Best Design Books

Book Review: The House of Thurn und Taxis

January 7, 2016

Adventure through the princely Thurn und Taxis estate, an enchanted palace where 1,000 years of history meets a thoroughly modern family. For 200 years the Thurn und Taxis family have called the palace of St. Emmeram home. Regarded as one of Germany’s finest examples of historicist architecture, the Regensburg residence’s myriad rooms trace centuries of distinctive styles: a Romanesque-Gothic cloister built between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, a neo-Renaissance marble staircase, a number of Rococo and neo-Rococo staterooms, and a Baroque library frescoed in 1737. See also: Book review: The American Mater, Jeffrey Bilhuber Celebrated photographer Todd Eberle captures the confluence of high art and grand architecture within the 500-room palace to reveal the curious tale of the Thurn und Taxis family. Complete with stately portraits and scenes of life at St. Emmeram, this monograph offers a glimpse into the world and glamour of one of the most important dynasties of the European aristocracy. See also: Design News: Robert A. M. Stern Architects Buildings and Projects Keep following Best Design Books for the lattest book reviews!

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Book review: The American Mater, Jeffrey Bilhuber

December 23, 2015

In his latest book, Jeffrey Bilhuber distills thirty years of expertise and creative inspiration designing beautiful and brilliantly modern rooms. Presenting a diverse range of decorator’s most recent and important work from around the country, the book is centered around 30 signature statements by Bilhuber—pithy and insightful bedrock principles and axioms that have fueled designer’s process. Rounding out these statements Sara Ruffin Costello, the highly regarded writer and editor, sheds light on Bilhuber’s inimitable style through charming anecdotes and bright, rich descriptions, revealing a decorator at the top of his profession. Anchoring the ideas that drive each project, the statements represent different angles from which to appreciate the decorator’s vision and mastery of his craft. Some are broad and philosophical: “What’s liberating is to be fearless” and “Modernity is not about a new material, it’s about how you navigate your way through the world.” And others, specific and practical: “It’s easy to get white wrong. It takes talent to get it right” and “It’s powerfully important to sit at the table and talk to each other.” Capturing the breadth and beauty of Bilhuber’s work in city townhouses and rambling country houses throughout the country in New York City, Palm Beach,…

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Book Review: Island Style by India Hicks

December 23, 2015

From India Hicks, a beautifully illustrated guide to achieving her famously undone, gloriously bohemian decorating style. Born from British and design royalty, India Hicks has forged a design empire from her family’s enclave in the Bahamas. In India Hicks: Island Style, she invites readers into her world, offering never-before-seen imagery and irresistible behind-the-scenes stories. Beginning with an uproarious reflection on India’s own design odyssey, the heart of the book is an in-depth exploration of her style. Timeless and under-decorated, her rooms combine carefree Caribbean culture with British colonial form and formality. In ten chapters, India walks the reader through the basics of capturing the look: the subtle palette of island life; the miracle of tablescaping; the warm anarchy of a family kitchen; the pleasure of porches; the drama of entertaining; bedrooms as places of self-expression; the “more is more” style of living with collections; the importance of repurposing; and creating spaces of sanctuary. Witty, richly prescriptive, beautifully photographed, this book will enchant readers with a glimpse of decorating in paradise. India Hicks was born in England to famed decorator David Hicks and Lady Pamela Hicks. Her grandfather, Lord Mountbatten, was the last viceroy to India, granting their independence in 1947….

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Book Review: Barbara Westbrook by Gracious Rooms

December 23, 2015

In her first book, the South’s most inviting designer explores her principles for creating a beautiful home rich with comfort and warmth. Barbara Westbrook has been designing classically inspired homes full of Southern charm and a European touch for more than twenty years. A native of Virginia, Westbrook grew up accompanying her mother to antique shops and was introduced by her to Virginia’s rich architectural legacy. With a design vocabulary that ranges from casual American to formal English to French modern, Westbrook’s homes share a welcoming elegance, whether it is a country cottage or a penthouse apartment. In Gracious Rooms, she sets out her principles for creating a house rich with both polish and patina. Walking the reader through a dozen stunning homes—light-filled lake retreats, contemporary houses, and historic mansions—Westbrook shares her accessible, appealing ideas. From the judicious use of symmetry to the importance of including natural elements in a room, utilizing color to unify spaces within a house, and setting a mood with materials, Gracious Rooms is rich with advice and inspiration. Keep following Best Design Books for the latest design news! Don’t forget to leave a comment bellow!

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Top 10 new decorariong books by Architectural Digest (1)

Interior Design

Top 10 new decorating books by Architectural Digest

December 18, 2015

Shed Decor In need of a place to work, play, or relax? A shed’s the perfect solution! Small in space and investment, it easily fits in a backyard or garden and, as this inspirational design guide shows, can also be beautiful. From seemingly unpromising potting sheds to tired old summerhouses ripe for a makeover,Shed Decor reveals how the right combination of colors, fabrics, furniture, and accessories can transform an outdoor building. Whether you want a rustic hideaway or an urban den, a “salvage chic”.

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Book Review: Ottoman Chic new release by Assouline

December 18, 2015

Standing at the crossroads of many cultures, Ottoman style is spiced with influences from Chinese and Indian to French and Italian. In this spectacular volume, Istanbul-born interior designer Serdar Gülgün narrates a tour of his beautiful home, a historic mansion on the Asian side of the Bosporus. Constantly inspired by the atmosphere of his ancient city, Gülgün believes a successful interior design is a place of experience in which authentic elements of culture fuse and achieve alchemy, awakening all the senses and transporting its inhabitants to a place of fantasy. Serdar Gülgün is an Istanbul-born interior designer, international lecturer, and Ottoman art expert and collector specializing in historical interiors. His collection has been exhibited several times at Topkapı Palace. Gülgün is the writer of the Louis Vuitton Istanbul Guide, and he is the author of The Grand Bazaar Istanbul (2011) for Assouline. He recently launched a home accessories brand, Serdar Gülgün Istanbul. Swiss-born lifestyle photographer Reto Guntli travels all continents for books and articles on architecture, interiors, people, art, design, and travel. He has photographed and produced more than forty books for the best publishing houses worldwide. He regularly contributes to prestigious international magazines such asArchitectural Digest, Casa Vogue, Elle…

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Book Review: The 100 Most Influential Objects Of The Twentieth Century

December 18, 2015

The Impossible Collection Of Design, The 100 Most Influential Objects Of The Twentieth Century is the book of the day at Best Design Books! Chosen by design expert Frédéric Chambre, this selection of furniture designs unspools like the frames of a film, an epic picture composed of one hundred years of creative innovations in form, materials, and techniques. This hand-bound oversize luxury edition, presented in a linen clamshell case, traces the development of twentieth-century design from the Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts movements through Bauhaus and Art Deco, Pop Art and the Memphis school, to today’s digital age, illustrating the dynamic story of a groundbreaking century through the evolution of everyday human objects. With degrees in law and art history, Frédéric Chambre became a partner at the Calmels-Chambre-Cohen auction house in 1996. Chambre co-founded Pierre Bergé and Associates in 2002, and became vice president and partner in 2005; he was co-organizer of the February 2009 sale of the Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé collection at Christie’s in Paris. In 2012 Chambre joined PIASA as head of strategy and development, and he is currently vice president and general manager. Source: assouline.com Keep following Best Design Books for the best…

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Book review: Creating Style, Beauty, and Balance with Michael S. Smith

November 18, 2015

Michael S. Smith’s first collection of new interiors work in seven years. Appearing at a seminal point in Michael Smith’s life and career, The Curated House is also his most personal book, tracing the origins and influences of his design philosophy in depth and presenting a substantial offering of new projects. In the first section of the book, illustrated with images of Smith’s own dramatic Los Angeles house, his spare desert retreat, and his ornate Manhattan apartment, Smith explores his California roots and explains how they still infuse so much of his work; the importance of California’s own deep traditions; and how his recent work in Spain has influenced him through its architecture, fabrics, and history. Smith reviews the constants of his interiors, what is integral to his style and why, and how they can work for the reader: from the forms that repeat themselves to the layering of fabrics and patterns, the use of subtle colors, and the idea of comfort in every room. The second part of the book offers case studies of Smith’s most recent interiors work, including a high-style Manhattan pied-à-terre, an airy London townhouse, a Montana mountain retreat, and a sophisticated Malibu beach house. Substantive…

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Book Review: decorate your Home with Ellen DeGeneres

November 3, 2015

Ellen DeGeneres has bought and renovated nearly a dozen homes over the last twenty-five years, and describes her real-estate and decorating adventures as “an education.” She has long cared deeply about design: “I think I wanted to be an interior designer when I was thirteen.” This deluxe edition of Home is printed on extremely high quality paper, printed on a sheet-fed press, and bound in a real cloth covered case with a tipped in photo of Ellen DeGeneres’ living room featuring her Picasso. In Home, DeGeneres will, for the first time, share her passion for home design and style. She believes, “You don’t have to have money to have good taste,” and she is eager to share what she has learned over the years. DeGeneres offers a personal look at every room in each of her homes. Included are seven of her homes past and present, from the famous “Brody House” up to her current homes, and she offers tips and advice on what each house taught her. An added bonus is a look at the homes of her friends and collaborators-some of the finest designers in the country. They share their advice on home design, furnishings, as well…

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Book review: Rijks, Masters of the Golden Age by Marcel Wanders

October 27, 2015

Rijks, Masters of the Golden Age is a groundbreaking art publication combining the finest materials, the most innovative techniques and the testimonies of thought leaders and craft masters from around the world. “This book is about how the greatest masterpieces influence how we see the world today.” Marcel Wanders. Frankfurt, Germany, 14th October 2015 – The internationally renowned designer Marcel Wanders presents his latest project at the book fair in Frankfurt – the unique art publication Rijks, Masters of the Golden Age, which pays homage to the 17th-century Dutch masterpieces from the Rijksmuseum’s prestigious Gallery of Honour. Three years in the making, the project was born of Marcel Wanders’ profound appreciation for this outstanding cultural heritage and its timeless significance. The book brings us eye to eye with over 60 iconic paintings such as Rembrandt’s Nightwatchand Vermeer’s Milkmaid. Each piece is experienced up close with the most surprising detail, as the finest printing techniques and thoughtful perspectives transport these paintings from a different age and vividly bring them to life. Leading contemporary critical thinkers from the worlds of philosophy, art, film, food, trend, business and design explain how their perception of the world has been influenced by these paintings with each…

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Book Review: Louis Vuitton Windows

October 22, 2015

Louis Vuitton Windows, with introduction by Vanessa Friedman is the book review that Best Design Books offers you today! Any passerby has seen them: The windows of Louis Vuitton’s storefronts are magnetic. They draw crowds of adults and children alike, eyes wide in wonder at such spectacles as a colossal roller coaster, gleaming golden dinosaur, panoply of brightly colored hot-air balloons, or a universe of polka dots. With an oeuvre of over thirty-five displays, creators Faye McLeod and Ansel Thompson bring the windows of one of the world’s leading luxury brands to life with their unparalleled magic. Featuring an introduction by The New York Times fashion director and critic Vanessa Friedman, these celebrated vitrines are presented as works of art in this hand-bound oversize Ultimate Collection edition, capturing the inspired world that is Louis Vuitton. Vanessa Friedman is fashion director of The New York Times and International New York Times. Previously she was the inaugural fashion editor of the Financial Times and worked as features and fashion features director for InStyle UK, arts contributor at The Economist and European editor at Elle U.S. She has contributed regularly to Vogue, The New Yorker, and Entertainment Weekly. Friedman is the author of…

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