Customer Reviews

Bohemian Modern: Living in Silver Lake

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The L.A. neighborhood called Silver Lake is home to a large number of iconic Modern-era houses, with many created by the West Coast's masters of the period. In recent decades, as "mid-century modern" has found new admiration, a new generation of architects has been called on to add to the already rich Silver Lake Modern storyline. Thus, today, perhaps more than any other neighborhood in the U.S., Silver Lake---a neighborhood with distinct, widely acknowledged geographic boundaries---is a mecca for Modern. What's more, there's actually enough extant iconic Modern houses in Silver Lake to merit a book-length treatment. After all, many of these daring examples of design have fascinating stories.
Sadly (and frustratingly), Bestor's book, despite its title, isn't about Modern residential architecture in Silver Lake. While it does consider a small portion of Modern houses there, including important houses by Neutra, Schindler, and Lautner, it spends much more time looking outside of Silver Lake (Echo Park, Elysian Park, Atwater), in places that have their own distinct identities and architectural histories. Almost immediately, the reader is forced to ask, "What happened to Silver Lake?"
Just when one recluctantly accepts this fact in an effort to move on to experience the other houses she's selected, Bestor abruptly ends the house tour and devotes the balance of the book to her favorite restaurants and other businesses, complete with photos of the owners, recipes, and flat-footed self-promo quotes from the managers and other employees of these establishments. Few of these businesses, it must be noted, are contained in Modern buildings. Why are they in a book about Modern in Silver Lake? Page after page, it all smells of blatant advertising.
If there is a common thread binding each of the author's very odd selections of subjects, it is her seemingly incessant need to use the book's very casual short texts to promote her own firm (as well as that of her many friends mentioned in the book) and give the proprietors of her neighborhood hang-outs a pat on the back.
How a book with such a confused sense of focus got past its publisher is shocking. The door to do a good book on Silver Lake remains wide open.

Beautifully illustrated and informative exploration of the design and architecture of America's most unique and unheralded artist community. The author seems a bit eager to anoint herself the leader of the BOMO movement, taking great pains to establish her legacy as its central figure. At times this leaves the book feeling like an overpriced brochure for the Barbara Bestor Studio, however, there is enough content to make it a worthwhile read, particularly for those familiar with the area.

Forget Ron Burgundy's review. This is a great book. Real people, real houses - not impossible to live with Architectural Digest layouts. One of the few books I have seen that shows everyday (almost - these are sort of trendy ie bohemians of the title) people in their own homes. Ms. Bestor includes not only Silver Lake but the surrounding areas like Atwater and Echo Park to give a glimpse of the entire area. As for the inclusion of shops and restaurants that Mr. Burgundy so disliked - this is the world Ms. Bestor knows and has included in her book of Silverlake so the reader can acknowledge Silver Lake as a whole, not just a series of houses. If that (famed architectural houses) is what you want buy a book on Neutra or Schindler. If you want a taste of the real Silver Lake, but this. PS - I don't know any of these people so my review has no hidden motive.

This book is a marvel! Kind of a cross between modern, urban, industrial, romantic and, of course, bohemian. Through extensive photos, warm and funny text, and an inviting format, the reader is transported to what seems like a foreign country. I want to live in Silver Lake! There is a wonderful sensibility behind this book; that of living simply and emphasizing those things that are truly important to quality of life: friendships, relationships, artistic expression, and warm environments in which to nurture what is important to the individual. This book will surely appeal to those who love great design, self-expressive environments, and simple pleasures. My new favorite design book!!

No more or less than a pretty picture book and a fair view of the locality in Los Angeles I've called home for the last two years.

I bought this for my girlfriend and she gave me a kiss. Excellent inspiration for our next house.

Graphically interesting and architecturally significant picture book.
The line drawings are whimsical and enhance the overall idea of the book...which is that modern architecture in a warm climate creates this unique, warm and intertesting environment. This book illustrates the warmth, charm and social connected-ness of modern architecture given a self-selecting artistic, creative community. It is the antipode to so many of the dreary, static, and people-less coffee table books on modern architecture. The author's friends seem to be the kind of people you see in Dwell magazine, casual and style-conscious, but not obviously pretentious. This book is much better than Dwell, because the emphasis is more on improvised-rehab of modern dwellings, than Dwell's push to sell so many new Modern commodities, products, and style.

As a journalist and Silver Lake resident, I found this book very informative. I have driven or walked by many of the homes featured in the book, and it is fascinating to learn about the people who live in them.

The book offers a great visual journey into the BOHOMO style