On My Coffee Table: “Elements of Style” by Erin Gates

Elements of Style: Designing a Home & a Life, by Erin Gates ($22.14)

When I found out that Elements of Style blogger and designer Erin Gates was coming out with a book, I couldn’t pre-order it fast enough. Her blog is a constant wealth of the two big “I” words—information and inspiration—and I knew that her book would offer the same eye candy. After pouring over its pages when it arrived last year post-release, I remember luxuriating in the content with a grin on my face. THIS is what all design books need to aspire to.

WHO SHOULD READ IT

If interior design and pretty pictures can keep you entertained for hours (guilty as charged), then this book is for you. It’s filled to the brim with actionable tips and tricks from a designer who doesn’t mind sharing her real-life perspective.

THE TAKEAWAY

Whether you rent or own, Elements of Style (both the book and blog) will get your gears turning. And the best part is that there isn’t just one style covered in the book. My sister and I tend to fall into opposite camps when it comes to design, and we were both able to flip through the book and find things we loved. We even turned it into a game of sorts—we would both silently choose our favorite pieces on the page, and then have the other guess which one we loved most. It was probably more fun then I should admit to, but my sister and I are strange like that.

FAVORITE ELEMENT

The hand drawn illustrations are by far my favorite part. Though the photos in the book are beautiful (stunning! show-stopping!), I do think that your eyes have the tendency to go a little cross-eyed when looking at hundreds of pictures one after the other. The sweet illustrations are the perfect element to add to infuse the book with breathing room, not mention a bit of whimsy, too.

Purchase the book here and leave your own review in the comments when you’re finished! Be sure to tag us in your social shares and use the hashtag #DGDonmycoffeetable for a chance to be featured! Up next? Victoria Smith, of sfgirlbybay, and her new book See San Francisco.