Books for my Christmas List: 2014

Every fall, I 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.  I must admit, I have not bought many books this year – I haven’t even heard much buzz about the new books published this year– so I had to do some in-depth research. I am intrigued with all of these books, and I would love your insight if you have read any of these books, or if you have recommendations for additional books that I might have missed.

Norman Askins is an Atlanta based architect who has been practicing for decades, and follows in the Classical tradition of the greats of Atlanta architecture. According to his website, he was “trained directly by primary sources – English country manors, eighteenth century pattern books, and early Colonial and antebellum Southern houses – he has learned not just to imitate historical precedents, but also to think like the craftsmen who created them”. The books covers fifteen of his beautiful residences, and the text is by Susan Sully, well known for her wonderful books on architecture and design. Click here to see on Amazon.

Decorating the Way I See It is very high on my list. I have seen some images from the book (not to mention how incredible the cover looks), and Markham Roberts’ design is incredible. Reading comments and reviews, not only does the book have wonderful design images, but it also is a guide to decorating, and is divided into several sections: Floor Plan, Background, Scheme, Furniture, Collecting, Art, and Custom. Click here to see this book on Amazon.

Since I tend to be somewhat focused on American designers, I was not familiar with Jean-Louis Deniot by name, but when looking at images of his work, I knew most of them.  Denoit is a Paris based designer who has been selected as one of the AD100 in recent years, and his workis considered to be the epitome of current day French style. One review notes “His mix is highly individual and includes contemporary art and custom-made furniture, yet his rooms always look comfortable and are never overly formal or trendy. This book demonstrates a new, sophisticated classical style that is changing the scene for international design and offering inspiration and ideas to decorators, homeowners, and antiques enthusiasts.” –California Homes. Click here to see this book on Amazon.  (Note: there appear to be several different cover versions of this book, so Amazon shows a different cover image).

Private Houses of France looks amazing, and the cover pulls me in right away. According to The Editor at Large, “A historical, cultural and architectural journey through a dozen exquisite and refined French châteaux and residences, Private Houses of France features a dozen aristocratic French families who invite readers to experience their elegant lifestyle, from the royal stag hunting tradition of Louis XI and Louis XIII at the Château de Champchevrier to Hubert de Givenchy's elegant Parisian townhouse imbued with grandeur and comfort in the style of Napoleon III. The featured houses, illustrated with specially commissioned photography, represent key periods of French decoration.”  Click here to see on Amazon.

On a more English note, The Drawing Room: English Country House Decoration offers inside access to 50 of finest drawing rooms of English country houses and townhouses, and is written by a former architectural editor of Country Life.  The forward is by Julian Fellowes, which is quite appropriate given that he is the creator of Downton Abbey. This would be a wonderful addition to the Anglophile’s library, or anyone who loves English décor and Downton Abbey style. Click here to see on Amazon.

The book Novel Interiors intrigues me – I love the creative combination of interior design and literature!  The author, Lisa Borgnes Giramonti, also writes well known blog A Bloomsbury Life. I read that the home on the cover belongs to designer designer Schuyler Samperson.  According the publisher information on the book…”For those who have ever lost themselves in the stylish worlds of novels like Sense and Sensibility, The Age of Innocence, Wuthering Heights, The Picture of Dorian Gray and countless others, this design book embraces the fantasy of time and place, showing you how to bring some of those elements into your own home”. Click here to see on Amazon.

I’m curious about this new book, by a leader in Atlanta design, Nancy Braithwaite. Has anyone read it? Click here to see this book on Amazon.

There is a new Cy Twombly book out. He is one of my favorite artists, and I look forward to seeing and reading this book. Click here to see on Amazon.

One of my favorite experiences this year was attending the Henri Matisse Cut-Outs exhibit at the Tate Modern in London (it is now on display at the MoMA).  The book that accompanies the exhibit is remarkable, and it sold at a big discount on Amazon. Click here to see this book on Amazon.

I love the work of Spanish artist Joaquin Sorolla, and there is a new book out this year that has excellent reviews. Click here to see on Amazon.

I have a fondness of classic American quilts, and this book looks wonderful. Four Centuries of Quilts, from the Colonial Williamsburg collection. Click here to see on Amazon.

One of my favorite very special art books, a complete collection of Mark Rothko – I own this, and people ask me about it so much that I thought I would include it. Click here to see on Amazon.

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Here are the book lists from past years – there are some truly incredible books on these lists (some of my all time favorites), and I recommend taking a look!

Favorite architecture and design books from 2013: http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2013/12/books-from-2013.html

2013 books on my Christmas list: http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2013/11/books-for-my-christmas-list-2013.html

2012 books on my Christmas list: http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2012/11/books-for-my-christmas-list.html

2011 books on my Christmas list: http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/12/my-book-list-christmas-2011.html

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We sold out of most of the Melissa Payne Baker paintings that I posted last week, but have added a new group – they are beautiful!

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/artist/melissa-payne-baker

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My favorite design and architecture books of 2013

I am a bit late in getting this out, but here is the list of art/décor/architecture books that I have acquired in 2013 – it was a great year for books!   I thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of these books, and think you will too.  It’s certainly not too late to purchase these for Christmas (as ideas for yourself or others) with Amazon’s speedy shipping.

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I have seen Brian McCarthy’s work in my favorite magazines (most recently, a beautiful project in Veranda), and knew he was a Parrish-Hadley alum.  But reading this book really opened my eyes to the extraordinary quality of his work, which is based on many years of study, travel, experience, and a deep understanding of design.  McCarthy was recently selected for the AD100; in his profile, AD says McCarthy “likens his process to that of a painter, adding one decorative layer upon another to create homes that are intimate portraits of his clients”.  The book is wonderful, and deserves its own blog post. Each of the nine projects has its own chapter; McCarthy gives the full story of each project and interweaves it with beautiful photos.  The design of the individual projects is totally unique and reflective of the lifestyle of McCarthy’s clients.   

I was particularly interested to see (for the first time) the interiors of a 10,000 square foot townhouse in Atlanta that was decorated in authentic 18th century French style.  I had heard about this residence through the years, and it won a Shutze award in 2012, but to see the interiors in this book was truly a privilege.  According to the detail about the project, the townhouse took 35 trips to Europe to furnish (over the course of 5 years) and was one of the most memorable projects of McCarthy's career.  I highly, highly recommend this book – all 256 pages kept me spellbound. Click here to see Luminous Interiors on Amazon.

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In the new book, Suzanne takes us through eight houses, each of which has unique character and style. Each project inspired Suzanne in different ways, reflecting the lifestyles and tastes of her clients and the environments in which the houses function. Some of the projects have never been published, and some have been published. However, 30-50 pages are devoted to each house, so many rooms and details are revealed that have never been seen before, with in depth perspectives on the process that went into the design, why certain items and colors were selected, and how the specific space relates to the whole.  When reading the book, I felt as if I was getting a personal tour of each house by Suzanne herself. I was also struck with the wide range of styles featured in the houses, which emphasizes how Suzanne truly makes the spaces so personal to each client and so reflective of their specific style and taste. Timeless Style can be seen on Amazon here.

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One of my favorite books of the year, it is full of beautiful images of interiors by the talented team at Circa Interiors.  This is a book I go to again and again for inspiration and to see how the authors and their design teams handled different situations. Click here to see The Welcoming House on Amazon.

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It is a wonderful book that is full of beautiful pictures of many of Mr. Schafer’s projects, and details the thought behind the design or restoration of the houses, the landscape, and their interiors.  The book is divided into two parts – the first part covering the philosophy of Mr. Schafer’s approach to architecture, landscape, and interiors, and the second part covering four specific houses (including their floor plans and a detailed story of each house).  Many of the houses are decorated by the top designers in the industry, as well as nationally recognized landscape architects. Click here to see The Great American House on Amazon.

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I have a sincere appreciation for the aesthetic and design of California based designers, and have admired Suzanne Tucker’s style for years. This is her second book, and the focus is on recent projects.  Fifteen projects are beautifully presented, overall more casual than the ones in her first book, but no less luxurious – perhaps reflecting the way people want to live in the 21st century.  Click here to see Suzanne Tucker Interiors on Amazon.

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I am a huge fan of Jan Showers work (her first book, Glamorous Rooms, is one of my all time favorites).  Her latest book invites us into the vacation retreats of her lucky client base, where she creates her signature mix of elegant, glamorous style in places as diverse as Nantucket, Bachelor Gulch, Flagstaff, Marin County, and the Bahamas (to name a few).  Twelve homes are profiled, with beautiful images from each one. Click here to see Glamorous Retreats on Amazon. 

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This wonderful book has been reviewed on many blogs, and the pictures from the book are remarkable (by Tria Giovan, one of my favorite photographers). The book documents the process to create and decorate designer Howard Slatkin’s magnificent, layered, opulent 5th Avenue Apartment; it is a place where “Mrs. Astor’s 400”  in the Gilded Age would feel very much at home.  But aside from the lush photography and layered design, what really pulled me into this book was the text – the story of the transformation of a dream to an apartment to a home, in total detail, from start to finish -  as described and documented by the designer who created it. Fifth Avenue Style can be seen on Amazon here.

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I reviewed Stephen Sills’ new book here; it is a beautiful, high quality book inside and out, with fourteen houses (one of which include the landscape design too) featured in great detail with superb photography. Each one is different, and is filled with nuances in both design and architecture that will make this a book that I return to again and again as reference. Decoration can be seen on Amazon here.

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I have admired William Hefner’s work for years, and in fact two of his kitchen designs were great inspirations for my own kitchen design.  Hefner is based in Los Angeles, and the California aesthetic is an essential component of his work.  However, the beauty of his design and the architecture transcend location and are new American classics.  I was particularly excited that each of the nine projects detailed in his book (which include my two favorites, Hancock Park (Hefner’s own home), and Bristol Circle) contain floor plans, furniture plans, and 3D models, plus extensive commentary on the background and process involved with each project.  As Hefner writes, “I consider us fortunate to have participated in projects from traditional to contemporary, formal to rustic, and expansive to petite. These experiences have allowed a richness to evolve in our work in terms of details and materials”. Click here to see California Homes on Amazon.

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This book was unavailable on Amazon for quite awhile – I had it on my Christmas list a few years ago, and did not receive it, and was disappointed to see that it was no longer available soon after Christmas of that year. When I saw it was back in print, I immediately ordered it – and it’s a  gorgeous, wonderful quality book, with thick pages and extremely high quality photography. It displays an intimate view of one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. Alas, I did not make it to Versailles on my trip to Paris in June of 2013, but until then, I have this book. Click here to see the book on Amazon.

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Last, but certainly not least, the new (and first) book by Thomas Pheasant. This book deserves a post of its own, which I will try to do soon…but I have immensely enjoyed seeing his work first hand as he created the beautiful interiors in my sister’s newly renovated house. This book is full of insight into Pheasant’s process (it’s a wonderful read) and also full of glorious pictures of his work.  I highly recommend it. Click here to see Simply Serene on Amazon.

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Have you read any of these books?  Any others to recommend?  I hope these books make it under the Christmas tree for some of you, and bring you as much enjoyment as they have brought me!

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Come visit some of my recent blog posts!

Lamps in my house

Kitchen island storage and Christmas china

Wreaths and bows

2013 books on my Christmas list: http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2013/11/books-for-my-christmas-list-2013.html
2012 books on my Christmas list: http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2012/11/books-for-my-christmas-list.html
2011 books on my Christmas list: http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/12/my-book-list-christmas-2011.html

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

Books in a Living Room Vignette

For more inspirational finds, please visit www.quatrefoildesign.com

As I was looking through my pictures, searching for a particular one, I came across this image that never fails to please me (the interior design is by Birmingham based firm Caldwell Flake).  There is something so lovely about this vignette – the symmetry is pleasing, but so is the slight variation that can be seen in the arrangement of the tables on either side. The colors and composition of the design, as well as the pattern on the fabric and pillows, really draw me in. In the past I have always preferred solid curtains, but I am finding myself gravitating to pattern more and more these days. I always like solid colors on upholstery, though!

As I am still trying to expand my book collection for the many unfilled shelves in my library, I took a closer look at the books under the side table on the left.  I spy American Decorative Arts; The Art of War; The World’s Best Golf; The Battle of the Bulge; Battle at Sea; Living with Dogs; More is More: Tony Duquette (my best guess); Perfect Neutrals (this is also a guess –the first word is perfect, and the font matches the book cover); Mood Indigo: Decorating with Rich, Dark Colors.  If books are a reflection on the interests of the homeowners (and are hopefully not just props for a photo shoot!), this small collection reflects a couple who are interested in history, decorative arts, home, golf, and dogs.

For more beautiful and inspiring images from Caldwell Flake, please visit their website here: http://www.caldwellflake.com/

www.quatrefoildesign.com

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My book list - Christmas 2011

For more inspirational finds, please visit www.quatrefoildesign.com

I have quite a few books on my Christmas wish list this year - despite the fact that I have been collecting design, architecture, and art books for years, I still have a lot of bookshelves to fill in the new house!  Although the ideal is to have a book whose cover is beautiful, with both inspiring pictures and text on the inside, truthfully I find merit in just about any architecture, art, or design book and get great joy in receiving them for Christmas. 

Here are some of the books that are on my 'wish list' this year - let me know if you have read them, or have any other suggestions.

Decorating in the French Style, by Jacques Garcia.  This book looks intriguing.  Click here to see on Amazon.

I absolutely love the cover of this book - has anyone read it? The Amazon reviews are not encouraging, but wouldn't this book look beautiful on a coffee table?  Click here to purchase on Amazon.

The English House: Architecture and Interiors. This book has excellent reviews on Amazon, and the cover is charming. Has anyone read it?  I might go ahead and order this as a gift for myself! Click here to see on Amazon.

English Hideaways has no reviews yet on Amazon, but the cover absolutely intrigues me - so beautiful! Has anyone read it?  Click here to view on Amazon.

Gertrude Jekyll and the Country House Garden has no reviews yet on Amazon, but is one of the first new books on this influential 20th century garden designer in over two decades.  She worked with famed architect Edwin Lutyens on over 100 projects.  Click here to view on Amazon.

This book is very high up on my wish list - The British Ambassador's Residence in Paris.  Click here to see on Amazon.

Historic Houses of Paris: Residences of the Ambassadors. This book looks promising - the Amazon reviews are strong.  Has anyone read it?  Click here to see on Amazon.

This book looks intriguing - Versailles, a Private Introduction. I love the cover - a beautiful pattern of sunlight shining across the grand floor creates a whole new perspective on such a famous landmark.  Has anyone read this book?  Click here to see on Amazon.

Katie Ridder is the talent behind many of my favorite rooms from my inspiration files.  I love her beautiful and sophisticated but playful use of color in her spaces.  She has a new book out - Katie Ridder Rooms - and I am looking forward to reading it! Click here to see on Amazon.

At Home, by Suzanne Rheinstein. Click here to view on Amazon.

The new Charles Faudree book Details. Click here to view on Amazon.

Some favorites from the past year, which have a place of honor in my library:

The English Country House (From the Archives of Country Life).  The house on the cover of this book is simply beautiful - and there are many equally beautiful examples of the finest in English Country architecture. Click here to purchase on Amazon.

Patina Style - a wonderful new book by Brooke and Steve Giannetti, authors of the blog Velvet & Linen - full of beauty and inspiration. Click here to purchase on Amazon.

Author Vicki Archer writes magnificent books on all that is French - see her blog French Essence here, and purchase her book on Amazon here.

Royal Jewels: From Charlemagne to the Romanovs The book is a unique addition to any book collection, and is both engaging and easy to flip through. Click here to purchase on Amazon.

I received this book for Christmas last year, and it is one of my current favorites. Click here to purchase on Amazon.

Style, by John Saladino.  This is one of my designer's ‘go-to’ books for inspiration. Purchase on Amazon here.

Axel Vervoordt, Timeless Interiors – purchase on Amazon here.

Michael S. Smith – Elements of Style.  One of the all time great books of interior design.  Purchase on Amazon here.

The Private House, by Rose Tarlow. One of my favorites - a great read as well as an inspiration for design.  Purchase on Amazon here.

Suzanne's book is definitely one that I actually reference again and again - I highly recommend.   Purchase on Amazon here.

Blog readers often ask me about my favorite architecture and design books.  I love books; in recent years, they have become my favorite Christmas gift to give and receive, and I enjoy spending the afternoon of Christmas day looking through and reading books.  I have gathered together all of my favorite architecture, design, and art books in one place – the Things That Inspire Amazon store.  Click here to visit it, or go to http://astore.amazon.com/thithains-20.  I have also posted about my favorite architecture books here. 

There are some wonderful new additions to the Penguin Classics series this year.  I often give this book as a hostess gift during the holiday season. Available from Amazon here.

I have gathered all of the special Penguin Classics in my Amazon bookstore.  They are little treasures!  Click here to see the whole collection: http://astore.amazon.com/thithains-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=4

I have also recently discovered that Puffin Classic has come out with a line of classic books with decorative covers.  


I am always looking for new suggestions - so please send me a message or leave a comment if you have any favorite architecture, art, or design books to recommend!


Also, I am now on Pinterest - a virtual inspiration board that has become an limitless source of inspiration - come visit me there: http://pinterest.com/ttiblog/

To subscribe to my blog by email, click here.
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Twitter: @TTIBlog
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Visit my online store, Quatrefoil Design: www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com

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