Canadian interior designer Candice Olson has gained plenty of fans through her HGTV show Divine Design, but some may not know she also has a design book out that focuses on the same fun home makeover idea of her show. Candice Olson on Design: Ideas and Inspiration for Your Home provides a very personalized twist on the “pretty and practical” interior design approach that we see so much of. The book is peppered with personal home photos of Candice’s past, and there are photos of her in every section, for example posing in a chef’s hat in the kitchen design section. Yes, it’s a whole lotta Candice which may be a bit much for some, but for her fans it’s an entertaining way to present the book’s content. And what is it that makes this content different? Candice Olson on Design features 24 before and after room transformations from real clients, which will satisfy that desire most of us have for hard results and being able to judge the final product ourselves. Most of these types of books only cover the basic home spaces such as kitchen, bathroom, etc, but Candice takes it a notch further with sections on basements, housetop hangouts, and bedroom sections broken up into two separate chapters on kids and adults, covering every style and age (from fairy tale princess bedrooms to just-out-of-college ones). Within these, she breaks down the projects with colorful sketches explaining the vision for the new room, plus provides specific elements used to compose the new room, including pictures of fabric and paint swatches, tiles, and flooring choices. Additionally, there are several multi-page “Design Essential” spreads that cover Candice’s unique takes on what fundamentals will make your space pop, from kitchens to dining rooms to the boudoir.

Bottom Line: Candice Olson on Design is great for those who value and enjoy understanding the interior design process. The book is bright, full of helpful, detailed photos and graphics, and has a structure repetitive enough that the guide doesn’t feel cluttered or disorganized the way some other interior design how-to books can. The before and after photos may seem dramatic, but Olson’s personable, decomposed approach does make the leap seem truly attainable (and exciting!). Buy Candice Olson on Design: Ideas and Inspiration for Your Home on Amazon for less than $14!!!