Domino, Of Thee I Sing!

January 28, 2009 — shock waves spread through the office of Kontent Publishing. Emails and calls, "is it true?... have you heard?..." The rumors were flying — Domino magazine was set to fold. "How could this be," the fashionistas at my office mourned. This is our home décor bible... the editors our redecorating gurus... the holy grail of stylish living.

I'm a lover of magazines. I visit my local magazine store every month to pore over the new array of glossy covers. "Ahhh, Nicole Kidman looks amazing in Chanel on the cover of Vogue; Christy Turlington is on W wearing Donna Karan," and so on. Regardless of the endless stream of tantalizing titles, until recently two purchases were always imminent: Vogue and Domino. Vogue to feed my insatiable appetite for fashion, Domino to feed my insatiable appetite for home décor. How would I cope with the absence of my go-to source for the latest and greatest in color schemes, fabric swatches and wallpaper trends?

To my relief, the makers of this wonderful magazine left an equally wonderful volume that will sit proudly on my bookshelf for years to come — Domino: The Book of Decorating (Simon & Schuster).

The book is basically a "best of" Domino magazine, but organized by room, and by aesthetic. Just look at the cover alone. Doesn't it make you want to redo your entire house in all bird-motif Chinoiserie? I'd have to say I seriously considered it! What I really love about the book — other than it's stunning photography and layout — is that the examples feel attainable. The rooms are real, lived-in spaces. And at the end of each chapter, an editor at Domino tackles a room of his or her own, details the planning/editing/decorating process, and then shows the results.

The book cleverly breaks down the steps to creating your ideal space: 1. Find your inspiration; 2. Determine your style; 3. Consider how you'll use the room; 4. Asses your stuff; 5. Draw up a floor plan; 6. Set a budget; 7. Research, research, research; 8. Create a design scheme; and, 9. Make a decorating schedule. As you read the book, you learn a lot about your personal style. It's nice to codify your likes and dislikes: "Oh, I'm a 'cool collector' with a touch of 'mid-century elegant' and a hint of 'rich and handsome,' but I'm not a fan of 'hollywood glamour'" Fancy!

I'm basically finished decorating my apartment, and I'm happy with the results. I put a lot of thought into everything I do — I love amazing food, I read excellent books, I have incredible friends — so why should my living space be treated any differently? I am, however, always looking for ways to amp up my surroundings, and complete ideas I've either started, or have intentions of starting. Fortunately, the book has several suggestions for "finishing touches" in every room. On page 102 and 103, there are several ideas for the dining room:

Don't you love these photos? Each one makes me want to transport myself into its world. Books in the dining room, who would have ever dared? Here is a picture of how my dining area looks at this moment:

Good, but not great. While it's clean and modern — I love the Farrow & Ball Blue Green on the wall, and the framed wallpaper samples —, there is a lot of room for improvement. Actually, one of the biggest improvements came when my roommate Jonathan purchased these great plywood chairs to compliment the mid-century modern table. Domino has inspired me to rejig this area. Stay tuned for the results... to be done on a shoestring budget, I must add.

For those who are lost in the realm of redecorating and home décor, my best advice is this: Don't be embarrassed to try to copy a room that inspires you. Practically speaking, there is no way the finished result would actually look "copied." And as you search for substitutions or modifications based on your budget, or architectural limitations, you'll inevitably end up creating a room based on your own likes and dislikes and you'll discover your own sense of style in the process. That is why it's important to garner inspiration from excellent sources such as this book. For all of you who are embarking on a project at home, or anyone who loves a pretty room, I implore you to buy Domino: The Book of Decorating. In my humble opinion, you may never need to buy another home décor book again, even though I'm sure you (and I) will.