Kohn, who hosts, writes and produces HGTV's Kitchen Design
and Bed and Bath Design
, presents intelligent, organic design ideas for our most intimate rooms. She urges would-be room renovators to let their own personality shine through, whether choosing traditional or contemporary designs or some combination thereof. Inspiration, she suggests, can be found anywhere: in architecture, magazine photos, television and even music. According to Kohn, a favorite piece of fabric, a souvenir from a favorite vacation or the color of your eyes could be the starting point of a great design idea. The design of any room, she says, should consider its context within the home, the property, the neighborhood and the region. She provides tricks for maximizing function while maintaining beauty, instructions on how to choose and work with a design team, and tips for budgeting resources and surviving the construction process. Lists and questionnaires help readers organize their ideas and assess design needs. However, the book will best serve amateur designers while they're in the conceptualization/visualization stage of their renovation. There are no hands-on projects here, as Kohn seems to assume a hired team will do the actual manual labor. Of course, the book's real attraction is its 240 envy-inspiring photos of bedrooms and bathrooms by top designers, with summaries of how use of line, texture, color and light enhanced each room's design. (Sept. 15)
