Interior Design Books

Carolina da Silva can transform anything, from a suitcase to a house, into a personal shrine. Chockfull of holistic concoctions, multicultural traditions, and the magical essences of colors and scents, her book, "Sacred Spaces: Transform any Space into a place for Rejuvenation, Relaxation and Transformation" has to be the Feng Shui of New Age.

I just finished reading SACRED SPACES and found it an intriguing and exceptionally informative book on how to transform any space--including a wallet--into a personal place for meditation, comfort, and joy. I enjoyed reading how cultures all over the world transform their own spaces for protection, enjoyment, relaxation, cultural identity, and a number of other purposes. I especially liked the sections on African American yard shows and "flash and light." What a fun book!

I am a man and can never go into a paint or hardware store and pick out a color that I like. After reading Sally's book, I gained a whole new perspective on choosing the colors that I love. Her new and unique way of looking at color, illustrated by extraordinary pictures -some everyday and some of views I hope to see one day - gave me a new way finding the colors that are compatible to my lifestyle, likes and dislikes. Her outdoor scenes and colors truly speak to me.

I love this new book of Sally Fretwell's. Unlike most designers and color theorists who try to show you how to use color to its best advantage in interior spaces, Sally does the opposite. She offers her readers a way to relate to color on their own terms to find what they respond to the most.

This is an extraordinary difference and one which helps retrain the eye and allow the heart to sing out: "Oh, I love that color!"

Her book works because of the top-notch photography and tight focus on color in a variety of settings - not just interior rooms. The photographs are stunning, vivid, rich.

As I turned the pages, the colors literally sang out. A must read for anyone looking to decorate, try something new, or encourage a friend.

This beautiful book is written by an architect. This is important when looking for more than just nice SPA photos. Not only she (the writer) very carefully chooses modern SPA environments, she also presents them in a whole-space manner, attaching simple but effective professional drawings.
Besides, she verbally offers a brief, deeper look in the transition of city-SPAs: from indifferent beauty and relax centers to the focus of modern Architecture.
This professional background does not however deprive the book of a rather introductory character, combining modern Architecture with simple description.
As a member of a now in-design city-SPA in South-East Europe, I and the designing architect found in the book precious modern inspirations.
The writer (she lives in New York) provided a modern work going enough beyond the surface, and counting among the few really helpful on the subject.

I'm in the process of building a second location (salonspa) and this book had the most amazing pictures and the visual of the blueprints gave me such a different perspective of things that I had not even thought about. I love this book it was well worth the price.

San Francisco Houses features four project by Levy Art & Architecture: www.10d.com.
Full disclosure, I work for this company. Having said that, I am a perfectionist and highly critical and I think this book is wonderful. We are featured on pages 44-75 of this book. Since I was a child I have always enjoyed looking at photographs of homes and of this wonderful city. Now, as an adult and a homeowner and the Office Manager for Levy Art & Architecture, I feel privileged to work with such talented co-workers and wonderful people. I think this book represents the diversity of our projects and our range of talent. Please get a copy for your house!

Libraries specializing in architecture and interior design will want to include San Francisco Houses in their collection: there are over four hundred pages packed with color photos and discussions of the latest architectural trends of the city. Floor plans, histories, and influences are included in discussions presented in English, French, German and Spanish. The range of styles is impressive and will intrigue any student of contemporary architecture.

Coffee table book showing all the nicest spots in the Bay Area. The spread on the family compound in Sonoma is worth the price alone!

What a great book packed with pictures. The design is very modern and unconventional (read expensive). This is a very fun book to review. If you can't afford the architecture costs there are many ideas you can incorporate into a more typical home design.

This book has beautiful and stylish photos that really capture the essence of San Francisco. It is a great gift for anyone who lives in San Francisco or has visited the area. It's a good coffee table book.

Often I'll enjoy a design book the first time I read through it, but I won't find myself interested in a second perusal. This book , however, is one I find myself drawn to time after time. Not only are the rooms beautifully photographed and fascinating to look at, but the glimpse at lives of the people who live in them is compelling. There are also enough different and unique styles covered by the book that each one doesn't begin to blur with the previous one as sometimes happens in design books that restrict themselves to a particular style. Highly recommended.

I believe that the photographs capture the essence of Savannah. Susan Sully has provided us with a sketchbook of Savannah's mystery and charm. The over the top decorating schemes are perfectly matched to the quirky and brooding characters who inhabit these fabulous southern mansions. Every photograph evoked a glimpse of a place we would all secretly love to share.

Is it possible to be in love with a book? When I ordered Savannah Style, I could hardly wait for its arrival. I wasn't disappointed - in fact, it is even better than I anticipated, having read other reviews prior to purchase. The photographs are gorgeous and reflective, and entice one to have a certain mood when reading this wonderful book. And read it I did, because it is not only beautiful, but intelligent as well. Although Sully is intent on the mystery element of Savannah, it is still a beautiful book to own and love. The question is, 'When can I immigrate?'

I love this book and got quite a few wonderful ideas from it for my new home.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone "sewing machine challenged." Who knew that you could make everything from ottomans to drapes to rugs...all without a stitch! I'm looking forward to tackling several projects in this book!

I love Scandinavian architecture, both traditional and modern. This book has well done photographs of some of the most simply eloquent modern Scandinavian homes. It makes you want to live in one of these most appealing dwellings. Every so often I look through the book once more and enjoy the beautifully photographed exteriors and interiors of the homes all over again.

The first time I went to Scandinavia, I arrived in Helsinki late in the evening. I went to my hotel, and in the first few minutes I understood what was so special about Scandinavian design. The otherwise ordinary hotel room stood out as one of the best I have ever seen. It was not a tremendously expensive hotel, rather middle of the road. But simple things: the door, the faucets in the bathroom, the furniture, all were so much more elegant looking than what we find in the United States.

Now I'm in the process of designing a house. I went looking for a book on interior design that would reflect what I had seen there. I found several, but this one shows more elements of design that reflect what I like. Simple things, like an office table. Easy enough to find, once I knew what I was looking for. A bed: simple, elegant, and better looking than anything I've seen in other publications.

If you're looking for something for yourself or if you're doing a Scandinavian home for a customer I highly recommend this book.

Shipped from the UK and arrived in record time! Book was new as promised. Very pleased.

From the writing to the splendid photographs to the book production itself, this is a superlative volume without peer. Sadly, it is OOP but, if the subject matter is relevant to your interests or to your métier, this title mandates acquisition at any cost.