Jan ShowersGlamorous Living: A Book of Action

My first Jan Showers book and I loved it. I joined her Instagram live chat the same evening it arrived and got to ask her a question. I agree the styling can be a bit repetitive (Murano glass everywhere!) but that’s her signature style and I enjoyed touring the sumptuous rooms in this book.

This is a lovely book, and the title is very fitting. A strong mid-century vibe with lots of pieces from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, a heavy dose of Murano glass, as well as items from Jan Shower's own collection.There is a forward by India Hicks and an introductory chapter by the designer, followed by 8 chapters of design. With the exception of the last chapter, the chapters represent a specific area of the home:* First Impressions - entry areas and powder room* Gracious Living - living room* Dining at Home - dining room* Easy Living - sunroom, library, kitchens, bar areas and lounges, china and dish rooms, breakfast areas* Dream Time - bedrooms* A Room of One's Own - any area set aside as "your own" - office, library, bar, dressing area,* Glamour Outdoors* Finishing Touches - art, collections, interesting objects and tableauxThe photos are of high quality and include lifestyle images with the designer. The text is brief with a few paraphrase on a single page at the start of each chapter. The photo text mostly describes the individual objects in the picture and I found I scanned them briefly and focused on the image itself.

As the title indicates, this designer’s interiors are glamorous and elegant. While I am a huge fan of my glam, I felt that most of the rooms lacked personality. It felt like nobody really lived there. They were very pretty, but I would not feel comfortable there at all.

Jan’s book is a disappointment in that she does the same look over and over again. If you like Murano glass which she does and collects, you will see it in just about every home she does. Also French 1940s furniture and other vintage styles rather than searching out antiques that her clients could probably afford. By page 62 I was done as I knew when I flipped the page I would see more of the same. Try other designers who take their clients into consideration when designing.

The "Opposite" description is not accurate. It appears they were printed on the wrong pages and should have been the reverse. Maybe you should just look at the pretty pictures and not read the details - ha!It's a lovely and very personal insightful look into Jan Showers' great decorating vision. I have read it twice and dissected the images to impart what I want to add to my home.Glad I bought it, but it's pretty pricey to have such a proofreading error.