Interior Design Books

An amazing, massive (1056 pages), selection of outstanding contemporary house projects. Rarely have I seen a book of such consistent quality, presenting such a vast range of images for almost every single project. Most projects have rarely been seen in other architectural books, but even the projects that have been published before are presented here with a larger selection of images. The projects chosen are all of very high quality, and whenever the design deserved a deeper exploration, more images were provided. The text is almost non-existent, but the images speak for themselves. Too bad there is no indication of the country in which the houses were built: in some cases it's obvious, in others it's not very clear. This book deserves a central spot in contemporary architecture reference. Hard to beat.

"Earth was used to create farmhouses in France, cottages in England, castles in Germany, and missions in California and Arizona. Eighteenth- and nineteenth-century adobe buildings still stand today in New York, Boston, Virginia, and South Carolina." ~ pg. 35

The cover picture is a picture of Mision de Sol, a resort and spa with vibrant colors, dramatic waterfalls and beautiful adobe walls. Throughout the pages we are introduced to textures, interiors, surroundings, traditional adobes, modern adobes, adobe escapes and building materials needed to create a rugged home with romantic appeal.

The decorative iron sconces with glowing candles are inspiring and the use of reflective pools and lush plantings adds artistic appeal. I loved the bookshelves in a room with a chandelier, table with a vase of lilies and rough terra tiled floor covered with a beautifully textured red carpet.

~The Rebecca Review

This book is filled by spectacular photographs of exceptional houses in Colmbia. It demonstrates the incredible range of architecture suited to the variety of terrains of this beautiful country.

It is a "must" on the coffee tables for anybody who has lived in Colombia. Any architects or people interested in tropical architecture can find inspiration here.

"The distinctive landscape of the Yucatan Peninsula possesses a unique natural beauty where limestone plateau, tropical jungles and subterranean rivers and caves are the setting of two magnificent cultures."

If you are looking for a book to inspire you in the middle of winter, then this book will provide a summery escape to sun drenched lands where blue cushions line an outdoor seating area overlooking the ocean and burnt sienna paint splashes across inner walls. The gardens in this book are inspiring, with stone fountains, hammocks and dense foliage.

The tubs made from hand-carved stone are spectacular, like bathing rooms from a dream. Fascinating stone fountains mist a room and are situated in a large tile in the middle of the floor surrounded by modern statues.

Opening this book is like entering a magical land where you can visit art-filled escapes, old haciendas and colonial home gardens. The chapters include:

Design Textures
Architectural Elements
Water Spaces
Open-Air Living
Casas Yucatan
Haciendas
Costal Homes
The New Maya House

"Water Spaces" is a favorite chapter with gorgeous pools and ponds that extend for the entire length of many buildings. The Porches shimmer with glossy tile and are highlighted with sapphire blue accents in paint on rows of pillars facing gorgeous crimson edged windows with lemony painted walls. In the bedrooms, beds hang from the ceiling or are covered in netting.

One of the most exotic outdoor rooms is a Moorish design with arches, seating and a burnt sienna tiled floor. These are places you could live and be quite happy never to leave. I want to jump into the pictures of this book and run around barefoot in a summer dress.

~The Rebecca Review

This book contains one of the most interesting essays written recently about global politics. The reader will find explanations and answers that will satisfy the most demanding. Even, for those who may disagree, this piece of work will provoke a discussion that will be enriching and lead to new conclusions. I consider, after Fukuyama's and Huntington's work,that we are in presence of an essencial reference and tool for the Diplomat and the Politician.

This book is great quick resource of design and architecture in a time-line fashion. I highly recommend you add this to your library.

Tibor Kalman might just be qualified to have his face on Apple's new "Think Different" campaign. Without a doubt he does the unexpected...at the risk of little or no practicality. When I recieved this book in the mail some of my co-workers thought a stock photography picture book was just "Dumb!" And maybe they're right. But I think the novelty of this book rests behind the humorous selection of photography to convey a simple message. This book isn't reading enjoyment...it's visual enjoyment. You'll find your mind filling in the blanks to "get" the joke. It's a great book to see...not read.

A sweet little chair book I bought from the Tate Modern and really enjoyed it. Most of the chairs from known architects... A book for your office table.

This XLIX Book epic is certainly one of the greatest and most fascinating insights into the world of ancient Rome that you can ever read. I am currently studying for 7 Grade 6 NVQs and I found this guide to the Ancient Greek pornography industry on and near Mount Olympus incredibly helpful and informative, not to mention revealing. Dionysus time and again reveals his divine intent to create a European standard for brothel quality and so spends much time assessing outlets personally; the Mnemosyne Biblitheca Classica Batava has been found to be the best such establishment in Greece - I agree wholeheartedly! Bob's welcoming style makes this the most easily accesible companion to the novice. The road directions were spot on. For further information try supplementa 1-209 but especially 211. Just look what quality the Cambridge academic system produced! And to quote Bob's favourite line of verse:

Would that I were in Grantchester in Grantchester.

Thankyou for a most enjoyable seven months of reading. If you enjoyed Bob's other books almost as much as I did or just happen to want some extra NVQ credit, this book is for you.

Although Dr. Kleeman passed away in 1997, his legacy is the "Challenge of Interior Design." This book continues to have relevance to Architects, interior designers, and space planners. The case studies contained within its pages are a fascinating look at the path we have taken to come to the valuing of participatory design and ergonomics.

As a pioneer interior ergonomist, Dr. Kleeman provides insight and a sense of history to his readers and this book is a perfect introduction to his companion book, "Interior Design of the Electronic Office." "The Challenge of Interior Design" is must reading for any serious interior designer or Architect.