Decorators Fact File

"I used to note down ideas on the first piece of paper I came across and foolishly imagined that I could memorize colors. But I soon got tired of walking around with pockets full of scrap paper, crumpled-up pieces of fabric, and dog-eared paint chips." With those sentiments in mind, design writer Anoop Parikh created the Decorator's Fact File, a home decorating guide that functions as part book and part organizer. With a hard plastic cover, a metal binding for easy opening, and color-coded pages, it gives detailed advice on outlining your decorating strategy, choosing materials and equipment, picking a style, using space, renovating, selecting colors, lighting, and a lot more. Throughout the book there are spaces for checklists and notes as well as graph paper to sketch room plans. In addition, there's a zip-up plastic pocket in the back for storing paint swatches and fabric samples. The one drawback is the fold-over outer jacket, which protects the book but gets in the way when trying to thumb through it. (Sure enough, though, there are directions along the margin on how to cut it off.) With the Decorator's Fact File, Parikh has created an unusual, stylish, and ingenious guide to home decorating. --Andy Boynton