I have a dog, two kids, a husband — and well, me. Yes, I’m a bit of a slob. I want my home to be nice and inviting, but I’ve never gone for the stuff high-class look that some designers seem so fond of. It just doesn’t seem practical. Did I mention that I have two kids and a dog and lots of stuff, and I don’t have time to walk around after them with a broom and feather duster 24 hours a day?
Debbie Wiener is a designer who gets moms or any of us who want to combine form with practicality and long-lasting good looks that won’t take a professional cleaning service to keep it looking nice. She focuses on form and function. Her design plans make a home not only more beautiful, but more livable (including a few creative uses of remote controls!).
Are you with me? If so, I can highly recommend her book Slob Proof! Real-Life Design Solutions.
Slob Proof! is a to-the-point resource for people who want to live in their homes, not just look at them. Some people like to be able to put their feet up on the sofa, to wear their shoes in their house, and to enjoy pets (and children and grandchildren!).
Debbie Wiener is on your side.
She explains why color and pattern are your friends, and even recommends some specific brands and products. I would have liked to see more of this, perhaps, and what I was really hoping for was some organizational or storage information. I know it’s not an organizing book, but the fact is that for most of us our rooms and furniture are not showcases, but areas that house work-stations, hold books and games and toys etc.
But if you are redoing any of your rooms — floors, walls or furniture — as we have been doing gradually, I can highly recommend this book to you.
And the good news is that one of you can win your own copy of the book (open to U.S. and Canadian residents).
Just leave a comment here to win, and we’ll announce the winner in next week’s book review column right here.
Want to find out more about Debbie’s Slobproof way of decorating?
Her website: http://mydesigningsolutions.com/
Her blog: http://debbiewiener.com/
Her furniture line: http://slobproof.com/
Her facebook: Debbie Wiener
Her Twitter: @debbiewiener
The winners of last week’s book I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced are #4 Stephanie Meyers, #128 Chrysa, #25 Kim
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book for review purposes
Written by book blogger Jennifer Donovan, who blogs at Snapshot and manages 5 Minutes for Books, which is one reason her house is a mess!
5 Minutes for YOU to read, relax, & connect with other moms. We're here to inspire, encourage & empower you.
{ 64 comments… read them below or add one }
Looks like a great one!
I am such a design dunce, maybe this could help.
This sounds right up my alley. I haven’t a clue when it comes to design.
I would love some practical advice.
When you have kids it’s like as soon as you clean a room up it is messy again in a matter of few minutes. Thanks for the recommendation!
Holly
A friend of mine loves stuff like this and I would really like to win this so I can pass it on to her. Thanks for the chance to win!
I would love a copy of this!
I would love a copy!
I heard Wiener talk about slobproofing on NPR and it was one of those moments they talk about in the fundraising drives … when you sit in your car until the end of the story laughing. Particularly love her take on how to choose a couch color: Match it to the most obvious dirt in your house.
Great post, great book, great topic.
Congrats!
You sound like me. I have no “decorating design.” I like my home comfortable. Ideally the clutter and toys would be picked up, but the reality is they go overlooked (by me at least).
I’d love this book!
This would be a great read to help me with my home.
This book sounds awesome! I want so badly to know how to decorate and have nice “looking” things while still living in my house! I would love to own this book!
I need this book!
I need this book so much. My house is a disaster.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
Looks like a great book!
Sounds like a great book. Thx for the highlight. I would love a copy!
Wish you were giving away 20 copies of this book…I really do need it.
Thanks for the great giveaway!
SOOO need help with this!!
Yeah, I totally need this book.
i’d love to get advice like this!
This would be great for my with my two little boys. Thanks!
Just the book we need around here, would love to see decorating that is functional as well as pretty and fun, maybe they could put out a companion organizational book as that is what we mostly need, just where does all the stuff we have FIT into our house…. and we just got rid of a bunch:)
Boy do I need this! I have a feeling you’re going to pick me!
I just bought a house, so clearly I need this pronto.
Sounds like the book for me! Thanks for posting about it!
Sounds like a good one! please enter me.
I really need this book! I am with you Jennifer (probably why we get along so well). I’d like to keep my house looking good too!
I would love to win a copy of this book. We’re big on “living” here, but sometimes the results are a bit too obvious.
I would love to win this book. It seems like every time I announce that we’re all going to quickly clean up the living room, one of the kids asks, “Who’s coming over?”
My husband calls it “the fake house” when I clean up (and bulldoze) for company…but I LIKE the fake house!
Ooohhh pick me, pick me! I neeeeeeeeddd this book! I have a husband that works a crazy rotating shift, 3 kids, a dog, and a guinea pig. I hold monthly classes in my home and while I am able to get my house clean it just never looks very put together. Thank you so much for the chance to win!!
I am The Queen of Design Dumb. It might help me a bit.
This would be great to win!!!
This sounds perfect for me.
would love to have a copy of this book…sign me uph
I think that I need this one!
What if I’m the clean one and no one wants to help? Looks like a great book!
My husband could use this book. Thanks for the chance.
I just saw another review of this earlier today – it sounds great.
Now that’s more like it. Every mom wants their home reinvented but then again the creativity moms have are put to the limits simply because of the fear of leaving their homes and coming back to a wasteland of a home compliments of the playful preschoolers and the huge pets we have. Well I believe every house mom or even working moms should grab a copy. Dad should grab a copy too or get one for mom. It’s about time we reinvented style without the worry of having to think of how we clean up the mess. Well, that’s what moms do best, look after their families and homes ensuring that they are safe, comfortable and livable.
This looks SOOO useful!
We posted about this giveaway at Winning Readings: http://winningreadings.blogspot.com/2010/03/slob-proof.html
janemaritz at yahoo dot com
That sounds like an interesting book that’s different than some of the regular organizational ones.
I would love to be entered. Sounds like a great book.
wmmahaney(at)att(dot)net
That book looks great! Would love the chance to win it. I don’t have a clue when it comes to design and could desperately use some tips!
This book could save me from my despair over my step-slobs, oops, I mean step-kids! LOL I’d love to win it.
I’m a subscriber!
Twitter: longwait4bella
March 2, 2010 at 10:28 pm
I love the title of this book. It sounds great. Thanks!
I could really use this book. Thanks for the possibility.
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
I could use the help from this book!
Sounds like something I need to put on my “must read” list!
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Hello – I would love to win a copy of this book!
kherbrand at comcast dot net
If you could see my entire houe you would know how much I need this book.
Jody
There are days and projects that make this book jump to the front of my stack of books!
My question is, how do I get the rest of the family to cooperate? My idea of comfortable is clutter free, theirs is not.
I could really use this in my house!
I love design books! This one sounds awesome!
This is perfect. I am short on time and could use any help I can get
rhondastruthers AT yahoo dot ca
Thanks for the giveaway.
In need of this book! Thanks for the giveaway.
Sounds like a lot of good tips! I’d love to be entered.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
This sounds like a great book for a busy messy family! I hope I win!
This looks like it would get me going on a few projects I need to do!
I need this book desperately! Would love to win a copy! : )