Interior Design Books

I scaned this book in a bookstore, and will be purchasing it not for its architectural content--I know little about that field, per se--but because it is filled with beautiful photographs--both exterior and interior--of fine, interesting hotels. Unlike some books with photos of hotels that I looked at, this one was spacious, well laid out, and pleasant to look at. I will be sending it as a gift to someone who is studying hotel management overseas, and does not read English well--as I said, I'm buying it for the photos.

this is one of my +favorite+ design books, for many reasons.

first, if you're partial to classic, traditional design that's +also+ modern and fresh, without any fustiness, the rooms in this book will appeal to you mightily. there's a decided "rich" feel to them.

regardless, there are many emulateable aspects of these rooms, that, while they might not be spelled out explicitly, are visible enough to be a good guide so that one can replicate the look of these rooms even if one doesn't reside in an english manor home or have 22-foot ceilings.

the lavish and enthusiastic use of textiles, the adventurous use of color (all schemes, dark, light, saturated, blended, traditional, "modern"), the mixing of old pieces with new, displaying art, etc. -- this book is a great visual signpost.

the text is excellent as well, but for folks who are beginner designers or who aren't good (yet) at seeing a fantastic pic and duplicating it, this might just be a fantasy setting volume.

for those who are used to seeing a lot of pics of decorated rooms, and can easily pluck ideas from them, this book is a trove of great ideas terrifically presented.

an extra bonus is one of the first (if not the first, i cannot remember) chapters -- devoted entirely to canopy beds. i have one, and i've found no other book that has given me as many ideas as to how to drape/furnish it.

don't overlook the back of the book!!

this section is called "decoration in detail" (or something similar). in it are sets of smaller pictures that are grouped according to a theme -- mantlepieces, windows, collections, etc. that take issues that are common to just about any interior and offer an at-a-glance view of various approaches that address a variety of styles.

one of my favorite volumes -- for its usefulness, its artistry, its practicality and its fantasy.

thank you, leonie (the editor). :)

Dominique Browning, editor of HOUSE & GARDEN magazine, has a triumph on her hands with "House & Garden Book of Style." HOUSE & GARDEN has long been the sophisticated cousin to the more accessible HOUSE BEAUTIFUL, and that chicness is in evidence here. The HOUSE & GARDEN cool austerity--sometimes sacrificing warmth for hard-edged style, but many times not--is amply displayed throughout.

The book covers a panoply of styles, from "Country Luxe" to "New International" to "Mid-Century Modern" and beyond. The shabby warmth of English-inspired rooms is covered, as is the prissier French look--but as HOUSE & GARDEN so often does, there is almost always a visual wrench thrown into the works to get your attention and make you rethink your assumptions about a particular genre. Perfectly making the point is the photograph on p. 25, which shows an 18th-century settee decorously covered in a taupe damask, above which hangs what appears to be a piece of Spirograph art made with screamingly bright primary oil paints. The effect is jarring--but it works.

The thinking which goes into the decoration of these rooms is explored just as deeply as the looks themselves. Although photographs take up most of the room--as they should, since this is a case when a picture telling a thousand words is not only desirable, but necessary for instructing the reader--the text is informative and enlightening. The end result is that these profoundly individual rooms make their own cases, and what beautiful cases they make.

What a wonderful, witty, informative and engaging book. There is something for everyone within the covers of this book. It takes you from the very earliest stages of decorating your home to the completed look without the expense of a decorator, all done with a wonderful sense of humor describing the perils we have all experienced. If you have ever had to deal with contractors, painters, no-shows, budgets and calamaties here is the help we all need to prevent those costly mistakes. I loved the feeling of familiarity with the experiences of the author and had many a laugh along the way. I can think of no better way to chart a course to a warm, personal touch in my home than to use this book as my decorating bible.

I adore this book. The presentation/organization are great, nice pictures, good color design ideas. I read a lot of home design books--checking them out from my local library--and this is the first one I've been tempted to buy in almost 10 years. I had so many post-it notes flagging pages that I finally decided to order a copy. I recommend it highly.

This book provides a look into wide variety of interior design projects, one each for a notable list of talented decorators. John Saladino shows a rustic but classical home in a 1920's California hacienda, William Hodgins is represented by his own Boston apartment inspired by Swedish classicism, Bunny Williams presents an updated look for a Federal style home for a client in Connecticut, Albert Hadley reveals his personal preferences in great style for his own Manhattan apartment, Bill Blass's home in rural Connecticut shows how classical formality can be translated into a casual style, and Mark Hampton shows his lesser-known casual side in the decoration of a Victorian house in Illinois for his sister. Others including Mariette Himes Gomez, Jacques Grange, and Frederic Mechiche are particularly interesting as well. A nice compendium of interior design by professionals.

The Fabric Style Book collects solid advice and insider tips from the experts at House Beautiful's "Swatch Watch" column. Full-color illustrations throughout reveal how to accessorize with fabric to add color, cushion and vibrancy to one's home, from slipcovers to curtains to accents upon one's sofa and more. From how to apply the right fabric to the right furniture, to selecting the color and tone that suits one's personality and living space best, to blending fabric into an overall room motif, The Fabric Style Book offers a wealth of inspirational examples in addition to useful and practical guidelines.

As an Interior Decorator who is really just starting out in this career field, I found window treatments to be my biggest challenge. There is nothing difficult about choosing great drapes, but I know from experience that window treatments can be true problem-solvers too, and I wanted to master the ability to match a great look with a great solution. This book offers ideas for filtering light to reduce a harsh afternoon glare, as well as how to combine modern window dressings with more traditional furniture settings. There are plenty of pictures, and I especially like the sections on various types of hardware and problem windows. There are plenty of books and magazines that inspire with beautiful photos but as a decorator, I do have my own inspirations for the look I want to achieve. What I needed was a practical guide that taught me all the basic options so I can now turn my ideas into practical window solutions that are also beautiful. This book is it!

I own most of the House Beautiful books and I just love them!! This one has so many great ideas for people just moving into a new home and ready to design their own space, or for those just wanting to add to their already stylish surroundings. I have clips marking pages throughout all my books and the clips come off and change pages as time passes. It's amazing that I keep finding new ideas, every time I look at this book! I highly recommend these books to a novice, an expert, or anyone in between for decorating inspiration. Have fun!!

Though the theaters around the world continue to produce the plays of Oscar Wilde and even the Opera houses consider Strauss' adaptation of Wilde's "Salome" as a staple in the repertoire, and while biographies and films about this unique artist increase in number with every year, this book approaches yet another aspect of Wilde's genius. Charlotte Gere has researched the Aesthetic Movement in England at the turn of the century and attributes the style and popularity of the 'new look' in home decor to Wilde and his entourage. From paintings to furniture to wallpaper to fabric to book design - all the art nouveau trends were at times created by Wilde and at other times merely popularized by him on his numerous tours. The book is resplendent in illustrations of paintings, homes, photographs, and a lot of just fine biographical data about Oscar Wilde. A thoroughly informative and entertaining slant on The Importance of Being Oscar!