Opening their homes to us, fifty designers from the Americas, U.K. and Europe share images of rooms in their homes, and their personal reflections on elements of stylish living, with author-blogger Ronda Rice Carman of ALL THE BEST blog. In their own words, designers reflect upon entertaining, entrances, beautiful beds, flowers and fragrances, creature comforts and decorative details in a paragraph on each of these topics in this book. For example, they list things they like in linens, mattresses, flowers, scented candles, how and where they entertain, what soothes them (hot baths, walks, music etc.) so these reflections seem more like a conversation among friends than design tips. It's a personal glimpse seeing how designers create a comforting home for themselves.
Background information on each designer by Carman is accompanied by images of the designers' rooms at home. Designers' personal remarks on stylish living are in sidebars on the pages. Each of the designers has one to three full-page images devoted to their rooms, and then multiple images on other pages. The book is about 7" X 9" so it's not a large book, but it's thick with about 300 pages and over 300 full-color images. This is an accessible and colorful overview of, and introduction to, designers working today. The styles inside the book represent a mix of styles, except for the more minimalist, modern styles.
While you may have seen some of the rooms before, some have a different camera angle on the room so the images seem fresh. And the images are appealing. After looking at many designers' books and web sites, I usually like the rooms in their own homes the best. Not sure why - perhaps it is because if designers can decorate for themselves, there's a greater sense of freedom or the ability to experiment. Or, if as Albert Hadley said, "Decoration is not some mystery...it's the expression of personality," the designers' unique personalities show up so charmingly in their own homes. Would be intriguing to hear designers' ideas on this.
As you peruse the book, you can enjoy imagining which rooms you would like to move into. Right now, I'm fantasizing about Robert Passal's sultry brown banquetted dining room (the tufted banquette makes into a bed for guests for a guest bedroom!), Philip Gorrivan's chic chocolate and white comfortable family room, Nicky Haslam's English folly, Christopher Spitzmiller's egg yolk color-painted living room, Suzanne & Christopher Sharp's gray and red office with one of their rug company's sassy rugs, Suzanne Rheinstein's cozy and creamy brown library, Malcolm James Kutner's warm and modernish sitting room, Maureen Footer's NYC dining-library corner, Matthew Patrick Smyth's office with curved desk, Scot Meacham Wood's tartan living room... well, you get the idea. Frankly, it would be a delight to live in any of these rooms. While there are some kitchens and baths featured, most are bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, libraries, entries and offices.
One exercise that is fun to do with a book like this, to learn from these designers' taste, is look at each room and decide which element you like the best - what would you like to take home with you? A charming silhouetted mirror, animal print chair, ruffled drape, chunky red coffee table, chinoiserie lamp? This helps you articulate your taste, and you may see something you might not have noticed before. Designer David Hicks said once: "The most important lesson I learned during my time at art school was the value of looking 'actively'. Ask yourself what you think about everything you see. Encourage yourself to form opinions -- about paintings, the color of a car, a flower arrangement. Discipline goes hand in hand with good taste."
Looking at these rooms, and forming opinions about their style, is certainly a pleasant form of discipline. This is a unique addition to any design library. If you like the cover image of Robert Passal's living room (with the sexy brown dining space beguiling your eye behind it), you should enjoy the many original styles collected under the stylish cover.
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Top reviews from other countries
Sheherazade
beautiful style book - just the format is far too small!
Reviewed in Germany on June 16, 2015B. Wormald
Refreshingly different take on Interiors
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 26, 2013
