New Must Have Book

My favorite type of design books (and I have a million of them) are the ones that make me look at the subject in a whole new way. If you are like me, then you are going to LOVE the new book "Louis Vuitton Architecture and Interiors".

I have been a fan of the way LV has always been able to present a consistent design message with a few key iconic symbols they are able to deftly weave consumer products, architecture and interiors creating a message that not only reinforces the brand but also sends it in exciting and unusual directions.

This book is broken down by location, then at the end dedicated chapters to Skins, Facades and Signage.

The book has some great photography, but some equally interesting interviews with the architects for each of their signature stores. One of the more interesting aspects were the photos of the exteriors taken in a way to show the context of the store with the surrounding city (the image of the Moscow Store with St Basel in the background is a notable example).

Right now I am loving...

...White Books!!

I noticed my bookcase looked a little cluttered the other day... but I can'y possibly get rid of any of my beloved books! So I thought I might try something new and cover them all in white for a while.

This should freshen up the bookcase and give my accessories the attention they just don't seem to get with all of the multi-colored books.

Check out some of this imagery I found to fuel my inspiration...

Monday Reading List

The plan on Monday's is to post books that we like or think might be interesting reading. To be honest I have been a bit overwhelmed with Halloween festivities to buy any new books (I am still pawing over the Geoffrey Bilhuber book too), but I thought it might be interesting to post a few things from my Amazon wish list.

It's funny my list is now quite long, so every now and again I like to revisit it and see what caught my interest and maybe it will for you too.

Cotswold Gardens, by David Hicks

Well, any book by Mr. Hicks will catch my eye, but this is one that I don't have in my collection. I thoroughly enjoy his other garden book, My Kind of Garden, so I am looking forward to this one, which starts with his own home, and then goes on to describe his other gardens in the area. I think after I nab this one I will have a complete set of all the books by Hicks, perfect for a rainy weekend.

Hampton's Havens, by Hampton's Cottages and Gardens Magazine

I love the Hampton's, I think that they represent the best of classic American beach going. Warm water, rolling lawns and great garden parties. I am just about to start work on a house out there too, for one of my best and oldest friends, so I am studying up on the style and I think this book gives a great overview of the best homes, from Manors to Cottages.

Piet Boon: Beach, by Piet Boon

I am a huge fan of Boons work, and I came across this book on Amazon today. The description is brief to say the least " two beach houses in different regions by Piet Boon". But I am very excited to see hi clean sense of modernism applied in such a casual setting as the beach. If anyone has this book, let me know, my interest is piqued.

Must Have New Book

My copy of the new Jeffrey Bilhuber book arrived today. I have to say it has been a long while since I have been so impressed with a book by a single designer (Bunny Williams I think was the last one that I loved like this).

What I love most about the book is first of all the great pictures, clear, well lit and shot in a way to give the reader the most information possible. Secondly, his work is just amazing, it all seems so fresh, but firmly rooted in tradition. If I had to show one book that highlights why I love design, this is that book.

Just click on the link above and check it out, it would be the perfect Christmas gift!

5 Favorite Books: Design Icons

I was reading about John Saladino yesterday, and in his bio he mentioned Van Day Truex, and it got me thinking about some of the true (no pun intended) design Icons, people who, almost single-handedly created this profession. So today my book selections honor those folk. I hope that you enjoy the list, there probably are not a lot of surprises on it, but if there are books here you don't have they will be worthwhile additions to your collections.





Truex attended Parsons School of Design just after it's founding and went on to become it's President from 1942- 1952 as well as Director for Design at Tiffany's. His Interior Design clients included some of the most well known of the east-coast elite. This figure, known as much for his design talent as his social skill, is probably one of the most influential figures in Interior Design of the 20th Century. Its a great story from small town boy to Design Arbiter, and a perfect book for anyone looking for an insight into that world.





Yes, I know that Diana Vreeland was not an Interior Designer, but in her role as columnist for Bazaar and then Editor of Vogue, this dynamo of a woman has done more to educate people about design, and the value of taste, than almost anyone else. Her story of unrelenting standards and ability to spot and create trends, I found to be inspirational.

No list of Design Icons would be complete without Albert Hadley. Student and subsequently friend of Van Day Truex, also great friend of Billy Baldwin and then partner to Sister Parish, he has seen it all. This book has some great images, including the work he did for Mrs Vincent Astor and the Kennedy White House. I love also that it includes some of his sketches as well, so you can really see his design intent.

A great book about Maison Jansen, a French Design house. Working with the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, as well as the Shar of Iran, they created some of the most elegant interiors of the time. Lavishly illustrated, this book is great eye candy, and a terrific addition to any library.

I really like this book. When it first came out on Amazon, it did not get great reviews, people complained that most of the images are black and white, which is problematic since Drapers' work is all about color, but I think that misses the point. Her work captured the drama and spirit of the time, and while most of the projects are large scale homes or hotels, it makes for a terrific read especially for anyone interested in that period. I liked it.

5 Favorite Books: About Books

I love to read other design blogs and one of my favorites is Peak of Chic, they did a post earlier in the week about books as decoration (http://thepeakofchic.blogspot.com/2007/07/books-serve-as-decoration.html), and it has inspired my book post this week. As many of you know books are one of my great passions, and I use lots of them in my designs, so here are a few books that I thought you might enjoy, about the joy of books:

5 Favorite Books: Palm Springs

While I am not convinced that the middle of summer is the best time to visit, that is exactly what I did. I was in Palm Springs this week, for a few meetings etc. It had been several years since I had visited and it reminded me just how much I love the desert. The thing that I think I like about Palm Springs though is definitely the architecture. Unlike a lot of other desert communities, such as Las Vegas or Phoenix, Palm Springs embraced the idea of modernism with a fervour that few communities have. What you can see now is one of the best collections of modern architecture, in a condensed place, as well as a community that has taken this identity and created a town that celebrates this style and continues on the vanguard of modern design.

This week I have selected a few books from my collection about Palm Springs, some talk about its history others it's style, but they are all entertaining books in their own right. I hope you pick up one or two, and let me know what you think.

Celebrating the weekend retreat, this book is a great starter book,,,, great images and some terrific examples of beautiful homes.

I am a big fan of all the books that Dianne Saeks does on design, and this is no different, if you were to have only one book on Palm Springs, this would be a tough one to pass up.

Another great volume on Palm Springs Architecture. Adele Cygelman has worked at some of the finest architectural magazines in the world, and brings her trained on to bear this brand of modernism. She has gained access into some of the finest homes in the desert and presents them with stunning photography.

Often regarded as the man who started the modern craze in Palm Springs. The houses of Albert Frey were some of the first to marry modernism with a desert context. His houses remain the benchmark of style even today.

This book looks at the Palm Springs of today, its a great insight to what is happening now, as people buy and renovate, or build from scratch, and how they are managing to capture the spirit of a very special place.

5 Books I Love: Summer Entertaining

So I am a bit frantic today I have 12 friends coming for dinner tonight (several of them are designers which adds to the pressure) in a house that is way too modest for this sort of event. So it has got me thinking about how I should go about this. I have decided that I am going to do something quite simple, Ceviche, followed by Grilled Lobster with a watermelon and Arugula Salad followed by a fresh Fruit Salad. We will be eating outside in the garden, it will be quite a simple affair with fresh delicious food.

I took my inspiration from some of my favorite cookbooks, by two of my most favorite cooks, Bill Grainger and Donna Hay, both from Sydney, Australia. Between the two of them they have amassed quite a collection of books, but the 5 listed here are among my most popular. It is amazing to me just how simple all these recipes are, often just a few ingredients, but you will be shocked by the depth of flavor.

For instance Bill has a Chicken Soup recipe, that is made from canned chicken stock and a few vegetables, it takes only about 10 minutes to make but tastes like you have slaved all day in the Kitchen, try it, it will rock your world!

Donna Hay on the other hand has made a career by taking classic recipes and reinventing them in a simpler way. One of my favorite books of hers is Flavors, instead of each chapter broken up by course or ingredient, it is broken down by tastes, so there is a chapter on salt, or lime, it's a refreshing way to look at food and makes putting together a meal a real breeze.

Anyway, try some of these books and see what you think, it really is a new way of looking at food.

Bon Apetit!

5 Books I Love About American Design

With the 4th of July holiday on the horizon, what better time to celebrate the great design of America. These books are a selection that I love the highlight the beauty of the classic American Style, simple, straightforward and with an inherent elegance. I hope you enjoy.



Just as a reminder if you click on the image it will take you straight to Amazon in case you want to purchase a copy for yourself.

1.
No list on American Design would be complete with Sister parish, the woman who almost single handedly created the profession. This book is a great read, as it is nice to see how little things have changed. She writes candidly about the process and the problems of dealing with clients etc, for anyone interested in the history of design, a great vacation read.


2.
A fine book by the editor of Metropolitan Home magazine. It captures the new vitality of American design, showing how much it has changed to fit today's lifestyle, without abandoning a great tradition. Beautifully shot images and a well constructed book, it is one of the staples of my library.

3.
I am a huge fan of the Arts and Crafts Style, and while it is English in it's origins it has morphed into a classic American style. This book is part of a terrific series on Bungalows and gives valuable information on restoration and remodeling. I recently worked on a Bungalow in Los Angeles and this series was the first place i turned for inspiration.



4.
I love the honest simplicity of the American Farmhouse, and this book is a great inspiration for anyone looking to create that style. It gives terrific insights and tips as well as great photo's for those who just want to look at the pictures:).

5.

It used to be all that I was ever asked to design was Tuscan or Mediterranean houses, but lately there have been more and more traditional American houses coming through the office, whether they be shingle or saltbox, I have loved them all. This book is a personal favorite because it shows some great examples of what you can do with that style, and how to work within the framework of Classic American Style but still come up with something unique and modern.

I hope you enjoy this list and have a great holiday (put another shrimp on the barbie for me ;) ).

5 Books Everyone Should Have

This is the Ultimate coffee table book. Its full of great pictures of all sorts of curiosities from shells, to butterflies and even a chapter on snakes that anyone would learn to love. It's a big book at almost 10lbs but boy, will your friends ever be impressed!

I have to admit that this is a bit of an eclectic choice, but I love this book. It is about indigenous design and how by looking at communities that have grown organically, we can learn to see patterns that we can then apply in the way we organize our new cities and towns. It also has some of the same wisdom to apply to the way you look at the space in your own home. It is simply organized into a series of observations, so it's not a book to sit and read in one session, but enjoy it over time, perfect for beside the bed.

Well this is the part of the list that starts getting a bit personal. I remember when I lived in Australia, that I read about this building by a young architect that was going to revolutionize the way Australians look at their vernacular architecture. I had my parents drive me 6 hours to Kempsey to see this new little museum. It made me fall in love with architecture and has stayed with me ever since. Well that architect was Glenn Murcutt, and he has gone on to be justly lauded by everyone and their dog, including the Pritzker Prize. If you get this book you will never look at a barn or simple farm shed the same way again.

While on the topic of never looking at things the same way again, along comes this book on Los Angeles. The city gets a bad rap for being part of just a large urban sprawl, but this book by famed photographer Tim Street-Porter is an homage to the city he loves. It is put together in such a way that he has assembled his own street scenes, from a series of different photo's. Los Angeles has never looked so good, and it's clear to see his passion about this much maligned city, it is indeed, ready for it's close up.

I am sitting in one as I write this. The work horse of Interior Design, the chair, finally gets the star treatment. This book follows the humble piece of furniture on it's stylistic travel through time. Whether modernist or traditionalist this book is essential reading.