Customer Reviews

Kitsch Deluxe

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

 

 

KITSCH DELUXE by Lesley Gillilan, with photography by Dave Young, is an eclectic crazy colorful cavalcade of a coffee table book as well as a stunningly fun and informative reference work on collecting kitsch and tasteless popular culture. It also gives new-comers a great introduction into various themes of kitsch , as well as showing the more advanced collector some extraordinary interiors in the real homes of the truly tasteless. From Elvis to Big Eyed Art to Jayne Mansfield to Barbie and Barbarella, this book wil help you discover those areas of bad taste and camp, that you wish to explore. The lavish pictures are in your face, from the truly hideous to the divine, lush cool cocktail lounge style to trailer park treasure. The book also includes a directory of shops, cool online sites, museums and architecture of interest.
Today, sadly, most of the best books on the subject of Bad Taste are now hard to find. The classics 'KITSCH: An Anthology of Bad Taste' by Gillo Dorfles (1968), 'KITSCH' by Jacques Sternberg (1971), 'KITSCH-IN-SYNCH' by Peter ward (1991) and the fabulous 'The ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BAD TASTE' by Jane & Michael Stern (1991) an invaluable source, are all out of print. But help is at hand with '20th CENTURY POP CULTURE' by Dan Epstein (1999), 'THE BOOK OF TIKI' by Sven A. Kirsten (from Taschen 2000), 'Just Above the Mantlepiece' by Wayne Hemingway (2000) see my review, 'BEATSVILLE' by Martin McIntosh (2003), 'BIG EYED MASTERS' by Megan Besmirched (2003), and of course this style guide you're reading about....... 'KITSCH DELUXE'.
This book also includes bizarre chapters on the homes of true eccentrics like artists Pierre et Gilles, fashion designer Zandra Rhodes and Tom Bliss (from the 'less is a bore' school of home decorating). Its a book for those wanting to relive their childhood with no rules, for those willing to create their own Valley of the Dolls or Elvis's Tiki Room at home. Enjoy. (Nov. 2003)

Just because my funds are a bit low, I checked this book out of the library, but I WILL be purchasing this book after seeing first hand how great it is. I'm not sure if some other people were looking for some kind of great literature here or not, but it is what it is; a book showcasing kitsch homes. I was afraid the book, PAD (my Bible) was the only book to show off such inspirational rooms; but Kitsch Deluxe gave me a whole new range of rooms to drool over and become inspired by. There was only one room in the Kitsch Deluxe book that was in my PAD book. I don't seek to copy any of the rooms I've seen, but instead see bits and pieces I might be able to incorporate into my own ideas. Kitsch Deluxe isn't really giving you a history lesson and I think for one, trying to give kitsch a history is just a waste of time. You like it, you like it. It's tacky, it's glam, it's Vegas, it's fun, it's so many different things. The book isn't a how to, it's just presenting some great homes and a little bit of why the owners decorated the way they did. I'll be purchasing this one soon and flipping through it's well worn pages for ideas.

Though there are no "how to's" in this book, it is a great source of ideas and inspiration! If you are longing to break free from the same old decorating things, this book will help you on your way. Not all the ideas will be practical for everyone. If you are a fan of minimalism, clean, tidy lines and so forth, look elsewhere. But if you are yearning for something different, this is a good place to start.

Disappointment. Just another coffee table book. Writing is shallow, nothing is new from other Kitsch books. Best part of writing is on the dust cover. Color pictures are colorful, but all Kitsch books have been already used these pictures. Nothing is fresh looking. If you are looking for a coffee table book to cheer up your room, it is OK. Just not for me. Or don't be fooled by the dust cover writing, which sounds like little more than other Kitsch books.