The Happy Home: The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Home That Brings You Joy

This straightforward debut by Lovely Indeed blogger Foy shares ideas on how to brighten up living spaces. “Joy is found in the little moments surrounding us every day,” she writes, outlining mostly low-effort projects intended to inspire joy in the home. Foy encourages readers to consider “what moves you, what comforts you, [and] what uplifts you” when decorating, and the projects’ flexible instructions provide readers leeway to follow their own design preferences. For example, she suggests that an indoor herb garden can spruce up a kitchen and encourages readers to choose the plants and style of container they prefer. The suggestions emphasize sparking ideas over following directions, as when Foy recommends that readers “play with height and scale” when choosing objects for a “harmonious and welcoming” coffee table tableau and that they consider how children make use of their rooms to “create a kids’ room that promotes independence” (“Do they love to read? Are they all about playing with toys?”). The open-ended projects are sure to stir up the imagination, though the lack of concrete guidance might leave some unsure of how to execute their vision. Still, this is a great starting point for generating decorating ideas. (Apr.)