[.ca] The New Apartment Book: Inspiring Ideas and Practical ... (ISBN 0517887592)

From Amazon.com:
There comes a time for most young urban dwellers when they tire of futons on the floor and brick-and-board bookshelves. That's when they discover that decorating an apartment comes with a unique set of problems. Most people don't want to spend a lot of money renovating a place they may live in for just a year or two, and landlords can be picky about renovations such as enlarging rooms by knocking down walls. The New Apartment Book illustrates how to create a stylish home in limited space on a middle-class budget, whether your preferred look is upscale-funky or clean and spare. Though many of the examples feature light, roomy, well-proportioned apartments, many are also designed around elements that one might consider a problem: a tiny kitchen, a bathroom with no storage, an odd brick wall, or a single living/sleeping area. Treat these as interesting design features and use the space creatively, as this book does, and bingo! No more problem. The "smart tips" scattered throughout are easy and fast. Although there are a few rather dull step-by-step projects for lampshades and the like at the end of the book, The New Apartment Book really shines as an inspiring guide to the possibilities of an average apartment or condominium.

not very useful for "new apartments":
Don't get me wrong, there are certainly some nice designs in this book (although that will probably depend upon your specific tastes) and a VERY few guidelines/rules-of-thumb that are useful when decorating an apartment. However, if you expected this book to have any relation to its title, you will be disappointed. It says it is the new apartment book. The two key words are "new" and "apartment". If you have a new apartment then wouldn't it stand to reason that you either don't have any (or much) furniture at all, what you have could stand to be upgraded, or maybe even you aren't sure if what you already have goes with the new apartment? Michael doesn't address any of these concerns. There are only a few sentences paying lipservice to the notion of trying to integrate different styles of furniture and architecture. We never see the rooms BEFORE all of the design has been done, so it is hard to see what other alternatives might have been taken. And what about the apartment aspect of the book? The vast majority of the book really doesn't have anything specific to say about apartments at all. It has sections on decorating kitchens and bedrooms and living rooms but doesn't really address the issues that an apartment dweller has to deal with. Another review mentioned that the book mostly presumes you have free reign to paint and remodel if necessary, which isn't really true for anyone who lives in an apartment. If you own the space it is called a condo (even here on the East Coast). It isn't until the sections on "storage" and "one space living" that Michael talks about issues specifically related to living in an apartment. The rest of the book could have been gotten from any old design book. Unfortunately those two chapters are the shortest in the entire book. Storage, a question near and dear to the hearts of every apartment dweller, gets four whole pages...two of which are full page photos and the other two having some meager text. All in all there isn't much in this book to recommend it. If you are specifically interested in figuring out how to handle decorating your apartment or condo there isn't a lot to recommend this book. It has some nice designs -- although most other design books do to -- and nothing about the designs is really specific to apartments.

Say Goodbye to Navajo White:
Apartment living can be so frustrating. Your surroundings are unchangable, so they tend to dictate your life. It's tough to express your personal style within the confines of Navajo White walls and tan spreckled Linoleum! There is also the issue of storage -- rather the lack of it. Additionally, your furnishings have to be easily broken down and carried, since a move is always imminent. To sum it up, the act of decorating one's apartment has its own set of problems and "Architectural Digest" does not have the answers. Michael and her friends, on the other hand, do. This book is rich in photographs of apartments of various sizes, styles, and income brackets. On the surface, there are many different styles of decor pictured: from Chinois to French Flea to Deco to Space Age. But this book is not just a sum of pretty pictures; Michael includes tips on decorating, space planning, storage, entertaining, and so on. She also sprinkles in some great "before and afters", my favorite being the miniscule kitchen with the disgusting 1970's laminate cupboards transformed into a sweet, bright 1950's cutie with not much more than fresh paint and new fixtures. She also offers instructions for making a few of the decorative elements found within the photography, such as minimalist box shelves for your collectibles and a theatrical cornice. If you grow weary of apartment dwelling and need some instant and inexpensive inspiration, I highly recommend this book. I keep it handy for when things get stagnate around here and, as another reviewer wrote, my 2 year old copy is dog-eared. I just hope that Michael comes out with a new edition... and soon!

I love this book!:
I bough this book around 5 years ago and love it. It's hard to find good ideas for a studio or small bedroom apt. It's great for people who live in the city (like San Francisco)

Great Ideas!:
This is by far the best decorating book that I have ever read. The pictures are great, and many different decorating styles are examined.

Fresh:
I can be pretty jaded about decorating advice but this book surprised me with fresh furniture ideas. My apartment had all it could hold, so tips on flea market shopping seemed obvious but the author arrainged those "treasures" in such a sophisticated, fresh way. Furniture became art and art became anything. The projects were all mainly practical and approachable with limited expertise needed. These interiors looked glam and lived in. Every page was clean, rich and practical at the same time! Great book all around!