Learn Volumes on Decorating

BOOKS

A handful of books about design and decorating were released near year’s end. Here are a few of the more interesting ones:

Chris Mead and Emelie Tolley’s “Flea Market Style” ($30, Clarkson Potter, 1998) is for folks who can’t pass a garage sale or flea market without buying something. This heavily illustrated book helps you decide just what to do with all those motley treasures. For Mead and Tolley, mixing and matching an assortment of knickknacks can lead to atmospheric bliss.

In “The Irish Home” ($45, Rizzoli International, 1998), Ianthe Ruthven takes the reader on a tour of Ireland’s castles and cottages. As you’d expect, there are many striking photos of the chosen subjects.

Are English manors your thing? Cheryl Maclachlan’s “Bringing It Home: England: The Ultimate Guide to Creating the Feeling of England in Your Home” ($40, Clarkson Potter, 1998) may help you create something of the look in your pad. It’s the fourth in a series that includes Sweden, France and Italy.

Many people, especially Californians, feel the Arts and Crafts-era architects had the best ideas when it came to design. Bruce Smith agrees and his “Greene & Greene Masterworks” focuses admiringly on the work by this well-known firm.

THE WEB / LOOK IT UP

As anyone who’s bought or is thinking about purchasing a house knows, you need to have it inspected rigorously before signing any mortgage papers. The nonprofit American Society of Home Inspectors Inc. has a Web site (https://www.ashi.com) that provides useful info and a list of inspectors in your area.

Besides detailing what credentials and expertise an inspector should have, these pages answer questions on many home-related topics, including heating and cooling, roofs, wiring and plumbing.

FURNACES TO FERNS

The American Fern Society (https://www.visuallink.net/fern/) is probably the best site on the Internet for these feathery plants. According to the society, there’s quite a fern following out there with a dedication that approaches worship.

Here, you can chat with other fern fans, share growing tips and get immersed in basic fern biology. The Spore Exchange helps you identify and locate unusual varieties.

* To have a book or Web site considered for this column, send information to: Home Design, The Times Orange County, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Mark Chalon Smith can also be reached by e-mail at mark.smith@latimes.com