5 Apartment Decorating Books That Should Be in Your Collection

This article originally appeared on the Springs "You're Home Blog."

Do you have an instinctive knack for creating stylish decors in your Springs Apartments home? Or are you all thumbs when it comes to interior design? Whichever side of the fence you fall on, there are several apartment decorating books on the market to provide help and inspiration. Here are some great resources to have on hand whenever the design bug bites.

The New Apartment Book: Inspiring Ideas and Practical Projects for Decorating Your Home

Author Michele Michael does more than simply offer pictures of beautifully decorated rooms. She provides a solid base for developing your own style with discussions of function, color and other elements along with budget and time considerations. You'll also get helpful "tricks of the trade" used by professional home decorators.

Apartment Therapy: The Eight-Step Home Cure

Does the idea of decorating overwhelm you? Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, frequent contributor to HGTV, outlines practical strategies to develop a workable game plan. Tips include a questionnaire to zero in on your personal taste and identify specific issues in your home as well as a regular maintenance schedule for your home's "ongoing health."

The First Apartment Book: Cool Designs for Small Spaces

You don't have to be living in your first apartment to benefit from the ideas in this inventive guide. Designer Kyle Schuneman includes 30 DIY projects like no-sew pillows along with tips for personalizing your style based on your passions. He also gives resources for all items shown in the book and lists the must-have contents of every apartment dweller's tool box.

Apartment FENG SHUI

The ancient Chinese art of feng shui has gained popularity in the modern world as a way of creating balance and harmony through design. This is a perfect primer if you want to explore the idea of feng shui and learn how it might benefit your home. It gives a history of the practice, the five elements of feng shui, and specific room-by-room tips.

Fifth Avenue Style: A Designer's New York Apartment

You may not think you would find anything of practical use in a book centered on an upscale Manhattan apartment. While opening up his legendary home for display, noted designer Howard Slatkin shares his methods of making any space comfortable and stylish. Ideas range from furniture floor plans to decorative use of family photos and other personal collections.

The best part of decorating your home is that it doesn't have to please anyone but you. Do you have a unique piece of furniture or accessory that is the centerpiece of your Springs Apartments home? Tell us about it in the comments!