Book Review: Candice Olson On Design

Candice Olson is the talented interior designer featured on HGTV's hit show, Divine Design. Viewers follow Candice as she assesses the space, draws plans and creates sample boards of the materials she intends to use. Then Candice narrates the implementation of her plan, from installation to reveal.

In her book Candice Olson On Design (Meredith Books, 2006) readers are treated to Candice Olson's friendly, chatty style in print, and to detailed accounts of how many of the projects seen on the show are done.

This comprehensive collection of design projects is informative as well as fun to read. The book divides the projects into groups, creating sections for the kitchen, for dining rooms and gathering spaces, for bedrooms, bathrooms, and basements.

Each section includes several projects. The texts for the projects are accompanied by before and after photographs, a print version of a sample board, and an elevation of the project, or artistic rendering of the completed room.

Much like the show, Candice takes readers through the projects, as she explains why she used a particular fabric, or how she created contrast with color and lighting.

For the do-it-yourself decorator, this book is a must-have. Not only are the photographs beautiful, the graphics crisp, and the text entertaining, the book is instructional. Though it does not read like a manual or a textbook, Candice Olson On Design has the same informative qualities, just in an informal presentation.

Even if readers don't necessarily want to mimic the projects presented in Candice Olson On Design, they will certainly benefit from reading it. The insight into how an interior designer develops a project and implements the plan is certain to aid homeowners in their quest for more stylish spaces.