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Saturday, November 30, 2013

Books for my Christmas list 2013


Every fall, I always research the latest and greatest book offerings in the décor, landscape, and art world and think about which ones I would like to add to my personal library.  Some of these books are well known; others are obscure. I do not own any of the books on this list, but am very excited about the breadth and depth of the design, landscape, art and architecture books that have been released this year – it has been a banner year for books!  I would love your insight if you have read them, or if you have recommendations for any additional books that I might have missed (in a week or so, I will also post a list of books that I have read and enjoyed over the past year).




I saw this book when I was visiting Monticello, and it looks like is full of fascinating architectural research on the building techniques and design of houses and landscape of the Chesapeake region. In the description: “The essays describe how building design, hardware, wall coverings, furniture, and even paint colors telegraphed social signals about the status of builders and owners and choreographed social interactions”.  Click here to see The Chesapeake House on Amazon.


The Paris Sketchbook by Jason Brooks

I just stumbled upon this charming book as I was writing the post, and I have already decided it will be a gift for some of my friends and family.   Go to the Amazon page and take a look inside – the author and illustrator captures the essence of Paris in sketches, including the doorways of Paris (always an architectural feature that inspires me) and some of the unique day to day vignettes that makes Paris such a wonderful place. Click here to see on Amazon



I always love books on landscape. I realize more and more every year how important the landscape is to the overall design of a house and its environs.  This book looks intriguing, and I would love to know if anyone has read it. From the book description: “The past ten to fifteen years has been an exceptionally rich period in English garden design, and for this book Tim Richardson has selected twenty-five gardens which have gone through an intense phase of creativity and innovation during this time span”. Click here to see The New English Garden on Amazon.



I have been a long time fan of Alexa Hampton, but do not have her new book (yet!). One of my favorite mirrors is on the cover – a great enticement.  Click here to see on Amazon.



An art teacher introduced me to the work of Anders Zorn (1860-1920) and his luminous oil paintings. This new retrospective of Zorn’s work is high on my list and looks wonderful. I am always looking for good books on art, so let me know if you have any other recommendations in this genre.  Anders Zorn: Sweden’s Master Painter can be found on Amazon here.



This new book on John Singer Sargent watercolors came out in the spring, and has stellar reviews.  I have always been such a fan of watercolors – and have such an appreciation for this medium in the hands of one of my favorite artists. John Singer Sargent Watercolors can be found on Amazon here.



I am very curious about this book; I have not seen it yet, but have such respect for this interiors photographer who has photographed some of the most beautiful architecture and design in the world. I would love to know if you have read it – please let me know what you think. Francois Halard can be found on Amazon here.


 

I have always had a love and fascination with English architecture and design, and this book looks intriguing to me. The book description notes “the most versatile British designer of the 18th century, William Kent (1685–1748) created a style for a new nation and monarchy”.  William Kent: Designing Georgian Britain can be found on Amazon here.




From the book description: “A library is not just a collection of books, but also the buildings that house them. As varied and inventive as the volumes they hold, such buildings can be much more than the dusty, dark wooden shelves found in mystery stories or the catacombs of stacks in the basements of academia”. This looks like my kind of book. Has anyone read it? The Library: a World History can be found on Amazon here.



From the book description: “The essential purpose of a staircase is utilitarian: to facilitate ascent and descent. Yet the design of even the simplest stair is complex, requiring great knowledge, skill, and ingenuity. This volume showcases the astonishing diversity of staircases over the centuries, from the stepped pyramids of the Maya to the exquisitely proportioned stairs of the Renaissance, to the elaborate balustraded confections of the Baroque period, to the virtuosic, computer-aided designs of today”.  Staircases: the Architecture of Ascent can be found on Amazon here.



This new book, written by Elizabeth Meredith Dowling (who has authored many wonderful books on classical architecture)  - takes a historical perspective on the history of classical architecture. In the description: “A fresh perspective on the work of the most important figures of classical design from the seventeenth century to the present”.  Classical Interiors: Historical and Contemporary can be found on Amazon here.



I have thoroughly enjoyed Michael Smith’s previous books, and would love to know your thoughts on this one if you have read it. Building Beauty can be found on Amazon here



I am a fan of Vervoordt’s work and his minimalist style. I have not purchased this book yet – any thoughts?  Axel Vervoordt Living with Light can be found on Amazon here.



I have read many wonderful reviews of this book. Some people are calling it their favorite design book of the year. I would love to hear what you think if you have read this book. It looks like a winner!  Tom Scheerer Decorates can be found on Amazon here.



I saw this book in a décor store, and briefly looked through it. This is a substantial book – large in scale, full of beautiful photos and the personal insight of the designer, it looks like a great addition to any design library. From the book description: “Acclaimed worldwide for his eclectic and highly personal interiors that mix style and comfort with adventure and art, Lars Bolander showcases a stunning selection of his compelling interiors, sharing his unique inspirations and giving us privileged glimpses into how his intriguing creative process evolves. Each room truly does tell a fascinating story”.  Lars Bolander: Interior Design and Inspiration can be found on Amazon here.



The press has been wonderful for the new book by Atlanta based author of the blog The Peak of Chic and House Beautiful contributing editor Jennifer Boles. I’m definitely intrigued!  In with the Old can be found on Amazon here.



As a life long Anglophile and a frequent visitor of London, John Nash’s name is very familiar to me.  This is the first major book on John Nash in over 30 years.  From the book description: “John Nash is universally recognized as one of the most important architects of late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Britain. As the man responsible for the creation of Regent Street and Regent's Park, he left an indelible mark on the West End of London, and his two most famous buildings - the Brighton Pavilion and Buckingham Palace - are crucial to any understanding of the monarchy in the age of the Prince Regent (later George IV). Yet, even before he became involved in these ambitious projects, he made a major contribution to domestic architecture through the design of a series of stylistically varied villas, country houses and cottages in which he applied the doctrines of the Picturesque with an inventiveness and panache that has rarely been surpassed”.  John Nash: Architect of the Picturesque can be found on Amazon here.



This book came out last year, but somehow escaped my attention. I would love to know if anyone owns this or has read it. The Edwardian Country House can be found on Amazon here



This book was on my list last year, but with a price tag of $156, it is an investment. However,  it looks fantastic and has strong reviews.  Click here to see on Amazon.



Last year I reviewed The Scottish Country House, and this year The English Country House has been published, which covers 10 extraordinary and architecturally distinct English Country houses.  For the Downton Abbey fan, this would be a wonderful gift. The English Country House can be found on Amazon here


I always love receiving books for Christmas – after the excitement of Christmas morning, one of my favorite things is to curl up and read some of the books I have received as gifts.  I am very enthusiastic about the books that have come out this year, and would love to know if you have read any of the books on my list, or have a recommendation for books to put on my list. 


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To see design, architecture, art, and decorative books that I recommend, please visit the Things That Inspire Amazon store.

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Friday, November 22, 2013

The 2013 Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays

Please visit my new blog post too... Art, Design, Architecture, and Landscape books for my 2013 Christmas list 


It’s that time of year again!  The much anticipated Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays (formerly known as the Christmas House) opened its doors on November 15, and is open through December 8th.  I was able to see the house on Monday, and it is full of beauty and inspiration. Here are some highlights of the spaces, although this barely scratches the surface – you will have to visit yourself to see all of the magnificent rooms!

The 2013 Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays via Things That Inspire, photo credit Kate Byars
The exterior of the house, designed by Harrison Design Associates and built by Dovetail Builders. Photo credit Kate Byars Photography.


Most images taken by me, except where noted.

The 2013 Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays via Things That Inspire
The dining room was beautiful, with soft colors and special monogrammed chairs. Barbara Westbrook Interiors designed the room and it was a highlight.

I thought this was an artful close in shot of the dining room, which was gorgeously lit with three full size Christmas trees. Photo credit Occupy My Family on Instagram.

The 2013 Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays via Things That Inspire
The stair hall was also one of my favorite spaces. The soft color scheme worked well in this transition space. It was a nice place to linger, and the gracious proportions of the space lent itself well to taking in all of the special details in the room. Interior design by Courtney Giles Interiors.

The 2013 Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays via Things That Inspire
A close up of the bench in the space. It was the perfect size and scale, and the pillows are such a pretty touch.

The 2013 Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays via Things That Inspire
A view from the stairwell allows an appreciation of the entire vignette on the other side of the hall.

The 2013 Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays via Things That Inspire
This perspective shows the flow of the stair hall, which is a central hub of the house.

The 2013 Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays via Things That Inspire
The hallway upstairs featured a high impact collection of framed intaglios. This space was also designed by Courtney Giles. I love the color palette she selected.

Photo credit Kate Byars Photography.
The mudroom, by Insidesign. Photo credit Kate Byars Photography.

The 2013 Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays via Things That Inspire
Karen Ferguson from Harrison Design Associates designed this room. Harrison Design Associates selected all of the interior finishes for the house, and I was particularly taken with the floor of this laundry room, which is made up of round cork. I also love the soft drape of the sheer roman shade in this window.  The dog bed built into the wall is a nice touch!

The girl’s room by Allison Hennessy Designs was very pretty and fresh.

The 2013 Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays via Things That Inspire
A vignette from the guest suite, featuring antique furniture from Parc Monceau and fabrics from Duralee. The lamp is from Circa Lighting. The designers, Heather Dewberry and Will Huff, were in the room when I visited and filled me in on the design process and the sources for the beautiful items in the room.

The 2013 Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays via Things That Inspire
This room is full of beautifully crafted details – Huff and Dewberry noted that many of their clients are requesting a return to some of the custom details that make high end interior design so special. 

The 2013 Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays via Things That Inspire
Note the leading edge on these curtains.  The pleated detail made with the same fabric that is on the headboard and bedskirt (not pictured) is really lovely and very custom.  

The 2013 Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays via Things That Inspire
I snapped a quick instagram picture of the exterior of the house as I was leaving; the sun was setting, and the glow of the Christmas trees and the lights on the roofline were too pretty to resist. 

I pass by this house many times a week (it’s on one of my regular routes), and have watched it being built over the past year. It was so gratifying to see it complete and beautifully decorated. I highly recommend a visit to the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays if you are in Atlanta.  There is nothing like seeing and experiencing a showhouse first hand, and being inspired by all of the many exquisite details.

Have you visited? What did you think? If you haven't visited, do you have a favorite image in this post?  I focused on the more traditional spaces. There were many others that were more transitional and very streamlined.  It was a great mix of styles and designs.



58 Blackland Road NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30327

 
November 15 - December 8, 2013
Thurs - Sat: 11am - 5pm
Sun: 1pm - 5pm
Closed: Mon - Wed,
and Thanksgiving Day
Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

Featuring  the following designers:
Courtney Giles Interior Design; Kay Douglass Interiors; Anthony Wolf; Steve McKenzie; Peace Design Inc.; Womack Interiors; Stanton Home Furnishings; Westbrook Interiors; Musso Design Group; Huff-Dewberry; Insidesign; Allison Hennessy Interior Design; Tracery; Harrison Design Associates; Boxwoods Garden & Gifts; Bell Kitchen & Bath Studios; Alex Smith Garden Design

For special events and weekend workshops taking place during the duration of the showhouse, please visit http://www.atlantaholidayhome.com/events.html





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Monday, November 18, 2013

Horsley Kaufman Couture Pillows and a Giveaway!

There’s lots to cover in this post – a new couture pillow line, a fabulous launch party (including a custom cocktail recipe), lots of inspirational décor pictures, and last but not least – an amazing pillow giveaway worth $575!  Information on the giveaway is at the end of the post, but there are lots of beautiful images between here and there, so let’s get started.

Earlier this year, I was thrilled to learn that Margaret Kaufman, a fellow parent at my youngest daughter’s school, was designing a couture soft goods and pillow line with well known Atlanta antique dealer Linda Horsley.  And now, the Horsley Kaufman collection has officially been launched, and it is beautiful!    Their collection of fine soft goods is created with hand-selected antique textiles and trims and the highest quality modern materials.  The addition of fine dressmaker detailing elevates the old-world and couture inspired pieces to original works of art.

Word of Horsley Kaufman’s pillows and soft goods has already begun to spread.  Some of their pillows can be seen on seating arrangement at the end of the bed in this beautiful master bedroom designed by Amy Morris.  Image via Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles.

Circa Interiors designers Cindy Smith and Patrick Lewis used a Horsley Kaufman pillow made from an 18th century antique tapestry in the Adamsleigh Traditional Home Showhouse. Photo: John Bessler

Horsley Kaufman pillows are seen on the sofa in this beautiful living room of a house that was featured in Veranda, and was on the market recently. I wrote a blog post about this house here; photo credit Blayne Beacham.  Interior design by Peggy Stone.

A beautiful vignette from the Horsley Kaufman website – one of their pillow designs ‘in situ’. Photo credit Katerina Fullen of Katerina Photography.

One of my favorites, an early 1900's Scroll Applique on Velvet with Shirred Wool Border


Earlier this month, Linda, Margaret, and Edgar-Reeves owner Stephanie Reeves co-hosted a Fall cocktail party and trunk show celebrating the new Horsley Kaufman line of pillows at Edgar-Reeves Lighting and Antiques, located at The Galleries of Peachtree Hills.   The party was a huge success, with many of the luminaries of the Atlanta design community in attendance.  There was even a signature drink – the sparkle and snap – more on that later (with a recipe).

All images, except where noted, by Katerina Fullen of Katerina Photography.  Her portfolio is beautiful and can be seen here: http://www.katerinaphotography.com  Although Katerina specializes in editorial portraiture of children, she also photographs events of many types.  Please visit her website for more information.

 
The party took place at Edgar-Reeves, one of Atlanta’s premiere sources for custom lighting and shades.

Linda Horsley and Margaret Kaufman, founders of Horsley Kaufman
Many Horsley Kaufman pillows were beautifully displayed throughout the shop.  Here are a few that caught my eye…

Collection of Dressmaker Pillows in Linen

Pillows with Antique Tapestry, Monograms, Trims and Tassels.

Cummerbund Pillows in 18th C Metallic Embroidery, Antique Lace, and Shimmery Corded Linen

A beautiful vignette I couldn’t resist including, using my new favorite, ornamental kale.

Antique Trim with Shimmery Linen Looped Bow

Mix of Old-World and Couture Inspired Pillows

Antique Trim with Silk Flower on Velvet

1920s Leather Applique on Velvet with Handmade Tassels of Antique Trims

Couture-inspired Bows, Straps and Knots in Wool, Velvet and Suede. 

The Beatrix Potter inspired buffet table was beautiful and so perfect for a crisp fall night.

Linda Horsley and Margaret Kaufman (front) posing with the Edgar-Reeves team (left to right, Davis Harrington,  Deborah Childers, Edgar-Reeves owner Stephanie Reeves, and Maggie Bailey).

The hosts worked with Morganne Lee at Atlanta's H&F Bottle Shop to create an original Autumnal champagne cocktail for the event.

It was really delicious (like an adult version of ginger ale), so I thought I would ask for the recipe and pass it on to you!

The key ingredient is Shrub & Co's Spicy Ginger Shrub. Spicy Ginger Shrub is also great with sparkling water for a non-alcoholic alternative.

For the evening's playlist, Linda, Margaret and Stephanie asked some of their Atlanta design friends to submit a tune.  All of the music was put on a CD and was handed out as a party favor at the end of the evening. Take a look at what some of Atlanta’s best designers picked as their tune!


To shop for Horsley Kaufman fine soft goods, please visit their website here - http://horsleykaufman.com/.  Horsley Kaufman regularly updates their online gallery with new works.  To view their current inventory, be sure to visit their website on a regular basis.



Now, on to the giveaway!  Horsley Kaufman will be giving one of their dressmaker linen pillows to one lucky Things That Inspire reader. The retail value is $575, so this is a generous giveaway!

The winner can select one of these two pillows styles:

Horsley Kaufman Dressmaker Wrap with Shirring & Woven Knots Pillow (this pillow can be found online here).

 
OR

Horsley Kaufman Dressmaker Braiding with Shirring Pillow (this pillow can be found online here).

To enter, please visit the Horsley Kaufman online gallery and take a look at their beautiful pillows.  Then, make a comment on Things That Inspire with the Horsley Kaufman pillow that catches your eye!  Leave a comment on this post (email subscribers, click here to make a comment).  Any anonymous comments must contain an email contact so I can contact you if you are the winner!  

Comments will be closed Thursday, November 21 at 5 pm, and winner will be selected at random and may pick from one of the two dressmaker linen pillows pictured above (Retail Value $575).  Winner will be notified by email. Horsley Kaufman will ship the winner's chosen pillow to their address.

I hope you enjoyed this introduction to Horsley Kaufman, and best of luck in the giveaway!  Click here to comment for your chance to enter the giveaway. I will need some way to contact the winner, so if you don't have a blog profile, don't forget to leave your email in the comment. 

UPDATE: comments are closed.  The winner of this giveaway is 


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To see design, architecture, art, and decorative books that I recommend, please visit the Things That Inspire Amazon store.

For advertising and sponsorship opportunities on Things That Inspire, please click here. We carefully select the sponsors that are featured on Things That Inspire, and only partner with those whose aesthetic and product is a good fit with the interests of our readers. Posts on Things That Inspire may contain links to sponsor sites.

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