Alexa Hampton: Decorating in Detail

When I was in High Point last month, Alexa Hampton had just released her new book, Decorating in Detail. In part, it’s spun off her decorating columns from the Wall Street Journal’s Off Duty section, in the days when Deborah Needleman days. Alexa has the best sense of humour and it really comes across in this book. That, and her amazing eye for detail and colour are what made me want to buy this book. I have her Language of Interior Design book as well, and it’s terrific.

What I loved about this book was that she talks about 10 or so of the houses she’s recently designed and goes into detail about how they came about. And, of course, because detail is what this book is all about, there are tons of gorgeous images of the details which make the decorating come to life!

There are small details that many people wouldn’t notice,

and grand details which bring a room together.

What was great was that the columns that Alexa did for the WSJ were reprinted in the book, and I was pleased to be able to see these again, because they were full of great advice!

Another thing that she does that intrigued me is “decorating by Sharpie®”. She takes an existing image of a room and sketches out the layout she’s proposing right onto the image!

Using this method, both she and the clients can get a good sense of the space and the arrangements, without tons of effort! She’s clearly inherited some of her father’s talent in the drawing arena, as well as the decorating!

Decorating in Detail will be a new favourite of mine!