Books I've found helpful with Auction Decorating

I've added a book list to the blog of books that I've found to inspire, give guidance or be resources when needed. The list will be on the side panel of the blog, but a brief review of the first ones to make it to the list. Many are a bit old and you may find that you have to buy them used on Amazon. I got one of them recently for under $3.00 (the shipping was as much).

• 'Antiques for Today's Interiors' by Genevieve Weaver and Helen Chislett. Genevieve Weaver is an owner of Guinevere Antiques in London. The shop always have very interesting and sometime quirky, unique pieces. I find the book full of ideas of how to decorate your home with antiques and unusual objects. 

•  'Caring for Your Collections' is an essential resource guide for preserving and protecting art, furniture and collectibles of all descriptions. So when you buy that table with the water stain or the veneer problem, this book will help you find the way to fix it. 

•  'Decorating with Pictures: Collecting Art and Photography and Displaying It in Your Home', by Stephanie Hoppen. I connected immediately with the author who also hates bare walls! She approaches collecting from the stand point of buying what you like rather than trying to 'invest'. She's my kind of girl when she says at the beginning 'Rules are meant to be broken.' The book is mostly a primer on how to approach collecting, with fewer pages on framing and displaying. But there are lots of pictures to give inspiration.

•  'Displaying Pictures and Photographs', by Caroline Clifton-Mogg and Piers Feetham. This book's focus is on the art of display. This include framing, arranging and lighting, all of which can enhance any work of art. 

• 'Irreplaceable Artifacts: Decorating the Home with Architectural Ornament', by Evan and Leslie Blum.  I have always liked decorating with architectural or ornamental salvage. We recently bought a set of deco styled window grills at auction with that in mind. This book has lots of ideas, and the authors have a store in Manhattan - The Demolition Depot on East 125th Street - that we've been to a few times. 

• Learning to See: Bringing the World Around You Into Your Home' by Vincente Wolf. Wolf is a well known decorator, but for me this book is somewhat different from the other decorator books I have on my shelves. It has lots of ideas on how you might decorate with even ordinary objects (likes shovels!). I find it full of ideas to make your house really interesting.