Interior Design Books

Pure and simple, for most of us PROVENÇAL HOUSE is a coffee table book filled with exquisite detail found in several dozen homes in the south of France. Author, Joanna Thornycroft, has classified the structures Andreas Von Einsiedel photographed into `Town', `Manor' or `Country' houses. Short on text and long on photos, the premise of this publication seems to be a picure is worth a thousand words. Beginning with houses in the French Rivera and ending with Le Murier in hameau das Auvis, the author takes you on a trip through the land painted by Van Gogh and Pagnol.

Some of the homes are "simple" cottages, others the more ornate domains of the landed gentry or super-rich movie star. My favorite shots were taken in gardens, and show flowers, pots and rustic gates across cobblestone walkways that lead to the lane or another room of the garden. Small details such as a decorative window latch covered with several centuries of paint, delft-like kitchen tiles, and a rooster weather vane, remind me of the land of the Cathars-those God-fearing people who lived in this land that once harbored them as heretics who may or may not have been far from God but who must have understood how blessed life can be when the sun shines.

Architects may get some ideas from the recessed windows, the red tiled roofs, the stucco blue walls, and the marble bathroom fixtures, but the fabric-lined antique china cabinets, and nifty little accent touches in the various rooms depicted so lovingly make this book a must for interior designers and others seeking the "look" of Provence.

I can be critical of design and house books after seeing so many, so it's a relief to finally be able to give a book five stars. The photographs are authentic and detail everything from interior to exterior, including gardens. The essence of French provincal style is captured and distilled here. The writing is clever and concise, although you'll hardly notice it because the pictures are so brilliant. This is an essential book if you're trying to capture the French provencal look in house design or interior design. This book gives you an authentic source reference.

I'm an architect with the task of designing a "French" style home. This is one of several books I ordered to use as references. The appeal of this book for me is that it includes exterior architecture, interior design/decor, & gardens/landscapes. It is extensively illustrated with color photos & captions (my kind of book...). I can't critique the text because I have not yet had time to read it. But I can't get enough of the pictures!

Wow, what a gorgeous book. We look at it again and again for indoor and outdoor inspiration. You will be completely delighted by this book which captures golden light!

I picked this book up from the table of new releases at a local bookstore, sat in a chair, and didn't move except to turn the pages for the next 90 minutes. In more than 200 color photographs, The Provencal House explores the beauty of 16 Provencal homes - interior and exterior details, uses of color playing off the landscape, curves and arches and doorways. It's a beautiful celebration of an architectural way of life rooted in the land and its traditions.

Some art is ephemeral and I find that sad. I suspect that Abby Banks does too. Punk House provides a window into a world that most people will never see in person -- in many ways as mysterious and remote as the Serengeti. Photography is all about access and Ms. Banks was able to get access to 42 homes across the country populated by a an insular and distinct group of people. Her photos are stark and beautiful, the layout simple and attractive -- and the result is all visual, as thick as a Sears catalog. The sad thing about Punk House is that most of these places probably won't exist next year -- it is an ephemeral culture. In photographing them, Ms. Banks has saved some bit of what they were in a style true to the subjects, with great care, and with obvious love. Punk House would have made an incredible zine but it would have been impossible to produce.

You'll be hard pressed to find a real negative reaction to this book. Even supposed "critiques" such as the previous review admit that the content of the book is amazing. This alone should suffice as reason to buy the book. As to the allegations stated under the heading "What We Do Is Secret: For a Reason" I have every reason to believe that they are almost totally unfounded. Having known the author throughout the process of traveling and collecting photographs for the book, I can safely attest that she did everything under the sun to obtain permission from the subjects (a process that took months) and approached the topic with utmost sincerity.
A recent book tour (that took the author through many anarchist book stores,house shows, and food not bombs feedings) revealed how many people were not only satisfied with the work but also grateful that someone had taken the time and labor to document punk house culture in a tasteful and nonexploitive manner.
If this book has truly made a lot of people angry, I certainly haven't met them. Nor have I come across any "Beware of Corporate Zinester" bulletins. Perhaps its because most people who've read the book recognize it for what it is; an honest portrait of a unique cultural lifestyle. My guess is that these people have learned enough from 8 years of Karl Rove than to rely on unfounded accusations and "facts by implication".
Don't Believe the Hype!!! The book is the Real Deal!!!

It seems this book has made a lot of people pretty angry. I lived at one of the houses in this book and nobody remembers actually giving permission to use these images in this coffee table book. People, places, and works of art all are printed without giving any context, attribution, or discription. And, of course, it doesn't help matters that it was published by a for-profit corporate publisher. If my housemates had known this, they probably would have not only shown the author the door, but also most likely wheatpasted some sort of "Watch-Out For This Corporate Fake Zinester" flyers all around town like Abby Banks was some sort of convicted sex offender or something. Probably not deservered, but that's what would have happened....

Other people who had their houses featured in this book have expressed similar concerns/feelings/resentments. In fact, some of these people are quite pissed. I suggest you don't bring this topic up at a house show, food not bombs feeding, or the anarachist book fair.

I know getting release forms might not be very punk and maybe not getting permission is actually more anarchy than I'm used to. But I doubt the publisher has the same views on their intellectual property. (I just checked... they require you get their written permission before using the images they own. So much for the golden rule...)

However, despite all that, I bought this book and think it's pretty good. I don't even mind that a picture of me (a picture of a picture, actually. Taken in my kitchen when I wasn't home...) is in it and nobody asked if that was alright. Image quality could be a little better on some of the photos, but the book works as a whole, especially capturing the empheral feel of the punk house moment/movement.

Or something like that. Er, I mean, whatever.

I don't usually write reviews on Amazon, but I wanted to say something about this book.
I found Punk House to be one of the most beautiful, colorful depictions of punk life that I've seen outside of the zine world. Living in and visiting some of these houses, they certainly don't feel as vibrantly alive as Abby Banks' photography makes them appear. I was looking over one photo of dirty dishes with a vegan cookbook,mostly torn apart from overuse, and it made me fall in love with the punks again (not that I ever fell out of love, but like you would a lover who you see in a new light after years of relationship).
So much heart is captured in this book, and so much life. Fleeting life.
It says somewhere in these pages that 90% of the houses photographed are now gone. Maybe not the house itself, but the people inside and what made it a punk house in the first place-punks.
So few think to document their lives, thinking that they'll remember or that there will always be time to take pictures. Then, as the years go by, they find that they'd wished they'd at least had a few momentos of a time gone by. Abby Banks took the pictures for us and presented them in a tasteful manner, with permission of those featured, that captures an ongoing moment, a piece of our history, and a slice of life that is usually marginalized at best.
Punks don't need to see their pictures in print to know they matter. But it doesn't hurt sometimes. Hassled by the power structures that make our lives somewhat on the fringe, we need few reminders that much about our way of life is fleeting.
I lived in one of the houses featured in this book and had no fewer than 50 roommates over 8 years (not including a dozen or so dogs, 4 cats, mice (some as pets and some living in the walls). Some of the people who lived in our house are in other countries now, some became ex-punks before our eyes, some moved on to other houses, and others simply moved on with their lives. Memories are good, but photos are more clear.
However, few took pictures or thought much about the unique moment they were living in. That's why Abby Banks' book is so important. It's somewhere between a yearbook, anthropological study, and a beautifully illustrated history book.
Everyone I have talked to, including many of those that were featured in this book that live in the houses featured, had nothing but praise for this work.
Criticism from within the elite statospheres of anarcho-punk are certain to come, mainly because of how professional this book looks and because it documents something that some may feel protective of. But I have to say that the professional feel takes little away from how beautiful these photos are. It is not overdone and feels mostly like it was made by punks, which is was. While feeling protective of our culture is understandable, I feel that the fact that Banks documented a piece of our history is worth the very slight "intrusion" into our dirty laundry (literally) to show us realistically portrayed in all of our beauty.
We're smart, well read, active, and political. All of that is captured here. From the books we're reading to the people we're seeing. And, not to mention, we look good! No use shying away from it. Punk, not only are good people (as Thurston Moore says in his introduction), but we look good. From the dirtiest crust lord to the musician with guitar, we look good.
This book is a celebration of punk culture for once done by a punk. Not by some corporate jerk trying to make a buck off of us, or some has been aged ex-punk who happened to have glory years at the right time-later to become an accountant and come back to punk when it's profitable. This done by a punk, of punks, and inside their homes. I think that means a lot.
I highly recommend Punk House to punks and those interested in our culture. Abby Banks Rules!
Stay punk.

Abbie Banks came to my house and took photos of it and put it in the book she is the real deal. She did her dishes when she stayed over and even helped cook. Oi!

Lutyens, the architect of Queen Mary's Dolls' House, also designed the city of New Delhi and the Viceroy's House, one of the largest and most unique palaces in the world. Sadly, he was one of the world's greatest artists, but is remembered only for this (comparatively) tiny tourist attraction.

Tourists, architectural students, and historians should buy this book. This is the only thorough analysis of any of Lutyens' buildings, and as such, is an important historical document above and beyond its tourist appeal.

I was so enchanted by Royal Collection Official Guide Book to Queen Mary's Dolls' House that I ordered this one figuring (correctly) that there would be other unique pictures. This is the better of the two books - nearly three times as long and filled with more pictures, especially detail shots of the tiny furnishings and decorations. I am charmed by Cripp's method of showing scale: he poses the tiny cricket bat next to a regulation cricket ball, and the little golf clubs next to a real golf ball. This also includes a section on how the house is aging: fading wallpaper, damaged paint, etc. All of the pictures, except for a few that are historic, are in color. This is unfortunately out of print, and may be more expensive, so the purchaser will have to weigh issues of cost and availability for themselves. I think that either would do as a souvenier.

If someone is really interested, I would recommend getting both books. The Royal Collection Official Guidebook is a pretty good buy at $11.95 and a nice supplement to this one. A very few of the shots are in both, but not enough to make them redundant to the person who wants all the information they can get. Generally, the duplicate shots are slightly large in the S-W book. To compare and contrast the two, while the S-W book has more of everything, the RC book still has some unique shots. The photographs in this book take in the entire room, while the RC book often shoots the room at an angle, cutting off part of the room, but what is shown is sometimes in better focus and a bit larger. To compare the shots of the Queen's bedroom, the Stewart-Wilson shot shows the entire bedroom. The Royal Collection shot, at an angle , reveals some additional details such as the fire screen and the chinoiserie cabinet, but cuts off the exteme left-hand side of the room. (Her Majesty has apparently been rearranging her decorative items since the S-W book.) The S-W detail of the 18th century pietre-dure table concentrates on showing the design on the top. The RC detail shows more of the table and the objects normally on it. The historical sections, revealing how the house came to be built are the most different, and the RC book has more pictures of people who participated in creating the doll house and of the room in which it now sits with the Phillip Connard mural. The captions are overlapping, but not identical, and so one gains more information by having both.

England's Queen Mary--grandmother of the current Queen Elizabeth II--commissioned the construction of her extraordinary dollhouse (or "dolls' house" as it is referred to here) in 1921, during her own reign. It resides at Windsor Castle, as it has since being constructed there. Designed by Edward Lutyens (famous for his graceful furniture), the house is a reproduction of Windsor Castle right down to the last nail--almost literally.

David Cripps' photography beautifully captures the interiors of this amazing dollhouse, from the grand to the plebian. Here is the linen closet, each batch of towels tied with different-colored ribbon to denote whether they were intended for the nursery, the staff, or the kitchen. Here is a lacquer cabinet with gilded stand, dovetailed working drawers, and gold-leafed decoration. Here is a bed, complete with pillows, bolsters, sheets, blankets, and even a tiny walnut-handled bedwarmer. The toilet, complete with toilet paper discreetly placed in a bowl alongside, really works. The toothbrushes are made of ivory and have bristles made from the hair of a goat's inner ear. In the cellar, bottles of Chateau Margaux are properly corked and waxed and labeled. The pantry shows real bows of Fry's Chocolates sharing space with McVitie & Price biscuits, barley sugar candies in hefty glass candy jars, and Frank Cooper's Seville Marmalade in squat jars tied with brown paper and string.

The garage houses a miniature bicycle with brakes "in perfect working order," not to mention a Rudge motorcycle and sidecar, a seven-seater Rolls Royce limousine-landaulet, a Vauxhall, a "Sunbeam open tourer," and two Daimlers. Gorgeous royal crests are hand-painted on each. The house even has its own petrol pumps and fire appliances, as was normal for large houses in that era.

The house's garden is splendid despite the absence of a single living thing. The lawn, made of cut green velvet, boasts several tiny mowers (both motor-powered and not), and the nearby garden has its own lovely benches, hoes, spades and the like. There is even a robin's nest, complete with eggs, and a tiny, tiny snail.

Perhaps the most extraordinary thing in the house is the book collection. Famous authors were asked to contribute their own works. Arthur Conan Doyle obliged by submitted "How Watson Learned the Trick," an original 500-word short story done in his own handwriting. The bookplates for each of the books were designed by beloved Winnie-the-Pooh illustrator Ernest Shepard. Rudyard Kipling submitted not only two poems, but illustrated them himself as well. Other well-known authors who gave their own works to the Queen's house included G. K. Chesterton, Joseph Conrad, Robert Graves, Aldous Huxley, Hilaire Belloc, Rose Macauley, W. Somerset Maugham, and Vita Sackville-West. Topping off the fine works of this distinguished crowd are the leather-bound autograph books--one each for famous folks from stage and screen, famous folks from the military, and famous politicans.

There is even a room for storing the scepter, crowns and other regalia--all featuring flawless gemstones!

The details are endlessly fascinating and the house and its furnishings so well-constructed that without a tennis ball or coin or some other everyday real object, you easily forget that everything your eye falls upon here is miniature. For those who cannot get to Windsor Castle themselves to view the house in person, this book offers a very fine tour.

To further correct the first reviewer, the Doll's House is certainly not a copy of Windsor Castle. It is nothing like it. Windsor Castle is a CASTLE - stones and very old, and big. The Doll's House is an "ideal home" of the early 1020's - albeit intended for royalty and not for your average Joneses.

With a couple of corrections of the first review, I'd like to make sure that it's known that Queen Mary did not commission this dollshouse. It was the original brain child of the Princess Marie Louise, who spearheaded the creation of the house. Queen Mary was "extremely surprised" but agreed. The initial shell of the house was erected in Lutyen's office, then removed to the drawing room of his house in Mansfield Street in London.

It was unveiled to the press, once completed, in the Mansfield Street house, then moved and reconstructed in the Palace of Arts at Wembley. It went from there to Windsor Castle, then to an exhibition at Olympia. In February of 1925, the house was returned to Windsor Castle. The Daily Mail donated a glass case through which we can now view the dollshouse in Windsor Castle.

This wonderful book has photographs of the letters written by Princess Marie Louise to all the firms and manufacturers involved in the dollshouse creation, as well as numerous photographs of the interior and furnishings. Pictures of tiny dollshouse ledgers, keys, and even a garden snail grace this book.

This book is packed with great photos. It is worth the price just to see what is happening with regard to design in the industry.

The downside is that, as one looking to open a start-up restaurant, the designs are way above what many new restaurants could afford to take on. The budget of any of the designs found in this book blows my start-up capital right out of the water!

A bright spot, though, is that regardless of the cost of the designs found in the book, it provides the reader with a plethora of options that can be scaled down to fit just about any budget.

Excellent book on restaurant design! It helped me with my concept and I'm opening this year. Great book to be inspired by.

We are building two large restaurants and after having worked on the outside for months we needed something to ignite our passion about the inside. This book helped us get started and has given us a base to discuss with the interior designers. The possibilities are endless, I love to just sit and look at it.

This book in particular is great for design professionals and those who enjoy looking at new and innovative ideas in the field. From the view point of a design student, it is very informative in what projects such as these entail and some even disclose project budgets - comparisons and realistic judgments can be made from this information. This is a wonderful visual tool and representation for clients of this trade that more is not always best.

I am ordering this book for the second time...to give to my client for which we are designing a restaurant. The wonderful examples and photos gave us alot to discuss in our first design meeting. It clearly helped to put the project on the right track with great ideas. We were able to read our client thoughts by the pictures they picked out as favorites. thank you christy

This book is filled with warm and inviting ideas. I liked the different styles and types of homes that were featured. There were many ideas I think can be used in any home. It's refreshing to see that a house does not have to be pretentious to be featured in a book - several were quaint cottages. I liked the author's assertion that serenity is whatever makes you feel happy and content in your own home.

What I enjoyed most about this book is the insight that it gave into the lives and homes of real people. The author insists that each person should spend time exploring what they like personally, and developing decor around it. Home is where the heart is, and this book gives each of us inspiration to follow our hearts.

I loved the book because it gave me permission to follow my own instinct. There is a great deal of versatility to what works for each person. It's apparent from the assortment of homes - from small cottages to a beautiful chateau that no matter what the size of your home, each individual should follow their own style.
Thank you for affirming my choices in decorating by knowing that I have surrounded myself with what makes ME feel serene!

I loved the way the book showed real homes of real people and what they did to make their own home special. Several of the houses are the homes of families with children, and they still look great. Practical ideas. I think this book offers something for everyone who likes a warm style.

The Serene Home was a treat to read. The pictures are lovely and all the tips and hints were especially helpful. This is one of the best decorating books that I have seen in a long time. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to accomplish a serene feeling in any room.

I'm a graphic designer, and have recently been interested in environmental design. I bought this book a few weeks ago and have already gained a ton of information just by skimming through it. The process of creating environmental design is outlined, and everything from regulations to materials is outlined. Plenty of good images as well.

Calori covers industrial design specs to graphic design to project management to rapid prototyping signs to materials to testing to final deployment. A great primer into wayfinding and signage design.

For the next update, it would be great to see more color photos. The full-color spread of third party signage examples contain a few serious design flaws. How about a critique of mediocre systems?

It is a brilliant book. A must read for all practitioners of Environmental Graphic Design.

A great up to date resource for everything having to do with environmental graphics. I see this as a valuable tool for design and architectural businesses as well as real estate developers. It is laid out like a step by step guide to take you through the entire process. The only thing that I found missing was how to come up with the great creative ideas that were featured in the color plates in the book - can we use them?

25 years ago John Follis published the last great book on environmental graphic design. This book is an update and improvement. The book starts with a clear and simple premise that underlies environmental graphics, a pyramid made of three parts (Graphics, hardware, information) The pyramid neatly divides the book into clear areas. Each section literally throws in the kitchen sink, with information on research, codes, guidelines and examples. Even more important are the picture examples. Many designers may come away disappointed if they are expecting a picture book, but the examples (A mix of B+W and color pictures) links closely to the text and lends weight to the content. This is a serious resource book for designers interested in reaching a higher level of design rigor.

Great photos and informative text about Stickley and the Arts and Crafts movement. Our house is mission-ish and this adds to the enjoyment of the design.

Knowing what a nut I am for Stickley and all things relating to the Arts and Crafts movement, my wife bought me this book for Christmas. Believe me when I say that this book is not something you are likely to skim once or twice and then put away. I read the whole thing and found it to be an excellent resource for all who love Stickley's furniture and the Craftsman lifestyle. As a woodworker I can attest that there are loads of great photographs to inspire you to build reproductions of Stickley classics. As a DIY-er I appreciate the home improvement and color scheme ideas that I was able to gather in this book.

As a librarian I have already read and reviewed many books on this subject. I can honestly say that (to-date) this book covers the Arts and Crafts lifestyle as well as any other and is second to none when it comes to understanding the rise and fall of Stickley's style. Highly recommended.

An excellent book for both the Stickley and Arts & Crafts Movement enthusiast. We recommend it.

woodworking projects. We moved in this Arts & Crafts house built in 1912 two years ago and started remodeling a bit by bit. Also my woodworking hobby has taken off along with the remodeling. The more we have done on the house, the more we like and the more we want to know about it. I have been in the stores looking at those expensive mission style furnitures and mimic the design on my own piece. I designed every piece I made for the house. Then at the point that we think we need to know more about the history of Arts & Crafts and bigger picture, we bought this book. It is surprisely good book that contains everything we were looking for. Gorgeous pictures, stunning furniture. When we were refinishing the master bedroom, we were looking at the book constantly for ideas and colors. Now the room is done, I am looking forward to making my next project - morris chair. Again, I already know what it will look like from this book. Well, this book is not only for people like me who needs reference but also very nice one for those Arts & Crafts enthusiasts.

This book is full of lush photographs of Stickley homes. I bought it because it was well-designed, as well as informative. The photo references are impressive, and overall the book pays the same attention to detail that Stickley did. For example, I was impressed that beneath the dust jacket, the cover of the book itself was a beautiful print of a Ginko Flower textile. Almost every page has full color images, and at the back there are individual photo references for furniture, lighting, and decorative items, much like a catalog. The whole thing is indexed as well. Useful as a reference book for research, or an art book to just enjoy.

The book has a lots of great ideas. There are many examples of traditional and innovative uses for tile.

I enjoy that there are several pictures that give ideas of the different directions you can go into with a tiling project. I've purchased several of the Idea Books and I haven't been disappointed yet. Each one is referenced often while I'm working on my condo redo. This is a great series for anyone who is a DIY guru or anyone working with a contractor (I've been doing both).

Hs a lot og great ideas for retiling bathroom nd other areas of the house.

This was the BEST book for Tile ideas; there are tons of photos for inspirations. There are ideas for every area of the home and yard. Highky recommend for someone looking for inspiration.

The Tile Idea Book by Andrew Wormer is my favorite book to show to my customers when they're struggling with what they want to do design-wise for their next tile job. We flip through the pages and get great ideas for kitchens, bathrooms -- just about any space where tile is the answer. This book was a very good investment. Grout Girl

This book has some wonderful examples of tile projects to inspire you to do your own. After I read the book I did my own project and it turned out well. The book is packed full of useful information to help anyone complete their own project.

I have always been an avid DIY'er and a passionate lover of tile, so I have just about every book on the subject. I've been waiting for the release this newest book TILE STYLE and let me tell you, it does not disappoint. Truly an all inclusive book, it covers in great detail everything tile including natural stone, glass, metal, mosaics, terra cotta, brick, porcelain, ceramic, cork and numerous decorative tiles. Not only will you learn the qualities of each, but how to chose, design with, install and care for them as well. The book is filled with beautiful photos of tiled rooms (even the installation sections are full color). And when it comes to the installation sections, this has to be one of the most detailed, yet simply presented of my entire collection. Plus, the projects incorporate the newest setting methods and materials in conjunction with the most current trends in kitchens, baths and flooring such as a granite tile countertop, a glass and metal backsplash and setting a travertine tile floor! Beautiful, extremely informative and cutting edge - a must have tile book!

Tile Style: Creating Beautiful Kitchens, Baths, and Interiors with Tile I am a professional interior designer and Tile Style is my new favorite tile book, and I buy alot of books. It offers not only great pictures for ideas etc., but is a great "how to" for anyone just starting out.

This book is chock full of gorgeous tile applications in a variety of styles. I especially love the mosaics. Pure eye candy!

This is a great book about tile. It has creative, inexpensive ways to upgrade your tile look and to help enhance your end result. There are beautiful pictures of tile work someone would actually install into their own home. Highly recommend this book for the person who is looking for creative ideas.

The softcover I own fell apart the first time I opened it.

This is the only book I've seen that realistically portrays typical Japanese apartments. I didn't live in the city, I was an inaka boy, but a small 6-tatami mat apartment is the same whether it be in the city or country! This book really brought back memories.... I got my copy of this book in Japan, and it was about 12,000 yen. I have no idea if this edition is the same size, etc., as mine but it has lots of great glossy pictures and some humorous commentary from the author as well. If you've got the cash to burn, I highly recommend it!

As a San Franciscan currently residing in Tokyo, I too am faced with cramp living conditions, liked that clearly depicted in "Tokyo Style". The book truely shows how domestic lifestyle is in this big city (I only wish they put my apartment in the book...hah, hah). A RECOMMENDED buy for those who want to take a glimpse of real Tokyo living.

(To those pondering over the $150 price tag, don't worry, it's about the same price here)

I'm a New Yorker, but I live in Tokyo now, and I'm very taken with the way that my native friends live: their apartments are creatively crowded, cozy and hip, with lots of monomania that communicates volumes about their personalities. "Tokyo Style" is the first such book I've seen, and I thoroughly enjoyed the photos, and especially the witty comments by the author. I only wish it wasn't so expensive: I had to borrow mine!

This book revolts against the typical "Style" books which monotonously focus on the "showcase clean," hyper-neat and otherworldy designs of the well-to-do. Tokyo Style reveals the idiosyncratic, cramped and tiny--but strangely attractive--nature of modern Japanese domestic life. Because of this real-world focus, the author has produced a work much more flavorful and enlightening than many of its sterile shelfmates.