As always, I sought inspiration in the happy world of books. As I am currently rejuvenating my collection of interior design books, which tended toward the 'Lady Fetherstonehaugh shows us around her Georgian Drawing Room' school I thought I would list some old and new favourites.
For me, the bibles in interior design are 'Terence Conran's The House Book' vols 1 and 2 (reviewed here on the excellent Apartment Therapy blog). Volume 1 is especially brilliant, being of the 1970s Habitat period of decorating, essential for that Bohemian 70s look I grew up with. Vol 2 is more 80s/90s but still chock full of great rooms. I inherited these from our family book collection when I moved.
Recently, my two new favourites are the inspirational and useful 'Design Sponge at Home' by Grace Bonney (thanks to Sarah Rooftops for recommendation) and the fabulously decadent 'Seductive Interiors' by Sera Hersham-Loftus. The former is great for creative ideas for where you actually live and the latter for fantasising that you actually live on a houseboat done out like an Edwardian boudoir. Actually I mostly fantasise about living in a decrepit Gothic country house. Or an apartment on Paris' Left Bank. Or in that cliff top modern house in Diamonds are Forever (where Bond is attacked by Bambi and Thumper in an amazing swimming pool.) This is actually Elrod House of 1968 by genius architect John Lautner, all of whose houses are just stunningly glamourous, spectacular and eye bogglingly modern.
3 comments:
I loved the first House Book! I read it all the time when I was little.
In addition to Design Sponge, you might like Decorate (the Holly Becker one) and Domino.
My favourite house books are actually 'Paumes' publications. They do things like 'Stockholm's Love Apartments' and 'London Kitchens'. When I am feeling rich, I get one sent over from Japan :)
Not forgetting the Habitat Catalogue!
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