gain confidence before you start following the step-by-step instructions and, most important thing, prevent you from creating "horrible looking" marbles or woods, 2) the discovery of the frisket adhesive film for the "pietre dure", 3) the chapter of materials and how you should take care of them (the author provides very clear and detailed information on this) and 4) the veining and line drawings at the end of the book, to be used as reference material.

Finally an artist/author who can teach, 03 Sep 1998
This book is well worth the money. After many attempts at the marbling techniques with the other decorative painting books, I finally rated my wall as superb. It was easy, fun, and well organized because the author, Mr. Finkelstein, knows that there are other people who really like to use oil paints. His instructions include both acrylic and oil methods. The illustrations are great reference sheets for scanning, projecting, etc., but these aren't necessary since his style of teaching is flawless.

An Excellent Reference Book, 27 Oct 2002
This is a book of swatches. Make no mistake about it. This book doesn't expect you to wade through hundreds of pages of colour theory to find out which colour compliments that dirty pink your clients logo uses!

With pages and pages of colour schemes, every designer should have a copy of this book on their desk. I bought it, and within a week it had more than paid for itself - giving me the perfect complimentary colour schemes for two commercial projects. Genius.

Invaluable guide and companion, 07 Mar 2001
On recieving this book, delight, was an understatement. A perfect size,very well laid out and easily understood. Great reference tool for colour combinations. Whether you are specialising in graphics or still at high school. The CMYK colour converstion chart cuts down on time as well as the aspects of colour and colour schemes. The basic colour scheme pages covers complimentary combinations through neutral and even clash combinations. The best ever buy,timeless, this will stay with me until it falls apart. Understanding and working with colour is a pleasure with this book. Mandy R.

A very good buy, 16 Jul 2000
An excellent reference book covering aspects of colours and how to match, mix and select colour schemes.

Explains which colour scheme creates the selected ambience.

Hundreds of examples and principles to follow

Thin on plot but rich in taste!, 10 Jun 1999
I'm not sure how appropriate this book is for the under-fourteen set. It seems the author had 82 Gremlins, because the drawings are all in marker and the plot has too many twists and turns. While this may seem like a fine how-do-you-do to most, other may see it the other way, or maybe not.

Color Harmony is bound, it has pages, it has both a back and a front cover, so I have to give it a sterling, or at least a pound, like with a mallet. 5 o'clock shadow is just the sort of thing to make you feel warm, but if your desk is tidy, you might not notice the squid.

Overall, detournement is humorous and does something, even if its effects don't strike you until much later. Color terrorists and small snails should beware!

A fantastic resource for web site and graphic design., 12 Aug 1998
I was introduced to this book through a fellow web designer. Ever since then I feel lost without it. It is a great reference for color layout, combinations, and most importantly - attitudes colors protray. Now when I set-up a web page I use this resource to take the guess work out of which colors to use. If anyone has sat back and wondered what color combination would look best in a given situation - this book is for you.

The Home Colours Sourcebook: Neutrals - 100 Colour Schemes for the Home, 19 Nov 2008
What a brilliant book. I had decided roughly what colours to decorate my bedroom but wasn't sure if they would look okay together and I needed another colour to compliment what I had chosen. I order a couple of other books which were absolutely useless - but this book was fantastic. It lays out different colour backgrounds and what will go with them. It was perfect for my bedroom decision and I know I'll be able to use it in every other room in my home. If your not 100% sure if what you want is right this book is perfect for you.

Inspirational, 24 Oct 2008
Having just moved into our new home I didn't know where to start, with a blank canvas of boring magnolia walls I found this book hugely inspirational. A great book full of fantastic ideas.

Fantastic book for inspiration, 20 Oct 2008
Although i have an eye for colour this book really helped me in selecting the accent colours and highlight colours to create the finished look. I am delighted with the results and have already transformed my living space. By helping pinpoint what colours I needed for cushions and paintings my room looks like it has been created by a designer. On to the dining room next!! I recommend this book for eveyone as it gaurentees results thru the comprehensive choice of colour schemes and what a joy to be able to shop with total confidence. The best interiors book (and i have many) that I have ever bought

Magnificent first title from Buckley, 01 Oct 2008
I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in interior design, even if you're not, it's an ideal book to have on the coffee table to flick through when you need inspiration for your decor.

PAULA DOES IT AGAIN!, 21 Nov 2001
I FIRST DISCOVERED PAULA IN THE FOYER OF LIBERTY'S STORE IN LONDON, ITSELF A CHOCOLATE BOX OF GORGEOUS DELIGHTS. WHEN I GOT THIS BOOK AS A GIFT, THE PHOTOGRAPHY AND IDEAS CONVEYED WERE SO SUPER RICH AND SEDUCTIVE, IT WAS LIKE READING A COOKERY BOOK. SO,WHILE THE SULTRY, WINTRY COMPOSITIONS SEND A SHIVER DOWN YOUR SPINE, THE PEPPERY RED HOT COLOURS ALMOST BURN YOUR LIPS! PAULA'S GIFT IS TO CREATE IN A FRESH, HARMONIOUS, TOTALLY APPEALING WAY. SHE GUIDES AS SHE INSPIRES AND COMING FROM A BACKGROUND AS A HISTORY TEACHER, WILL DEFINITELY BE REMEMBERED WITH THE SAME AFFECTION AS ONE, FOR THE ENORMOUS BENEFIT AND INSTRUCTIVE GUIDANCE DERIVED FROM THE BOOK. THIS WILL MAKE A VERY TREASURED XMAS BOX!

Practical and easy to use info on color, a great book!, 21 Aug 1999
Lee is THE expert when it comes to color. I met her at a "colorful" lecture she gave for interior designers, and this book is as wonderful as she is. So often it is hard, especially for the novice, to figure out what we want our interior spaces to look like! This book is the right place to start. It will help you figure out what atmosphere or feeling you want your space to have by beginning with the color mood. The photos are great, and the color combinations are very well done and a provide a great springboard for the imagination. While the text is well done and very useful, you can get a lot accomplished by just looking at the pictures of the color combinations and the great photography.

This is an excellent book for beginners, designer-wanna-bes as well as professionals who deal with color and color-combinations for a living. Interior designers will find it helpful in that it is a great resource to show a client who can't verbalize what colors/moods they want you to create for them. I highly recommend this book!

best book on color, 19 May 1999
Colors for your every mood is the best book ever. I have been a Eiseman since a long time and have all her books. This is her best work yet.

The book not only talks about color combinations but also the history and personalities of colors. Although this book is for interior and how to color your homes being a textile designer i found it insightful and a guide for my work. Keep up the good work.

Buy this Book!, 08 May 1999
I had the pleasure of meeting Leatrice recently and found her to be just as wonderful as her book. The gorgeous color photographs are truly inspirational, and the color quiz provided some fabulous insights into my "color personality" that I had never even thought of. I highly recommend this book for anyone!

ABSOLUTELY MARVELOUS, 23 Apr 1999
I waited eagerly for this book, (I knew when Lee was writing it), and am so glad it's out!! I finally have something to help me pull things together. I love colors, but haven't been a visionary when it comes to utilizing these wonderful palettes. This book helps me to see what I can do with my favorites. Currently we're live in military housing, with all sorts of shades of off-white (from the tile floor, to the countertops to the walls and everything in between!), so I can't wait to get into our own home again, and put these ideas to practice. Thank you, Lee for this wonderful help!! It will be just like having you here with me!!

Wonderful!!!, 17 Apr 1999
For someone whose talents do not include decorating, but who does not hold Martha Stewart in high regard, this book was a savior. It gave wonderful suggestions without being snooty. It is a guide not a way of life, which is perfect for people with minds of their own. Buy it today!

Surprisingly well done, useful, readable reference, 01 Oct 2008
I love color in interior design but have never been a whiz at deciding whether this exact blue in conjunction with that exact red will give me this exact effect. McCloud's book ingeniously solves my problem by presenting beautifully simple double-page spreads dedicated each to a particular color scheme with explanation. There are sophisticated schemes based on variations on a single color, well-researched and amusingly explained period palettes, palettes for northern or southern exposures, neutral palettes, vibrant palettes, and probably some I'm forgetting. Possibilities range from pale eggshell sophistication to primary blue on red modern shock. Throughout, McCloud educates the reader about the history of color and its effect on the emotion, always with a light touch and never dipping into dullness. The color reproduction, as you'd expect, is perfect.

Erudite but also incredibly accessible, 06 Dec 2007
Warning: this book can become addictive. I've just been renovating a whole house and I spent so much time with my head in this book, friends started to tease me. It's beautiful, but it's also thoughtful and brilliantly creative. I can't believe some reviewers on here don't find it useful. McCloud covers so much, from every shade of each colour to period colours (like the 1930s palettes I ended up using) to colours for beach homes or cold climates or loft style apartments. In short, there is a wealth of knowledge in this book and it's written with the passion one has come to expect from McCloud. To those who find this book hard to use, what do you want Kevin to do, come round your house and choose the colours for you? Be creative, pick what you like and experiment. That's the whole idea of the book! I did and I've ended up using colour in a way that I never thought possible.

Recomended, 20 Apr 2006
Well put together. An interesting read as well as a useful reference in helping with colour choice.

Very pretty.. and pretty useless, 04 Feb 2005
This book is a very pretty book. It has lots of nice colours and pictures. But it is very hard to use & I don't feel I've learned much about how to use colour!
And while the colours are very nice, perhaps one reason I still can't work out what colours go with what, is that there aren't many colours in here that I would actually use in my home. The style is very classic / seaside cottage and I'm more of an urban trendy sort of gal.

Too cool, 22 Jan 2005
Great if you have a house like some of the exotic examples in this book. Not so good if you don't. A little bit too cool for its own good I did not find this to be very user friendly. It is very hard to relate any of the examples to real world rooms - they are just all like show homes. It might suit some though, perhaps semi-pro interior designers.

Not for Decorating Help - Great for a History of F&B Paints, 12 Aug 2004
The negatives, which are derived from trying to use the book for a purpose other than it's intent (which I discovered after buying it.) :I had hoped that this book would help me choose paint colors for the Georgian house that I am restoring. I wanted pictures of Farrow and Ball paints in interiors. (Their paint colors are really lovely.) While this book is comprised of F&B paints in interiors it is not really a big help in choosing colors. The reason is that majority of the pictures come from old, old houses where they can show early use of the color. This means that many of the colors are applied in very old techniques which, as they very interestingly explain, creates a very different effect. And the colors are mottled with time. Also, the rooms sometimes are so very very different from the "castles" we live in today that it is hard to get a good feel. For example, some of their rooms are so heavily laden with ornamention (cornices, plints, etc.) that it is hard to get a feel for the color in a less broken up state. Finally, some of the colors shown in the book are not available today (e.g. architectural pink) and many of the colors they offer today are not shown in the book.

The positives; It is a beautiful book. It has certainly expanded my willingness to work with color in my Georgian house. The history of their paint colors are interesting. Thus I am glad that I bought it.

., 23 Jul 2007
really nice photos, but not as inspiring as usual - found it a bit cold. also she appears in many of the pictures. anyway, brilliant use of coulour as ever

This book gives you confidence to try and succeed, 29 Aug 2000
I agree with all the other comments about excercises etc etc. I personally found this book gave me the confidence to actually do the work. I have many books that I have studied but the other authors always managed to convey the idea that this is difficult. Not so with this one - my first project was a wood effect floor - with many different types of woods. As soon as I had read the wood chapter I was ready to go. Even though I prefer to use acrylics, this book allows for that as well. Excellent

It's the only faux book I've read cover to cover !!!, 10 Mar 1999
What a great book ! I have at least a half dozen other faux painting books - most of which I read a chapter or two. This book is so interesting you want to read every page and practice all the techniques.

By far the Best., 01 Mar 1999
I've been searching for some time for a good book of Faux finishes. I've looked at and bought plenty. This book is the best in its' class. Well written, well illustrated, and inspiring. Well done Pierre.

My best buy ever in faux finishes books, 05 Feb 1999
Fantastic pictures, wide range of very well-explained step-by-step techniques (marbles, woods, stencil, grisaille, etc).

What I loved most (as a self-taught beginner): 1) The "techniques exercises" at the beginning of the marble/wood chapters, which allow you to gain confidence before you start following the step-by-step instructions and, most important thing, prevent you from creating "horrible looking" marbles or woods, 2) the discovery of the frisket adhesive film for the "pietre dure", 3) the chapter of materials and how you should take care of them (the author provides very clear and detailed information on this) and 4) the veining and line drawings at the end of the book, to be used as reference material.

Finally an artist/author who can teach, 03 Sep 1998
This book is well worth the money. After many attempts at the marbling techniques with the other decorative painting books, I finally rated my wall as superb. It was easy, fun, and well organized because the author, Mr. Finkelstein, knows that there are other people who really like to use oil paints. His instructions include both acrylic and oil methods. The illustrations are great reference sheets for scanning, projecting, etc., but these aren't necessary since his style of teaching is flawless.

An Excellent Reference Book, 27 Oct 2002
This is a book of swatches. Make no mistake about it. This book doesn't expect you to wade through hundreds of pages of colour theory to find out which colour compliments that dirty pink your clients logo uses!

With pages and pages of colour schemes, every designer should have a copy of this book on their desk. I bought it, and within a week it had more than paid for itself - giving me the perfect complimentary colour schemes for two commercial projects. Genius.

Invaluable guide and companion, 07 Mar 2001
On recieving this book, delight, was an understatement. A perfect size,very well laid out and easily understood. Great reference tool for colour combinations. Whether you are specialising in graphics or still at high school. The CMYK colour converstion chart cuts down on time as well as the aspects of colour and colour schemes. The basic colour scheme pages covers complimentary combinations through neutral and even clash combinations. The best ever buy,timeless, this will stay with me until it falls apart. Understanding and working with colour is a pleasure with this book. Mandy R.

A very good buy, 16 Jul 2000
An excellent reference book covering aspects of colours and how to match, mix and select colour schemes.

Explains which colour scheme creates the selected ambience.

Hundreds of examples and principles to follow

Thin on plot but rich in taste!, 10 Jun 1999
I'm not sure how appropriate this book is for the under-fourteen set. It seems the author had 82 Gremlins, because the drawings are all in marker and the plot has too many twists and turns. While this may seem like a fine how-do-you-do to most, other may see it the other way, or maybe not.

Color Harmony is bound, it has pages, it has both a back and a front cover, so I have to give it a sterling, or at least a pound, like with a mallet. 5 o'clock shadow is just the sort of thing to make you feel warm, but if your desk is tidy, you might not notice the squid.

Overall, detournement is humorous and does something, even if its effects don't strike you until much later. Color terrorists and small snails should beware!

A fantastic resource for web site and graphic design., 12 Aug 1998
I was introduced to this book through a fellow web designer. Ever since then I feel lost without it. It is a great reference for color layout, combinations, and most importantly - attitudes colors protray. Now when I set-up a web page I use this resource to take the guess work out of which colors to use. If anyone has sat back and wondered what color combination would look best in a given situation - this book is for you.

The Home Colours Sourcebook: Neutrals - 100 Colour Schemes for the Home, 19 Nov 2008
What a brilliant book. I had decided roughly what colours to decorate my bedroom but wasn't sure if they would look okay together and I needed another colour to compliment what I had chosen. I order a couple of other books which were absolutely useless - but this book was fantastic. It lays out different colour backgrounds and what will go with them. It was perfect for my bedroom decision and I know I'll be able to use it in every other room in my home. If your not 100% sure if what you want is right this book is perfect for you.

Inspirational, 24 Oct 2008
Having just moved into our new home I didn't know where to start, with a blank canvas of boring magnolia walls I found this book hugely inspirational. A great book full of fantastic ideas.

Fantastic book for inspiration, 20 Oct 2008
Although i have an eye for colour this book really helped me in selecting the accent colours and highlight colours to create the finished look. I am delighted with the results and have already transformed my living space. By helping pinpoint what colours I needed for cushions and paintings my room looks like it has been created by a designer. On to the dining room next!! I recommend this book for eveyone as it gaurentees results thru the comprehensive choice of colour schemes and what a joy to be able to shop with total confidence. The best interiors book (and i have many) that I have ever bought

Magnificent first title from Buckley, 01 Oct 2008
I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in interior design, even if you're not, it's an ideal book to have on the coffee table to flick through when you need inspiration for your decor.

PAULA DOES IT AGAIN!, 21 Nov 2001
I FIRST DISCOVERED PAULA IN THE FOYER OF LIBERTY'S STORE IN LONDON, ITSELF A CHOCOLATE BOX OF GORGEOUS DELIGHTS. WHEN I GOT THIS BOOK AS A GIFT, THE PHOTOGRAPHY AND IDEAS CONVEYED WERE SO SUPER RICH AND SEDUCTIVE, IT WAS LIKE READING A COOKERY BOOK. SO,WHILE THE SULTRY, WINTRY COMPOSITIONS SEND A SHIVER DOWN YOUR SPINE, THE PEPPERY RED HOT COLOURS ALMOST BURN YOUR LIPS! PAULA'S GIFT IS TO CREATE IN A FRESH, HARMONIOUS, TOTALLY APPEALING WAY. SHE GUIDES AS SHE INSPIRES AND COMING FROM A BACKGROUND AS A HISTORY TEACHER, WILL DEFINITELY BE REMEMBERED WITH THE SAME AFFECTION AS ONE, FOR THE ENORMOUS BENEFIT AND INSTRUCTIVE GUIDANCE DERIVED FROM THE BOOK. THIS WILL MAKE A VERY TREASURED XMAS BOX!

Practical and easy to use info on color, a great book!, 21 Aug 1999
Lee is THE expert when it comes to color. I met her at a "colorful" lecture she gave for interior designers, and this book is as wonderful as she is. So often it is hard, especially for the novice, to figure out what we want our interior spaces to look like! This book is the right place to start. It will help you figure out what atmosphere or feeling you want your space to have by beginning with the color mood. The photos are great, and the color combinations are very well done and a provide a great springboard for the imagination. While the text is well done and very useful, you can get a lot accomplished by just looking at the pictures of the color combinations and the great photography.

This is an excellent book for beginners, designer-wanna-bes as well as professionals who deal with color and color-combinations for a living. Interior designers will find it helpful in that it is a great resource to show a client who can't verbalize what colors/moods they want you to create for them. I highly recommend this book!

best book on color, 19 May 1999
Colors for your every mood is the best book ever. I have been a Eiseman since a long time and have all her books. This is her best work yet.

The book not only talks about color combinations but also the history and personalities of colors. Although this book is for interior and how to color your homes being a textile designer i found it insightful and a guide for my work. Keep up the good work.

Buy this Book!, 08 May 1999
I had the pleasure of meeting Leatrice recently and found her to be just as wonderful as her book. The gorgeous color photographs are truly inspirational, and the color quiz provided some fabulous insights into my "color personality" that I had never even thought of. I highly recommend this book for anyone!

ABSOLUTELY MARVELOUS, 23 Apr 1999
I waited eagerly for this book, (I knew when Lee was writing it), and am so glad it's out!! I finally have something to help me pull things together. I love colors, but haven't been a visionary when it comes to utilizing these wonderful palettes. This book helps me to see what I can do with my favorites. Currently we're live in military housing, with all sorts of shades of off-white (from the tile floor, to the countertops to the walls and everything in between!), so I can't wait to get into our own home again, and put these ideas to practice. Thank you, Lee for this wonderful help!! It will be just like having you here with me!!

Wonderful!!!, 17 Apr 1999
For someone whose talents do not include decorating, but who does not hold Martha Stewart in high regard, this book was a savior. It gave wonderful suggestions without being snooty. It is a guide not a way of life, which is perfect for people with minds of their own. Buy it today!

Truly a Colour Bible, 16 Sep 2008
The only word to describe this book is Comprehensive! If you can't find a colour scheme to suit your individual taste in this little book then you need to go and live on another planet. The bonus here is that it's actually entertaining to read through as well, some of the quirky names for the colour schemes made me smile. Primarily an interior design guide it would also be useful for anyone working with colour: Graphic designers, Ad Execs, Web Designers... etc. Buy this little gem and unlock your creativity!