Book Review: Colin & Justin’s HOME HEIST STYLE GUIDE by Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan

BIG THANKS to Bronwyn and Penguin Canada for sending me this book to review!

“Colin & Justin’s HOME HEIST STYLE GUIDE”
by Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan
Published by the Penguin Group

Rating: 5 stars

Talented designers Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan have had their own popular home design shows in the UK, US and Canada. Based on HGTV Canada’s hit show “Colin & Justin’s Home Heist”, Colin & Justin have come out with their own decorating book for Canadians called “Colin & Justin’s Home Heist Style Guide”.

In this fun book, there is a room-by-room guide to home renovation that features many case studies detailing the transformation steps along with before and after pictures for living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, family rooms, and bathrooms. (My favorite room makeover would have to be their conversion of a dreary spare room in the basement into a beautiful spa bathroom!) There are also sections dedicated to home offices, hallways, porches and decks. They discuss how to establish focal points in each room and include a great deal of practical information about important topics such as storage and lighting. Colin & Justin also teach readers how to accommodate for multi-purpose rooms, small spaces and tight budgets. At the end of the book, the primary topics of color, wallpaper and paint, lighting, flooring and accessories are explored in further detail.

Here is an example of one of their bedroom makeovers:

Also, look out for C & J’s tips which are located throughout the book and highlight their quirky style and personalities! For example: C & J’s tip for bedrooms, “When dressing a bed, make it a tactile feast for the fingers as well as the eye. Mix soft satin with a luxurious cashmere throw. Then and only then, will you discover the true meaning of being ‘good in bed'!” Wow!

Their book emphasizes finding your own unique style based on who you are and what you want from your home, as opposed to preaching what should and shouldn’t be done. Inside you will find all the typical elements of home decoration but what makes this book special is the blend of Colin and Justin’s wacky sense of humor and eclectic style. Colin & Justin’s style combines traditional and contemporary looks with bold color choices and unique accent details. Their writing is as fresh and bold as the colors they use in their décor. Additionally, the vibrant pictures of the homes are beautiful and enhance the aesthetic of the book making it an even more enjoyable read!

In addition to their wicked humor and bold style, what I appreciated most about “Colin & Justin’s Home Heist Style Guide” was their realistic tips and suggestions. Some of my favorite hints include: Top 12 Ideas for a Small Space and Top 5 Ways to Make Your Bathroom Look More Expensive.

This isn’t a book you will read only once, but rather it is a useful resource that can be referred to anytime depending on your styling needs. Even if your home does not need renovation, it has a lot of helpful information about how to add accessories and touches of color to update and beautify existing rooms.

Check out Colin and Justin’s website here

For more info about their TV show visit: Colin & Justin’s Home Heist and be sure to watch them on HGTV Canada – Tuesdays @ 10 PM ET (check out past episodes also!)