Book Review- Decorating the Way I See It, by Markham Roberts

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Reading designer Markham Roberts’ piece on Thank-You notes and how they helped launch his successful interior design career, in the current issue of Veranda magazine, I was reminded of just how much I enjoy his two books, Decorating the Way I See It and Notes on Decorating. I already did a post on his second book, but it occurred to me that I have yet to share with you his first. Although I may be terribly late to this party, some books, just like wine, only get better with time. Markham Roberts’ first book, Decorating the Way I See It was published by Vendome Press in 2014 and remains a fabulous reference I reach for often. Not only are the rooms a treat, but the topics covered are great education to anyone interested in decorating. 

Books, and design volumes in particular (although we do read fiction quite a bit at our house) are both a pleasure and a necessity for me. I try to learn as much as I can through the eyes and experience of designers I admire and this book offers so much that one can’t help coming back for more. Designed as a primer in decorating, it consists of three major parts: The Basics which, as its name suggests, covers all the basics of decorating: room layout, schemes, furniture, art and the importance of collections; The Architecture, a part that underlines the importance of architecture and good bones in getting the rooms and flow of a home just right; and a closing part, Home, that walks us through the two homes Markham Roberts shares with his partner, antiques dealer James Sansum.  Every photograph is a small universe, with details and layers that come together to create incredible beauty. A master of detail, time and time again Roberts orchestrates rooms that exude comfort, ease and a timeless, old-world elegance. Below I’ve included some of my favorite images from the book. Photography by Nelson Hancock. Enjoy!

To see more of Markham Roberts’ work, make sure to check out his two books, if you haven’t done so already: 

Decorating the Way I See It 

Notes on Decorating