Altar Your Space

Khalsa, part owner of Venice, Calif. home furnishings store Tara Home, presents a guide to creating a peaceful living space ""that truly reflects and expresses who you are."" While he does address the literal incorporation of altars into one's home, the focus is on turning your home into ""a sanctuary for the body, heart and soul of you and your family."" Khalsa returns again and again to the idea of self-reflection and listening to one's inner voice (""At some point you may feel intuitively drawn to certain colors, tones, images...""), a valid but frustratingly obtuse point. Specifics are sparse: Khalsa includes few of his clients' goals (whose homes appear in photographs) and little information on choosing elements or room composition. What it lacks in detail, the book makes up for in abundant, lush photography; heavy on Tibetan, Chinese and Indian furnishings-there are multiple statues of Hindu and Buddhist gods, ornately carved beds, bureaus and dressers and rich, vibrant fabrics-these gorgeous full-color images will prove useful for anyone considering an Eastern approach to home decor.