Inspiration from the library

Interior by Nate Berkus, who designs home decor

items for Target. Can't wait to see if they will be 

in the North Bay store once it opens... 

Coffee table books on design are a great source of inspiration. My own bookshelf is full of them. I use them to get ideas, to learn from the pros and to simply indulge in beautiful interiors.

But to stay up to date with the steady flow of new books can get pricey. And sometimes you want to check out a book before buying it.

In those situations, a trip to the local library is a good idea. The North Bay Public Library does a good job at bringing in new design books.

My latest finds include Nate Berkus' "The Things That Matter" and Thom Filicia's "American Beauty". Both books were published late last year and are praised by design magazines.

Another book that I brought home, and that promises to be interesting, is: Thrift, How to have a stylish home without breaking the bank. You can never get enough of those ideas!

Now I'm keeping my eyes open for Barbara Barry's "About Beauty" and anything by Vicente Wolf. Finding them on the library shelves would be a real treat!

Do you have any great design books to recommend?