"Never forget that well-considered rooms represent a way of life." - Jan Showers

There are very few design books that I turn to time & time again for inspirations. Glamorous Rooms by Jan Showers is absolutely one of those books. Not for every project, but for the subtle & refined homes. The glamorous homes. As you probably know Jan is from Dallas which makes me love her even more. Some of the rooms in the book look very "Dallas", while most are more subtle & simple. While I was working in Dallas I remember her name mentioned a few times, she was just gaining cred in the design world at that time. Of course she also has an amazing little shop in the Dallas Design District (it's equally as glamorous as Jan). The book is also gorgeous. The pages are thick & the images are rich, detailed & beautiful. The book is also a cool cheetah print that looks great on a cocktail table.

The book goes room by room with hints about how to add glamour to rooms. I HAD to do this post in 2 parts because I want to share too much to include in just 1 post! Jan keeps her rooms simple, but elegant. She uses accessories & mirrors like jewelry. I LOVE that she keeps her draperies simple. I have a hard time designing over the top draperies. I feel that draperies should frame the window & accent the room. Draperies should never take over the room or hide the view.

Here's an exert that I love..."Visualize your family members gathered in the living room reading the morning paper, playing games, or listening to music in the late afternoon with the dogs sitting about on the floor in front of the fire. Maybe everyone is resting or conversing, or simply enjoying their morning coffee. This is what a truly successful living room should accomplish. Otherwise, why have one? Every room in your house should be a reflection of your life as you live it. Rooms should never exist as museum settings meant only to impress visitors. There is nothing worse than cushions that go untouched and pillows that are never moved from their places. What a depressing thought!".