Emma Scattergood

More like ‘Surfaces and Finishes 101′…

When you picture a "directory", what comes to mind? Perhaps a huge, bulking monstrosity, with the weight of a phone book and the sort of exhaustive info you'd expect from Encyclopedia Britannica. At least that's the type of visualization I have; and, that said, a massive volume is what I expected to pick up from my local library when I put THE COMPLETE SURAFCES AND FINISHES DIRECTORY on hold.

Alas, SURFACES AND FINISHES is more like a "home décor 101" guide than a directory. In seven chapters, author Emma Scattergood introduces newbies to simple paint techniques, paint finishes (faux finishes), plaster and concrete, wall coverings, tiles, wood, and glass and metal, in that order. The final chapter offers some suggestions for tying the materials together. While marginally useful for the beginner, SURFACES AND FINISHES doesn't offer any advice that can't easily be found online (for free, to boot!) using The Google (as GW would say). Any one of dozens of home improvement websites are just as informative, if not more so. If you're a first-time homeowner who needs some inspiration to get your creative juices flowing, SURFACES AND FINISHES might be worth a look (it does have some pretty pictures, I'll give it that). However, it's hardly the be-all, end-all directory it claims to be. Rather, it's a decent starting point; nothing more, nothing less. Save your dinero, unless you can browse SURFACES AND FINISHES via your biblioteca.

http://www.easyvegan.info/2007/05/02/complete-surfaces-and-finishes-directory-by...… (mer)