About a month ago, a reader approached me in an email mentioning that she had just completed a decor book. After visiting her website and learning a bit more about her, I was curious to see what the method was that she spoke of regarding interior decorating. Without the promise of reviewing it on The Simply Luxurious Life, I accepted Meghan Carter’s offer for a copy to look over.

What I discovered was a book that I have never before come across in the world of how-to interior designing. The Meghan Method: The Step-By-Step Guide to Decorating your Home in your Style is based on the premise that “Anyone can decorate. Anyone.” And after reading her book and absorbing all the details, facts and real world parallels that she offers while educating her readers, I am confident that she is right.

Now initially this statement that anyone can decorate may seem implausible, but after interviewing industry experts across the country, Meghan came to realize that the interior decorating so many of us try to emulate didn’t have a clear recipe to follow.  In fact, she found that there didn’t seem to be a recipe anywhere that provided a clear, foundational road map on how to decorate. So, she decided with her passion for interior design and her understanding of the elements that were necessary to create cohesive, inviting and balanced rooms, to create a recipe that anyone can follow.

Most decor books are expected to include oodles of inspiring home decor rooms that have been touched up ever so gently by an interior designer and display luxurious items that appear to cost endless amounts of money and while inspiring, appear at the same time impossible to replicate.  But while some may give tips and guidance on how to create certain styles, the bare bones, the most important details on how to begin so that each individual can create a room that represents them, isn’t always addressed in a away that is applicable.

The Meghan Method is not a picture book.  It is a how-to book that walks you through from beginning to end how to create a room (and she does suggest taking your decorating room by room otherwise it becomes too overwhelming) that reflects the mood the homeowner wants to evoke and is unique to the homeowner themselves.

“Decorating is simply about creating a home that makes you happy.”

As the book begins, she shares with her readers her understanding of how happiness is the goal that so many of us are seeking, and ultimately, that is why so many of us choose to overhaul our sanctuaries to create a more nurturing and welcoming environment.  But she clearly understands that beyond decor so many other components of our lives contribute to our happiness. With common sense regarding life and passion for interior design, The Meghan Method is the perfect interior design how-to book to help guide you along your journey as you redo any room in your home.

Being a visual learner myself, I genuinely appreciated how while she walks you through the process (she has downloadable worksheets available on her website www.themeghanmethod.com), she also goes through the entire process herself for three very different rooms in one home that is I’m assuming hers. And at the end you are able to see the “after” images that she has been envisioning, discussing and ever so gradually creating through The Meghan Method.

To paraphrase a line from the book, the perfect analogy for what The Meghan Method is exactly is to compare it to making an omelet. While everyone knows what an omelet is, based on our preferences, we all would design our own unique egg concoction due to what we place inside of it. The outside is the same – whipped-into-submission eggs, but the flavors we choose to taste are different from person to person.  By following the steps she lays out, everyone has the same basic formula, but based on the details we choose to put inside (colors, textures, accessories, furniture, lighting, etc) everyone’s room is uniquely their own.

I highly recommend this book if you are serious about interior decorating, daunted by what you are about to undertake and want to get it right the first time.  The Meghan Method is a book to be read, not just be inspired by, as you will learn how to become your own interior decorator.  And as she continually reminds us, anyone can decorate and she shows you how.

Purchase The Meghan Method: The Step-By-Step Guide to decorating your Home in your Style here – $23.10
Author: Meghan Carter
Publisher: Gem Multi-Media
Pages: 400

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