AROUND HOME : The Art and Technique of Decorating With Fabric : CAROLINE CLIFTON-MOGG AND MELANIE PAINE (Prentice Hall Press; 1988)

THIS IS PURELY an idea book, and one that--despite a chapter called “Keeping It Simple”--leans toward the elaborate in window treatments. Few plain draperies here; what you’ll find instead are pages of french pleats, beribboned swags, tails and ruching designed to cover bay windows, shuttered windows, dormer windows, arched windows and bed canopies. Each section has a brief introduction (offering a historical perspective on styles as well as such tips as “If you like to use table and floor lamps to create distinct pools of light at nighttime, heavily ruched fabrics might be a good choice: Deep shadows will gather in the folds, conveying an air of mystery and sophistication”), followed by informative captions that describe the 177 pages of color photographs taken in homes throughout Europe and the United States. At the end of the book, there is some nuts-and-bolts information to be found in the chapters on proportion and measurement, linings, swags and valances, though few specific sewing instructions. ($27.50)