Interior Design Books

This book, translated from the French, is beautifully beguiling in its phrasing. Relates the history and techniques of the production and embroidery of exquisite linens. Photographs are handsome and even the dust cover is worth framing. Makes a great reference book as well as entertaining reading. One of my all time favorites

This seductive book is more than an excellent history of fine linen. It is a sensuous and seductively, elegant book! The author, Francoise de Bonneville give the reader more than a lesson on the history of textiles. She presents us with some of the most extrodinary examples of bed linens, tablecloths and napkins. Apart from the excellent section on the social history and care of fine linen, she presents detailed information about the various types of linens used, fibers, color, and weaves. The must sumptous commissions were the set of bedsheets created for American Heiress Barbara Hutton. These pink sheets were made out of silk and trimmed with point de Paris lace, fouteeen inches wide, Which was made by d'Porthault & Co. Examples of the two major Italian linen firms, Frette and Pratesi are also well represented. I agree with my fellow reviewer. This is an excellent gift for a bride; but don't be surprised to learn that men would be just as likely to buy this book as women. It is worth every Dollar!

This book, written with a forward by the Porthaults (who better to comment on fine linens?), is wonderful and I highly recommend it, price notwithstanding. This book is translated from the French and inlcudes: a history of linens, from chintz to damask; a glossary of embroidery stitches and styles with notations of illustrations throughout the book; and photographs of the finest linens in the world (including many made by the Porthaults). This book is very large and would make such a lovely gift for anyone who collects linens or who does fine embroidery.

Linen was once an elegant showing of a family's wealth. This book is filled with the history of linen. It is throughly documented with detailed indices. Translated from French, the details provided and pictures are glorious. Turning the pages is a true historical lesson in how linen was created, embellished, and used during times past. The use of lace and embroidery is stunning. I marvel at the complexity of the designs and when I sit with my needle and thread under a magnifying glass and high powered lamp I am in awe of the early needleworkers toiling away without the assistance of these tools. The book soothes me and transports me to another time. This is one of my favorite books in my personal library.

In her Bungalow books Jane Powell has come close to inventing a new genre: the architectural book that is actually fun to read. The latest (Bungalow Details:Interior)is no exception. The illustrations by Linda Svendsen are stellar, as always, but sometimes I think they distract from the best part: Ms. Powell's writing. Jane Powell manages to combine extraordinary erudition with a real sense of fun, two things that virtually never go together. Her knowledge is encyclopedic, her humor unending, her love of puns totally scandalous. She is also wise, with a real sense of what should and should not be done with old houses and the resources they represent. The writings in her Bungalow (and Linoleum) books deserve to be excerpted and presented in a smaller, less expensive edition: the Sayings of Chairman Jane, if you will, devoid of distracting pictures. I highly recommend this and all of her books.

I loved the author's sense of humor... very candid about what IS acceptable for a truely historically accurate home... although my 1914 home was remodeled by not-so-accurate "carpenters." I loved the pictures (so many rooms that look like mine!). Great for ideas, but remember this is not a DIY book. Just a pretty picture book.

The reader might well develop a relationship with this book. Jane Powell takes you on an in-depth tour of the American bungalow. As she talks, her writing is conversational, the details are often interrupted with a pun, other humor, or an outburst revealing her biases. Readers who are looking for an academic study should go elsewhere. This is an enjoyable light-hearted "Open House" without a salesperson but rather a builder-decorator-owner. Powell knows this subject from being there and having done that. Behind her puns you find a seriousness based on an emotional bonding with bungalows. If the reader is thinking about rehabbing a bungalow this book is a necessity. If the reader has rehabbed a house meet a friend.

If you are interested in restoration this is a WONDERFUL book! Both of my daughters have purchased homes built around 1920-1927. They are using this book as their bible!

If you want to know more about architecture in the Caribbean, you have to read this book!

Through his work at la Marina, Casa de Campo, Gian Franco Fini captures the essence of refined architecture with a perfect air of Caribbean elegance.

This is a book about one of those magical places that once you get there you don't want to leave. It's in the path of boats coming from Miami to the West Indies and is the place to see in the Caribbean before you die. Casa de Campo is the Caribbean most complete resort by far where any possible hobby in the world could practiced at world renowned conditions -besides skiing, except if you change it for water-sky-. The book about the Casa de Campo's Marina is definitely a 5 start in class, quality and content. This is the real thing in Caribbean Elegance and Luxury where you'll be able to find some of the most exclusive houses in the region.

This is the only book available about Marinas from an architectural standpoint. Blueprints, sketches and more than 300 full-color pictures are a never ending source for one of the most luxurious approach to Caribbean Architecture. It's about the renowned Marina at Casa de Campo, La Romana, Dominican Republic and is a must for anyone willing see from the inside out as many options as possible to recreate a tropical paradise despite if it's and apartment or a houses under 2,000 sqf or a masterpiece above 20,000 sqf.
In contrast with W.R. Blain's book for "Marina Developments" -That is an excellent and maybe the only book about Marinas from a structural standpoint- this one is an architectural approach to Marinas and all the elements around it such as Yacht Club, Apartments, Houses, Restaurants and all related services. It's full of details and references in a text that is catchy and easy to read. My only concern was that I thought it was pricy in the first place despite that it was printed and bounded in Italy, but Blain's book is above the $250 and this one is more related to interior design and architecture so it's worth 5 out 5 starts.

This is another marvelous book on Mexican & Spanish Architecture, furnishings, & landscaping. The colors & textures used are exceptional. The lush landscaping is something we are trying to recreate in our our home.

This book & their others have inspired us to do some very creative things with our desert property.

We wish we had known about and read Casa Yucatán, before we had our wonderful three-week vacation in the Yucatán, in August/September, 2002. If you're planning to go to the Yucatán, be sure to take Casa Yucatán with you. We discovered (and stayed at)three of the marvellous hacienda hotels: the Temozón, Santa Rosa and San José. Each one has unique architecture, adapted from its original use with panache and refined good taste. When we saw them in the book, it was like re-visiting them. Our appetite was whetted to try to see more of the beautifully-photographed and knowledgeably-described homes on our next visit. At the back of the book, there's a 4-page Travel Guide, filled with useful information. Mexican design is beautiful and probably no non-Mexicans know more about it than Karen and Joe, having dedicated decades to studying it seriously and having visited and photographed many outstanding examples for inclusion in their books. One place we'll be sure not to miss is Hacienda Petac, the restoration of which was just completed in December 2002. Karen and Joe are partners in that enterprise, the design center of which offers a showcase for Mexican antiques, architectural elements and decorative accents. Hacienda Petac also offers accomodations to guests. We would hope that some of the architects whose projects are featured in Casa Yucatán and whose names addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses are shown, might be willing to arrange with the owners for interested readers to visit their beautiful homes.

I love architecture and interior design and am currently in the process of designing a home thirty miles south of Cancun. In working with an architect from France and the relevant language issues (French, Spanish and English) I needed a starting point to state my ideas of what I wanted to design. I have many other books such as Casa California but needed something with specific architecture in the Yucatan Peninsula.

After our original drawings I bought this book. My architect laughed at our next visit as he had the same book with much more wear on it. His other clients had been using it to describe thoughts and just referring to page numbers. In my case our ideas were established prior to discovering this book. But the book allowed me to visualize many of the ideas incorporated by our architect. The pictures are beautiful and the author does a great job providing a historical perspective on the styles. My architect said it is worth planning a trip to view many of the homes in the book and I hope to do so in the future. My compliments to the author for successfully capturing the culture of this unique area of Mexico.

In the next year I hope to buy authentic Mexican furniture. I have heard in Guadalajara there are places to buy this furniture prior to massive mark-ups through distribution. Please email me if you know of any ideas on where I should consider shopping and also if there are internet sites to view, [...].

Casa Yucatan is yet another example of the brilliance of this creative duo who inspire and educate. Makes one want to leave manaña por la manaña for the beautiful Yucatan Peninsula. I have all five books they have written and am anxiously awaiting the relase of their sixth entitled "Mexican Details".

This book was exactly as described and more. It what I was exactly what I was looking for, a treat for the soul. Now if you will excuse me, I'm going back on the couch and to browse through the Catskills Country Style book again!

This book through the use of superb photograhy and simple but informative captions conveys the love the owners have for these homes in the country. From the ornate victorian to the simple country style cottage of a beekeeper this book is a pleasure to own and display.

I expected a book showing houses with country style decorating. Instead, it is a pleasing selection of old and modern homes in the Catskills country. It includes historic sites like John Burroughs' cabin and Wilderstein (Suckley family home). Besides these museum homes, you see an Arts & Crafts style bungalow from 1901, an artist's home with "funky ambience," and an 1800s church converted to a home. It also shows a 1920s farm cottage, a garden writers vacation cabin, and a former dairy farm.
Ron Smith's modern home and Olana, a fantastical Moorish-style mansion, followed by a baroquely decorated bungalow give the book an eclectic assortment.
The full-page color photos and interesting captions make this an enjoyable read for anyone interested in homes and decorating.

Steve Gross and Sue Daley have been dazzling the oft-oversaturated "coffee table" book market since their unusual and eclectic book OLD HOUSES was published more than a decade ago.

Unlike many photographic books of this genre--or photographers for that matter--Gross + Daley look for the unusual, the misplaced, the forgotten, even the sublime. Their photographic style, while crisp, is voyeuristic without being intrusive. Rarely styling their photographs, they allow the interiors or exteriors to speak in their own evocative voices.

As with their previous books, CATSKILLS COUNTRY STYLE is infused with a variety of architectural styles and unusual homes, even little-known museums and undeliberate vintage set-pieces. And, as in their other books, the houses they select are styled by their talented, often capricious, owners or the benign patterning of neglect and wear and age. This photographic team always embrace the off-beat or the discarded, forgotten time-encapsulated gems which fall away from "back road" America.

If you do not live in the Catskills or have no intention of going there, it doesn't matter. If you like unusual houses and their interiors or have always desired a place in the country, this book will delight, inspire and captivate.

With an apt, well-written introduction by Francine Prose and excellent captions--instead of text-heavy chapters--which keep the focus on the photography.

A visual feast! Check out OLD HOUSES, too, as well as Gross + Daley's other recently published book, SANTA FE COUNTRY STYLE, and AT HOME WITH PAST. All books have a similar aesthetic and approach and you will not be disappointed.

Finally an interior design book that gives information you can use and not just pretty pictures. I have now boxed up all of my other interior design books to give away because everything I need to know is in this one book. The book gives you rules you can use. For example, the actual measurements you should allow for free space around a bed, sofa and dining table. She gives the distance you should have between conversation areas, side tables and lamp heights required for specific areas. Each step in the book is well written and provides answers to all you will need to know to make your home beautiful.

Cecil is very creative. Many of her designs & ideas can be recreated by beginners. The photos of her creations are warm and inviting.

If you really want to understand the "why" behind interior design, this is the book for you. The book is written in an easy, informative style and Cecil goes out of her way to make it understandable for the average person. Even after working for her for several years, I learned sooo much from this book that its incredible. Cecil's teachning background is readily apparent and she shares the secret of her personal design process wholeheartedly!

Anyone who wants to create their own one-of-a-kind interior design, is contemplating a career in interior design, or who is generally interested in interior design will find this book inspirational. Humorous anecdoes, professional wisdom, and the life lessons of a celebrated interior designer, all rolled into a teaching text on interior design. Highly, highly recommended!

This beautifully illustrated book of interior designs shows the work of Cecil Hayes. She has a style all her own which may or may not be to your liking. However, in creating these designs she has come up with a list of nine steps in the decorating process:

Get to Know Your Space
Create Your Personal Look Book
Create a Furniture Plan
Decorate One Layer at a Time
Mix Styles and Periods
Choose Your Colors
Use a Variety of Fabric Patterns and Textures
Decorate with Art and Accessories
Evaluate Your Finished Design.

The rooms pictured here are heavily decorated, Ms. Hayes is clearly not of the minimalist school of decorating. This is, of course a matter of personal choice and is part of her nine steps - Create Your Personal Look Book.

This book is one that's filled with ideas. Even if they don't appeal to you, you'll be able to see concepts in decorating that you haven't seen before. and the steps she describes make very good sense.

As far I can say, this is one of the most charming and beautiful houses in the world. Is not that this is house is grant, or magnificent; Charleston is so special, because it's got character and lots of personality. I love this book.

i stumbled across this book on a beautiful indian summer sunday afternoon....it is a treasure for those unable to physically saunter through the rooms and out to the walled garden that is charleston. all photos in colour, all rooms as they were when vanessa bell, duncan grant, family and friends lived and worked there. inspirational.

I agree with the previous reader, this is it ... the definitive book on Charleston Farmhouse. Although I think this book is more than a glimpse of the house and garden for those unable to visit, it is a surperb reference for those of us that have visited and wish to recall the house, etc. The photography is stunning, the text is informative. A worthwhile addition to any Bloomsbury book collection.

For this genre of books, 5 stars. A nice gift for a Bloomsbury fan, but it is only "nice-to-have," not required for one's library.

China has seen many social, political and economic changes over the centuries, yet surprisingly, has managed to preserve excellent examples of changing architectural home styles throughout these years, as Chinese Houses: The Architectural Heritage Of A Nation presents. Packed with color photos of both interior and exterior décor, Chinese Houses also presents an in-depth survey of the rituals, culture, ornamentation influences, and floor plans of homes across China, from urban to rural dwellings. If it's a strong in-depth history of Chinese home architecture which is desired, look no further than the gorgeous Chinese Houses: it's much more than the coffee table picturebook it appears a first glance.

I can't imagine there being a better book out there on Chinese houses as this book has history and expert photographs. What's more it also has well-drawn sections and plans. Most books on this subject will use old diagrams or ancient drawings that are a hassle to decipher. Here the diagrams are purpose-drawn, clean, and add a great deal to the understanding. About a third is dedicated to a general history of the form, construction methods, social life, and geographical variety; and about two-thirds to about 8 pages each on specific houses. Just enough info on each.

The one gripe I would have is that, in the part of the book where he gives a general introduction of the elements and history of Chinese houses, he uses photos from the twenty or so houses that he discusses individually. It would have given a bit more breadth (and reduced a bit of redundancy later on) if he had used that opportunity for photos of houses that were not given an individual focus.

The amount of detail and research that's in this book is astounding. This is not another coffee table picture book. Its filled with beautiful pictures, and an equal amount of readable, scholarly writing about a culture thats slowly getting lost to the west.

Get it!

This book exceeded my expectations. It has informative text and abundant photographs including many vintage images. For anyone interested in Chinese architecture, this is the book for you.

Creative projects for homemade Christmas decorations make this book a great gift.. If you can part with it!

This book has lovely ideas for decoarting using natural materials. I found many of the ideas could be done very inexpensively.

I bought this book for my neighbor and when it came I wanted to keep it! She had recently visited Williamsburg and came back with stories of how she loved the Christmas decorating and wanted to emulate things for her own home.
I've never been to Williamsburg myself, but this book was beautiful! The pictures were professional (I've seen books where they were not) and there were instructions on how to make the decor yourself. Well worth it! I will probaly get one for myself for next season!

Since I love boxwood growing in the yard and using the beautiful greens at Christmas, I found this book to be one of the most informative books I own about Christmas greens. The instructions on how to create many decorations for the inside and outside the home are very clear. The pictures are gorgeous. I have learned to make garlands, wreaths, centerpieces, swags, boxwood trees, and other lovely items. The book features many different types of greens to use for creating holiday decorations. I have taught many others how to make holiday decorations that are featured in this book.

Christopher Lowell is great. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, just one of these ideas is worth the book!

All of Christopher Lowell's books are five-star material, in my opinion. His humor adds to the text and colorful display of photographs His creations are so simple to follow. He is one of a kind. I miss his TV-Discovery program.

As usual Christopher's book was great!No matter who you are You can do it! with these great ideas and projects and make your home look like you had a professional come in!

Christopher is back with a powerful inspiration, new look, and great ideas. The book is not only a tutorial for a new home make over ideas, yet it introduces an inspiration for people who want to glance their homes with their personal touches. Whether you are movng to a new house or re-decorating your existing one, this book has a lot more to give. I recommend it to every home owner.