Book Review: Janet Lee’s Living in a Nutshell
This is my first book review for the blog.
Generally, I refrain from endorsing products since I am not paid to do so, but I read a book over the weekend that was pleasantly simple in its 208 pages and really spoke to much of what I write about here at Ma Petite Maison Verte: making a small home shine. The book I am speaking of is Living in a Nutshell by Janet Lee [$25, Harper Design Publishing].
I purchased the book at my local bookstore this past Saturday after stumbling upon Janet Lee’s website and blog earlier in the week: http://livinginanutshell.com/index.html. By Sunday evening, I had finished reading each of the chapters and was left feeling inspired by all the do-it-yourself projects in bright, addictive colors lining its pages. Although I will admit that my color palette at home is decidedly fall-ish, I couldn’t help but ogle all the organizing tips, horizontal stripes, and funky accessories in Living in a Nutshell.
The common theme throughout the book is how to make the best use of a small living space while injecting a high dose of personal style. Living in a Nutshell is written in a conversational, instructional tone. I almost felt as though I was sitting down for a cup of coffee with Janet Lee while she shared all of her design secrets with me. Each project is presented in a very accessible way — I didn’t feel intimidated by any of her suggestions, even the larger-scale projects that are intended to be completed over a weekend.
Whether you enjoy a home full of bold color or not, it’s pretty darn amazing what Janet Lee has managed to do with commonplace items like glue dots, thumbtacks, and shrink wrap. Wow! As I read, I used a few sticky flags to mark pages with projects to customize for my little nest.
♦♦♦ Isn’t it lovely to feel inspired?
