Good Design Reads this Month’s Book Choices
One of my favorite things to do is to curl up with a cup of coffee in my library and find inspiration from design books. We encourage our clients to do the same because it helps them formulate ideas for their kitchen and home. In our library, we have an incredible array of design books, and each time I look at them I see something new that inspires me. Here are some new additions…
1. The Allure of French & Italian Decor, by Betty Lou Phillips: Award-winning designer Betty Lou Phillips shows how to combine the best from two European countries to create elegant yet livable rooms appropriate for our times. “The furnishings of France enchant the eye, Italian pieces sing to the soul.” -Betty Lou Phillips, ASID
2. Charles Faudree Details: With a passion for layering, Charles Faudree shares his flair for accessorizing every room. He shows how silks and linens, checks and stripes, florals and toiles can be used in wonderful combinations in a single room. Objects from different centuries and countries add more layers of interest. Along with bearing the standard for French style, Faudree brings English, Asian and Swedish influences into the mix, punctuating with contemporary pieces. He shows us how the details finish a room.
3. Nicky Haslam’s Folly De Grandeur: Romance and Revival in an English Country House: For anyone who has nurtured the dream of having a country house in the English style, celebrated designer Nicholas Haslam has created an inspiring series of exquisite yet relaxed interiors that blend traditional comfort with elegance and a passion for collecting art and antiques. Nicholas Haslam’s delightful “Folly de Grandeur” is a unique country house that many in the interior design community consider to be one of the world’s most inspiring and picturesque places. The interiors and grounds represent a tasteful yet relaxed vision for a country house in the English style. Haslam restored and nurtured the house and garden, and today it is the epitome of relaxed yet comfortable good taste and refinement. Haslam explains the intricacies and delights of carefully mismatched antique and vintage furniture, a color palette of subtle, warming, welcoming tones, and a collection of art and objects that is nothing short of inspirational. The wealth of muted colors and visual interest makes each room feel larger, and this handsome, inspiring volume will appeal to anyone interested in interior design and the art of living beautifully, comfortably—and well.
4. Michael S. Smith: Building Beauty: The Alchemy of Design: The newest book from acclaimed designer Michael S Smith is an in-depth look at how to create the perfect American house. Michael S Smith: House and Home is a rare opportunity to experience in great detail the work of this renowned designer. Michael S Smith transformed an ordinary house and its outbuildings into an extraordinary suite of rooms that display the best of this design superstar’s work. As he walks the reader through its myriad rooms and gardens, explaining each decision made, Smith provides a complete, invaluable up-to-date design vocabulary that every homeowner and design aficionado is keen to know, from the initial renovation plans to the finishing details, indoors and out.
