Great question! My first decorating book was The Laura Ashley Book of Home Decorating and I bought it, of all places, at a mall in Manila in the Philippines. I set up my first "grown up" home in the Philippines where my ex was stationed with the USAF. I spent hours poring over this book and longed to copy the English country style so representational of Laura Ashley, even though I was in Southeast Asia. I have to say that to a certain extent, I think I succeeded! Home decor was plentiful and artisans were skilled enough to be able to create just about anything I could adequately describe to them. (Except for the wing chairs ... OMG, the wing chairs that were delivered to my home by a very proud-of-his-work furniture maker were ginormous. I felt like Edith Ann from the old "Laugh In" show, sitting in her huge rocking chair everytime I perched on those things.)

I lost track of my book somewhere along the line, but recently saw it for a very good price on eBay and bought myself another copy. I look through it now to reminisce about my early days of decorating - not because I want that look in my home anymore. ;-)

Mine was some sort of do-it-yourself book from the bargain racks at Barnes and Nobles. Looking back, the ideas were pretty wretched, but it was so exciting to contemplate making things myself. Even if they were wall stamps. Heh!

Paint Magic by Jocasta Innes. Fortunately, I was never able to indulge my wilder specialty painting fantasies.

I've been reading about homes and rooms forever .... sooooo ... in a way ... the VERY first books were the ones by Enid Blyton and E. Nesbit -- and J.R.R. Tolkien. The houses and homes in these books were so well described and literally part of the action. Loved the descriptions of old homes filled with well-worn treasures ...

In the 80s I bought a lot of English Country decorating books .... and LOTS and LOTS of magazines .....

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

Yes, First one Martha Stewart also and the last one I bought was recently Victoria Hagen's newest just out. Many in between. One years ago was Bunny Williams. I use it for reference but I couldn't stand all that stuff. It would drive me wild.

Paint Magic was def. one of my 1st 5!

Maggie08 - how do you like the Victoria Hagan book that was you most recent purchase?

I can't remember my first (minds out of gutter, please) but I do remember the one that really hit me. It was The Painted House by Graham Rust. Fell in love with it and still refer to it all these years later. I dream about the client that wants that kind of work done!

Oh, I definitely remember mine! It's going to age me though.

Back in the early 80's, Time-Life did a series of Country Decorating books. Remember when Time-life put out all sorts of sets of books?

I still look at them, especially the country kitchens.

The books are pretty too, a medium blue with a glossy country picture on each book.

The Better Homes and Gardens decorating book that my mom probably got as a shower gift, circa 1955. It was probably 20 years old when I looked at it first and I was about 12.

Also "The History of the House"(?) that covers history from the cave to the middle of the 20th c.

Not exactly a decorating book, but the first that informed my aesthetic was The Bloomingdales Book of Entertaining. Why my mother had it I'll never know. I only remember a handful of parties throughout my childhood. But as I recall, there was talk of creating environments for entertaining and I read through it many times.

My first real decorating book was probably Laura Ashley Decorating with Patterns and Textures in the early 90's. Paint Magic was also in my First Five! both came from the Atlantic Book Warehouse in Cherry Hill, NJ. What fun that place was!

Does the Sears catalouge count? I was 11 and positively smitten with a master bedroom photo set. The room had medium gray walls and a shimmery magenta bedspread and matching pleated drapes. How I wanted that bedroom for myself!

The first decorating book I actually bought was "Interior Alchemy" by Rebecca Purcell. It's a perennial favorite even 12 years and many other decor books later.

Ditto on the Laura Ashley

Hi Ttodd
I like the book very much. Of course the photography is wonderful, beautiful rooms and not all the same type. I haven't actually read much of the text yet but my friend borrowed the book and did read and she is going to buy the book because of the pictures and she liked reading it as well. I would buy it again. It's a nice book to look at.

Maybe not exactly what you are thinking, but I read Alexandra Stoddard books in the early eighties as a young married (broke) gal. I'm always striving for that lovely serene, but personally interesting, combo of decor she talked about. More lifestyle than photos, but very inspiring.

Mine was the House Book by Terence Conran. Haven't seen it in awhile, but I imagine a lot of those interiors still hold up well.