Customer Reviews

Art Deco (Architecture & Design Library)

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I would not suggest this book for informational content. I would definately suggest it if you are looking for some great examples of Art Deco and how you can use Deco pieces in an interior. This book has fabulous illustrations.

Perhaps the best thing about this book (outside of its many beautiful photos) is Kim's clear enthusiasm for Art Deco in all its forms. I thoroughly enjoyed her introduction, which, while admitting Art Deco's lack of "purity" in style, also explores its incredibly long influence (almost five decades), the disparate styles from which it takes its inspiration, and the vastly different ways in which the style manifests itself in both architecture and interiors.

This said, however, I *do* think that the book might have better benefitted from a different title. Although the book is clearly about Art Deco, I believe its focus is mostly on interiors and different ways to capture the Art Deco "feel." Many of the pictures are of interiors which are clearly not original Art Deco rooms, but merely inspired by the style and usually containing a few authentic pieces. Perhaps *Art Deco-Inspired Interiors* would have made a more suitable title.

Another problem I had was Kim's lack of thorough captions for the photographs in the book. Especially near the beginning, I came across several images (usually of building exteriors) that I wanted to know more about (for example, what they were and where they were located). Kim seldom gives the reader any information on the many fantastic buildings and pieces featured in the book's photos, save for the more notable (and therefore more obvious) ones. Instead, she focuses on the style of the objects, which often leads the captions to become somewhat repetative.

Nevertheless, Kim's appreciation and enthusiasm for the style more than makes up for the book's lack of a clear purpose. I think this is a lovely book that perfectly suits anyone wishing to draw from the influence of Art Deco for designing their own interiors. It's definitely of use as an attractive, well-illustrated, reliable guide to Art Deco style.

This book is a short and concise introduction to the Art Deco style, looking at both architectural style and interior design. It is not a comprehensive guide, but is beautifully illustrated throughout and thoughtfully presented. The author gives some useful advice on achieving the Art Deco look without necessarily investing in period pieces. The only drawback is that the reader is left wishing there were more than the relatively brief 96 pages.

Book is great but was delivered scratched beyond acceptable conditions for used book. Was authorised to return it, but shipment cost is worthless. So I just keep it as it is!