Living with What You Love: Decorating with Family Photos, Cherished Heirlooms, and Collectibles Hardcover – April 20, 2010

"Living with What You Love" is a jewel, and certainly more than a coffee table book. It does a terrific job of taking everyday things hidden in cabinets and drawers, and helps you put together those items in incredibly creative ways. Its a terrific way to make your home look arty and wonderful, but at the same time gives you great feelings as you pass by these treasures. Its also a great way to "decorate" your home in a low cost way, which is always exciting. All the best with continued success in this series!

I keep hoping one of these kinds of books will offer imaginative, workable ideas on how to live with COLLECTIONS of things--not just the household stuff we have in our lives that we love and want to surround ourselves with. But how to decorate with the accumulation of passionate collectors--dolls, books, clocks, Hepplewhite settees, antique clothing--or help someone who collects all of it-- and make sure the setting doesn't look like a warehouse or an antique shop. My 5 year old granddaughter can come up with the cover of this book--a few photos on a fireplace mantle. Show me an arrangement of a collection of items without the mantle. Very many of us don't have a mantle. Show a collection of items arranged for best possible effect and still not have us trip over the stuff. Reckon it's time for me to write a book. You've heard it all before in this book. Cracks me up how these 'decorators' think they're ideas are new.

It's nice to see that other are just as sentimental as I am. Keeping things that mean something to us, and displaying them.

Good for ideas.

A lovely book with beautifull photos in different settings to inspire you to do the same.

I had been looking forward to the publication of this book, and recently borrowed it before deciding whether to buy it (which is what I would first suggest).The pleasant colour photos of home interiors in the book, although the bulk of them are of photographs, had a charm which quickly wore off as one reads the text, which constantly plugs the author's photography services and namesake product lines throughout, pushing family and children's portraiture, and is fluffed with decorating ideas commonly found for free on personal and commercial creative blogs everywhere on the internet, such as The Ribboned Crown, Victoria magazine, Somerset Studio magazine, and HGTV, to name just a few. There are also countless of Jane and John Doe's blogs who frequently post original ideas.In a nutshell, the tips found consist of decorating with: candid photos everywhere (even your kitchen and bathroom), personal and children's artwork, mirrors, heirlooms, antiques, commissioned paintings, letters, awards, attaching photos inside lockets/compacts/cigarette cases, and having your jewels on display instead of boxes. Group them by theme or colour, or showcase one special item by painting a wall in a complementary hue. Stack books and display a treasure on top. Make rooms look larger with mirrors. Consider professionally-framing an article of special clothing. You see? All you have to do is go find these things in your storage bins and place them all out in frames, on mantels and shelves and tables, hang them up, or start a collection. It is transforming your home into a personal museum. One simple idea, three simple words: Display your things.Alexandra Stoddard had already written a book on decorating with your personal photos and other treasures in her delightful, more original, and better-organised classic, Living A Beautiful Life.Jack Canfield also made references to this in his excellent book, The Success Principles, in the chapter titled Display Your Success Symbols, and creating a "victory wall" or room with your beloved treasures.Basically, Kosann's work is nothing special, merely a blatant advertisement, a self-promoting book with other people's ideas taken, recycled, and packaged to sell under the author's own name as if she had been the first to discover them. This disappointment is not worth the money. My twenty or thirty dollars are best invested in purchasing an actual decorating item and surf the infinite photographic possibilities of the internet for a fresh assortment of ideas.

When I first came across Monica's work a year ago, I was instantly touched and drawn in by her unique message. She inspired me to look inside my home (the one where I grew up) and, for the first time, see things as more than just objects filling a room. Unbeknownst to me, I've been surrounded by these amazing heirlooms my whole life. Monica helped me discover a new-found appreciation for my parents' past (including all the things they've accumulated over time) and how much it has affected and shaped me. In my own apartment, I find myself looking for ways to hang up special photos that tell the story of my roots. I'm so glad Monica took the time to write down her thoughts and advice about how to embrace our family heritage and passions so I can continue to find ways to tell my one-of-a-kind story. I picked up my very own copy of her new book today, and I have to tell you, it's even better than I thought it would be. I love it! You will not regret buying this book.

I wish I had looked at this book before purchasing as I would not have bought it. Nothing new here. Given the title I thought it would be more broad and varied but I found it to be quite narrow in its content. Mostly about displaying photos. It was difficult to relate to the content, it appeared that most of the homes belong to people who seem to be quite wealthy and I found no common ground. I will say the author is quite great at self-promotion. Anyway I have to say I really dislike this book and it is off to become a donation to my local library.

horrible!!!