Italian Hideaways
Discovering Enchanting Rooms and Private Villas
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Just what we need. Another coffee-table book about gorgeous Italian interiors. Actually, yes.
This book is a welcome addition to anyone’s collection of I-want-to-go-there books. Author Meg Nolan takes us to out-of-the-way inns, villas and palazzi, which not only stand as inviting places to visit but where the interiors unleash a wealth of design ideas. From the modest to the grand, these destinations offer a bonus that you won’t find in the standard decorating book—you can stay in these locations and see them for yourself.
Part travel brochure, part decorating tome, the book features 30 properties throughout Italy.
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Classic English Interiors
Monday, March 31, 2008
Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill is the daughter of the Duke of Marlborough, whose family seat is Blenheim Palace. Few people are more qualified to discuss English style than someone who grew up in a classic Georgian manor and has become a successful interior designer.
In this book, Spencer-Churchill explores the origins of English design and the influences that have created what today is considered classic English style. She takes us into the colorful rooms of Blenheim Palace as she breaks down the elements that combine to create the unstructured, eminently comfortable look that defines English style.
This is not the country cottage England of chintz and china dogs. This is, as the title suggests, classic style. The author’s text, particularly where she explains the history of English style and how to recreate it, provides an excellent blueprint for reproducing the best of the English look.
Capri Style
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Imagine a villa on Capri—white and flower-bedecked, clinging to a hillside with sweeping views over a deep blue sea, cool interiors and interesting furniture. Now imagine that you’ve been invited inside.
Mariella Gardella has persuaded 23 Caprese villa owners to throw open their doors for the lush book. Superb photography captures the essence of Capri—its terraced gardens, sailboats, cliffs and coves and most of all, its color. As she tours these enchanting private villas, Gardella draws readers to the heart of the home, the kitchen, sprinkling traditional local recipes throughout the book.
California Romantica
Sunday, December 23, 2007
For a glimpse inside some of the best examples of California Mission and Spanish Colonial homes, it’s hard to do better than California Romantica. This lushly illustrated book features homes by George Washington Smith, Wallace Neff, Richard Requa, Lilian Rice, and other noted architects.
From whitewashed stucco walls and cloistered patios to tile roofs and glorious gardens, each house is a rare masterpiece, splendidly appointed with authentic California furnishings, including Monterey furniture, California tile and Navajo rugs.
Among the magnificent seaside estates, canyon villas, and courtyard bungalows shown is Diane Keaton’s former home in Beverly Hills, which she thoughtfully restored with noted designer Stephen Shadley, and for which she has been recognized as a committed preservationist.
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French Home
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
The Japanese art of Wabi Sabi, or finding beauty in imperfection, is given a French twist in this lavishly illustrated book. Author Josephine Ryan is a London antiques dealer and stylist who shares her knack for decorating with the often less-than-perfect items found in French antiques and brocante shops.
She reminds us of the other tenet of wabi sabi, the impermanence of things. Here a tattered chair brings the texture of age to a smooth new wall, a foxed mirror fragment creates an air of smoky mystery, and a rust-spattered bench matches the autumn leaves swirling around a courtyard. And it’s not just objects, but homes themselves that are celebrated: the graceful imperfection of a rough stone wall, the irregular lines of handmade tiles, and the comforting traces of years, sometimes centuries, of use on floors or counters.
The French make it look easy, the seemingly effortless blending of old and new. Ryan shows us how we can begin to develop the self-assurance that informs this more relaxed attitude toward decorating. The book contains sections on elements such as textiles, ceramics, color, lighting and furniture, and on rooms, including work spaces. She includes a chapter on sourcing antiques with tips on attending auctions and how to find the right dealers. And there’s lots of solid information on the history of French furnishings.
You’ll see the local flea market with a whole new eye once you’ve read this book.
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California Native Plants for the Garden
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Here’s a book we can all use. The title is a bit misleading—this is an authoritative reference not only to plants, but to landscape design and maintenance, including, watering, pruning, and pest control.
Filled with wonderful color photographs of individual plants, it’s a resource for neophytes and experts alike. The authors provide crucial details on plant siting, color, seasonal appearance and a lot more. If you’ve been considering forsaking the English country garden for one that’s more authentic to our region (and one that’s more ecologically sound), this book could just tip the scales. It’s a volume you’ll return to again and again.
