Dog-eared: Soulful Maximalism by Amber Guyton

I studied Amber Guyton’s design when I was designing my home. So when her book came out, I didn’t need to think about it.

Looking at a designer’s work taught me more about color and style than anything else did. I could see what worked and why it worked. I started to understand how a color sits next to another color, and what a room feels like when someone isn’t afraid of either one.

I wanted my home to be a place I get excited to walk into. I wanted to come home and not want to leave. That’s still the test I use for every choice in here.

I love color, and I put it in wherever I can. A wall. A pillow. A rug. The art I’ve collected over time. Color is the first thing I think about in a room.

Her book is built on four ideas: joy, culture, layers and intention. It also gets into practical things I’m already doing at my house, like mixing patterns, building a gallery wall and understanding the color wheel. She explains colors as “cousins” and “play cousins,” which is a much easier way to think about them than the way I was taught.

I’m not going to pretend I’ve read every page yet. It’s new, and it’s already on my coffee table.

If your home doesn’t make you want to stay in it, this might be the book to start with.

Your home should be the place you’re most excited to come back to.