Customer Reviews

Keith Irvine: A Life in Decoration

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

 

 

I have been a decorator for 37 years..I have at least, 1000 books about decoration.....

This is the BEST, by far. When I took it to the Pacific Design Center for Mr. Irvine to autograph.......he saw all these little stickie things marking pages......notes,; stars, and underlining everywhere......I was afraid he would think I had defaced this book!!

Hardly......he looked up at me, and said......"Oh...You are getting so much OUT of it!!"

Indeed I am....I make sure I spend several hours a week....with my magnifying glass......on this book.

Penelope Bianchi

My husband gave me a copy of this book as a gift, and I simply could not put it down once it arrived. I have a huge collection of art and design books, and this certainly rates as one of the best, if not the best. This volume not only presents page afte page of wonderful rooms, but it gives the reader a lot of insight into what makes Mr. Irvine tick. I've long been a fan of his, and I think I have a copy of every magazine article that includes a Keith Irvine room. So for me, this book is a treasure. I love Mr. Irvine's honesty, his great design sense, and his apparent sense of fun. This is a tribute to a design giant, and I loved it from cover to cover. It's the kind of book I find myself returning to for another look. Five-stars for sure! Sheila Lotterhos, Florida

I was shocked to see so few stars attached to this entry. It's a marvelous decorating book with timeless ideas and great stories.

Very dissapointing!!! Many of the design photos are dated, and the quality of the printing is fuzzy on many pages. I must own at least 75 Interior Design books spanning 30 years and THIS is the first book I have ever returned!!! There was nothing in it to make me ever look atit again!!! Definitely not worth the price (to me). W O'M

This is a must-have for any interior design professional or junkie. Over his lengthy career, Keith Irvine has done it all and has stories to tell. Given his experience, skill, and client list, he should be permitted a little ego-mania in his musings. More than a few of the projects presented have been published over the years (and there's no reason not to enjoy seeing them again), but there are also many that haven't been made public until this book. It's a fascinating snapshot of an enviable career, a great resource for design ideas, and an enjoyable read!

I've had this book for a year or more and recently reviewed it. When I first bought it I thought a more likely title might be "A Life In Overdecoration", But many of the rooms are lovely and I think Mr. Irvine is best when he uses some restraint. I think he often aims for the look of John Fowler, but often misses somehow. I found the writing in this book sometimes pretentious, e.g. Mrs. Onassis preferred "ton-sur-ton"; after all, this book is written in English. And I think the disparaging remarks about Mrs. Onassis and Mrs. Parish detract from the book; after all, no one else had these things to say when writing about these women. And Bunny Williams worked for Mrs. Parish for decades. Mr. Irvine seems further intent on name dropping, as if to impress. It's tiresome and doesn't add to the book.
Still, Mr. Irvine's talents cannot be denied. Beautiful rooms.

I have to agree with another reviewer: many of the photos are of poor quality and quite a few have been published before in HOUSE & GARDEN. I must also take exception to the numerous self-aggrandizing remarks Irvine sprinkles everywhere in the book -- Humble he is Not! As for the Irvine style of decoration, I find it a bit overwrought with an excess of pillow & Brunschwig print. Still, I would much rather look at Mr Irvine's baroque interiors than Kelly Wearstler's quite loony creations -- "Hey, what about this nice 3000 yr old bristlecone pine as a table centerepiece?" Eck.

book was damaged..........paid for new book..........absolutely not new............pure crap............cover ripped.............inside pages smudged with either food or bugs............want a total refunde.................total refund............this was a total ripp off ............you are crooks........

I very much enjoyed this book. It is filled with ideas and information.