Love the Home You Have: Simple Ways to…Embrace Your Style *Get Organized *Delight in Where You Are

A delightful, refreshing book. I LOVE decorating books. They give me lots of ideas and inspiration. But THIS BOOK changed my perspective. The idea (behind the great ideas!) is that I'm not decorating my house, I am loving my house, and spreading joy. Taking simple pleasure in the beautiful, and savoring the moments. This book is a little like Alexandra Stoddard meets Lucille Ball. Melissa has a great and humorous way of writing, and pointing out the beautiful moments. It is refreshing, but a lot like she knocked on your door with lattes' in hand and said, “Hey girl, what do you want to do with this room?” Well written, inspiring, the perfect tonic for those feeling "stuck" and unsure of what to do next with their home.

This book is not only inspiring to read, it is pretty to hold and look at. It appeals to our aesthetic sensibilities immediately. Anyone who has read Melissa's blog knows she is talented and has a lovely home. What makes her so likable is that she is down-to-earth, unpretentious, and encouraging of everyone. She shares tips from her own experiences, including her successes and errors; more importantly, she addresses our own ways of thinking of the "perfect" home. Her approach is to show us how to be happy and grateful for what we have NOW, while still giving us permission to dream.

I was surprised that this book is printed cheaply - almost newsprint type paper, and not photos, just 2 color drawings. So I would not really call it a decorating book. But I do like her approach that your home can be pretty without being perfect. In a day when so many are telling us that the decor we love is dated or that our house should look like it is staged to sell, the author reminds that having a house that is too sterile actually makes visitors uncomfortable. While there are tips for decorating, for organizing and reducing clutter, we are encouraged to remember that our homes are for living in and living is sometimes messy. We are encouraged to open our homes anyway to friends and family. They are not coming over to judge us nor our homes. It is my goal to have that kind of house, warm and cosy, and welcoming.

I'm not sure what I expected this book to be; perhaps I hoped for a book on how to decorate my home to look like I spent thousands when I only spent $50, but whatever I had hoped it would be, it was not--it was much, much better. It encouraged me to make my home my own home and not a copy of a pretty room in a book or magazine which seems to be what I usually do. No wonder I am never satisfied as the room is not a reflection of myself or my family. This is a book that encourages you to live "authentically" in your home, not the way others would have you live. This is a book that encourages decorating for your lifestyle and your needs, not your neighbors. This is a book that allows you to believe your home can be beautiful even if there is a mess on the desk or the dining room table or the dog has left nose prints on the window. There are no photographs, which disappointed me at first, but now that I have finished the book, I found it refreshing because it freed me of the feeling that I had to "do things right." There is some decorating advice, but not the kind that you will find in other books, but that is one of the points, I believe of the book: This is where I have lived, this is what I had always thought would make me happy, this is what I ended up discovering about my home and how to love it, here are some basics on decorating and with these principles you, too, can make your home the home you love. I understand good design in a room, but now I also understand that if the design rules don't work for me, I am free to break them. Now instead of looking for books on decorating written by professional designers full of pictures of beautiful rooms, I look for other books like this one written by someone like me who just wants to make her house a place where her family is comfortable and happy and where her guests are comfortable and happy. Thank you, Mrs. Michaels!

I've read all three and this is the best but not great. She's very sweet and tries to make you feel good about any choice you make or if you are a bit of a slob. But if you are looking for a decorating book that really gives you some hard cold facts about how to go about it or starts your creative juices going, this isn't it. It's kind of a "marshmallow " book with the word Ambience on almost every page. She's really into feelings and that's fine I just need more guidance than that. I'm not a naturally creative or artistic person and I'm not into the same style she is and it was hard to try to translate her ideas into something I might like.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Melissa helps you to realize that the house you live in can become the home of your dreams. By adding personal touches for the holidays and every other day of the year we create a home. Some place warm and welcoming for our whole family to enjoy. Melissa gave me the in-site to create my own home with the things I and my family love. As long as our homes say Welcome as we enter in through the front or back door, we have the comfort of a well decorated home. I liked her ideas for decorating, I will be using some of them in mine. I would recommend her book to others looking for ideas on decorating for comfort and warmth in your home.

Absolutely my favorite new book! The concepts in this book are elementary in that the author reminds the reader that the reason you are in the house you are in is because you chose to live there and, once upon a time, really loved this home. I found myself going from room to room and remembering how excited I was when we were having the house built. By following the author's suggestions, I really have connected with my home again and look forward to making a few changes to make me fall in love with my home all over again. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Michael's books.

I've read lots of home books and found this one of the best. It's lighthearted enough that it's easy and enjoyable to read, whilst raising soul reviving points to correct, with practical ideas on how to do so. Melissa makes clear she's a church starter but without ramming the Christian edicts and preaching. Nice balance which makes non Christians just as welcome (and I find is rare in this genre). Being in the UK I did notice a US centric perspective, but it was just one slightly alienating comment.

Vale totalmente la pena leerlo. Es entretenido y da un punto de vista totalmente distinto a otros autores para decorar el hogar.

Love this book everybody should read this!!!!! Like that she bringes her own personal story to this book and her believe in god!

I loved her encouragement to make your home your artful worship to God, a place to build into your family to go out and influence the world and that loving what you have is possible by changing your attitude towards it. As well as creative ,low budget or free tweaks to make it more and more welcoming.

Love this book. Easy to read.