My own solace, is that I purchased this book as used. I was truly hoping to gather ideas on how to take some of my found treasures and turn them into more useful and interesting pieces. But the Grimm truth is that this is just a fairy story about a shabby chic princess who can afford a home on the beach. My little Craftsmen bungalow is about a mile from the river...does that count? I found no inspiration here but rather an excessive use of white paint on walls, ceilings, beams, etc. Does she own stock in Sherwin Williams? I did order a few of her other titles which are a bit more useful. Alas, I should have perused the shelves of the Carnegie and checked it out before spending my hard earned shekels.