Feels Like Home by Marian Parsons

Feels Like Home

by Marian Parsons

Most of us don't live in a dream home that was custom built to suit our tastes. We have to work with a house that brings its own style, quirks, and personality to the table. But imagine walking into this house, but it's perfectly designed and decorated with your style in mind-a home that fits you like a well-tailored outfit and yet is as comfy as your favorite pair of pajamas.

What would that home look like exactly? How would it feel to live in a home styled specifically for you?

The truth is, every home should feel like a custom home and not have to break the bank. In Feels Like Home, DIY makeover queen Marian Parsons (a.k.a. Miss Mustard Seed) teaches you what she's learned over the years, sharing budget-friendly practical tips that will inspire you to change your space from "blah" to beautiful, from a builder-grade to character-rich home. Each chapter will guide you through detailed, easy-to-implement tutorials for projects, makeovers, decorating ideas, and tips for handling common challenges. Special note-taking spaces are also included for recording your own design ideas. Room by room, you will be empowered to transform your house into the home of your dreams!

Reviewed by annieb123 on

5 of 5 stars

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Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Feels Like Home is a style and tutorial DIY guide by Marian Parsons to help readers to put their individual mark on their personal space. Due out 12th Oct 2021 from Hatchette on their Worthy Books imprint, it's 304 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately; it makes it so easy to find information with the search function.

I really liked the casual conversational style the author uses. It felt almost like a chat with a friendly and reassuring friend ("It's only a bit of paint, no worries it'll be fine"!). The layout is beautiful, full of clear and well styled rooms which actually look lived in. The photos are drawn from a wide variety of styles and periods and there will be something to appeal to most readers.

The book's chapters are arranged thematically from finding out what readers' own desires and goals are, through to planning and executing projects. The following chapters provide inspiration room by room: living spaces, kitchens, dining areas, bedrooms, creative & work spaces, and the rest of the house (bathrooms, etc). Custom furniture and finishing spaces round out the content along with a relevant bit of philosophy (why are we decorating or working on these projects and how can we find inspiration?).

The author has included some short DIY tutorials including a hand painted wall mural project that is probably worth the price of the book. It's beautiful and really looks do-able.The book also includes some really useful appendices. There's a before and after exhibit showing the same areas for comparison and inspiration as well as a resources and links lists.

I liked that the book isn't locked into one particular style or level of exclusivity. Sometimes I feel like home style and interior guides are fairly useless for readers who don't have a seven figure salary. There are casually styled rooms included here as well as exclusive period stately homes and everything in between.

Lots of useful info here. Four and a half stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 11 September, 2021: Finished reading
  • 11 September, 2021: Reviewed