Most of my inspiration comes from magazines and blogs, but by far, my favourite design book is Best Ugly by the NYC firm Avroko. As a commercial designer, I can't get enough of their high concept, salvaged style. This book has probably had the greatest influence on how I think about materials, lighting, and creating atmosphere in a space. The biggest thing I took away from it was the importance of having a strong, defined concept and staying true to that vision throughout the design process.

Don't do anything right after moving into a new space. Don't make design more important than function.

Does the Ikea catalogue count?

i prefer international design books because in the US for a long time all magazines showed was traditional "better homes & gardens" style of design, which never appealed to me. i prefer to see styles that i don't otherwise get to see (for example I've never seen a herringbone floor in person). There are lots at the library to check out, actually.

My mother "loaned" me a book about 2 years ago called "Some Place Like Home" which is a book on design psychology. While there aren't many pictures, it's a fascinating read and has helped me to understand what I've been trying to do with my modern/cottagey/eclectic taste.

I'm so excited to be able to share the title of my very-most-favorite decorating book, Marco Pasanella's *Living in Style Without Losing Your Mind.* I've bought several used copies from Amazon to share w/family and friends. The pictures are great; the advice is timeless: "You know what you like. Period. Be confident." "Beware of 'good taste'." "(...)allow your home to have at least one terrific aspect that raises an eyebrow." "(...)great style is the product of a full life, not a cheap gimmick." I love it!

As my husband and I build our log cabin I have been trying figure out the interior design. We have tons of furniture/ect. thanks to family and my own antiques collecting. So we will probably need to "cull the heard" a little when we move in. The design advice that has stuck with me is to ask oneself "Is it functional? And do you LOVE it?".

At Home with White. It was the first design book I ever picked up, and before I considered design as a career. It definitely helped me find my aesthetic. :)

Decorating is Fun! I ADORE this book. It's written for housewives and just so matter-of-fact. Of course, she can be matter-of-fact about some very expensive ideas, but overall, it just makes sense. Like to have the lamps in a room all one height so your eyes have a place to rest. Pick a color that is actually a color, not something muddy and indescribable. Don't be afraid to do what you like but think about the others in your household and how you live at the same time. It's great and I browse through it constantly.

http://www.amazon.com/Decorating-Fun-How-Your-Decorator/dp/0977787516

As a designer thats young I do a lot of small space planning and decorating... My 2 favorite books for ideas so far have beed Domino The Book of Decorating and The Apartment Therapy book. Other then those I get a lot of ideas and inspiration from different blogs, catalogs, and stores.

I get ideas from design books (purchased too many!), magazines, blogs, catalogs. In 2009 I declared a moratorium on book buying, 2010 is from the library only, if I were to re-purchase design books they'd be:

Clodagh: whose spare, almost spiritual, interiors never cease to inspire me - though I'm likely never to achieve that sort of architecture or truly sparse room - Clodagh taught me to measure everything and then plan to conceal everything except that which is in use or most beautiful.

Diane Dorrans Saeks: whose small volume books on Living Room, Kitchen, Bathroom, Bedroom taught me step by step how to define the look I love.

Denny Daikeler's What Color Is Your Slipcover: a book that helped me determine how I wanted my house to make me feel emotionally.

A few others provided inspiration (Domino, The Find, etc) but if I were to start my collection over again it's the ones above that I'd repurchase.

I love this website, plus various magazines like Living ETC from the UK, Australian Vogue Living is a total inspiration as well as Inside Out from Australia too.

I honestly wish more people in South Africa cared about - or had a clue about decorating their homes. For starters, they want Tuscan Style for the outside and often a cookie-cutter contemporary style for the interiors. I don't think it costs money to pick up good tips - all you need to do is search the internet. The best tip I have heard is to know your style and commit to it wholeheartedly... don't do half measures!

I don't actually own any design books. But one that I enjoyed looking at recently at a bookstore was "Books Do Furnish A Room." I love when rooms are lined with tall bookshelves and have that cozy library feel, and since I happen to have a lot of books in both my living room and bedroom, the advice works for me. It's just basically about embracing making books an element of a room and the amount of personality that they bring into a space.