2 comments about Medical Design.

1. This book is representative of the Daab series. The interiors shown are mostly European, Ultra contemporary looks. They are great to stimulate thought about medical interiors, but the styling may seem cold or un-adorned to some american eyes.



2. Daab has created a series of books showing the very latest and most striking designs of all types of buildings intended for special purposes. In this one, it is obviously on medical facilities. It includes individual offices (including treatment rooms, waiting rooms, nurses stations, pharmacies) which may be office suites in larger buildings or independent buildings, and hospitals.
   
   The pictures are from locations literally around the world and as such serve as an excellent idea book to consult when planning any project related to a medical facility. The book is supurbly photographed, beautifully printed, and bound using traditional sewn signatures that produce a book that is much stronger and long lasting than other methods.
   
   The surprising point is that such as book is as inexpensive as this one happens to be.

5 comments about ADOBE! Homes and Interiors: of Taos, Santa Fe and the Southwest.

1. If you are working on an adobe or thinking about it, this is the book you need. It's not as glamorous as many others but it is loaded with detail and design and ideas. Some might make it a coffee table book, but it is really more of a reference work for design ideas when you are working on specifics, like design and style of fireplace. It also surprises the reader with many historic pictures of, almost always, women doing the mud plaster or other aspects of construction. My favorite is the section with specific instructions on how to build one of the typical rounded fireplaces. An excellent book.



2. Any architect or serious interior decorator exploring, or deeply into, the southwestern style will not be disappointed with this book. It is filled with hundreds of photos of interior and exterior features, including wide-angle views encompassing entire rooms, showing southwest fine art and artifacts in a domestic context. Don't be surprised that most of the photos are black and white--although there are dozens of color photos too. Instead, appreciate the play of light and shadow that finely crafted adobe structures have at their command. Black and white photos show this in high contrast. But don't let the photos overshadow the text that will provide an education to adobe architects of all levels. Anyone iiving in a true adobe, and wants to follow a classic southwest theme, will find lots of inspiration--and then the hunt will be on to find the kind of indigenous southwest decor seen here.



3. This book offers all one could want in the way of Santa Fe style home building. Seeing the interiors of actual Southwest homes is a huge inspiration when decorating. Filled with many informative photos.



4. This should be titled Architectural Details of Adobe Homes of New Mexico." The author has lived in Santa Fe and clearly loves it. The reader will get many ideas from the photographs of existing New Mexican homes to incorporate into their adobe home. However, I must say that after awhile, everything being wonderful, unsurpassed, great, wears thin.



5. This book is a historical archive of what are referred to as homes. Mostly black and white photos of Indian dwellings that does not lend to actual interior decorating. This title belongs to the history section in a high school library. I had purchased and returned this work in the same breath.

2 comments about Architecture in Detail: Colors (Architecture in Detail).

1. Unfortunatelly I have never received this book.
   What has happened with the shipment?
   My address is:
   FASTWEB, Ana Paula Calle
   Via Paolo Veronese 252
   10148, Torino
   Italy



2. The third volume in the "Architecture in Detail" series, Colors: Architecture in Detail explores the work of top architects and interior designers working today. Especially focusing on the form/color duality, Colors is filled cover to cover with beautiful photographs illustrating rooms and exteriors based around the impact of various colors: white, black, red, blue, yellow, brown, gray, green, and polychrome. Paragraph highlights draw attention to specific details, but the majority of Colors focuses squarely upon the almost dreamlike images themselves. A truly captivating volume simply to page through.

1 comments about Country Style.

1. This book is a dream. If you like warmth, wood, natural finishes, natural shapes, a relative degree of simplicity where humaness rather than layers of chinz fabric or in-human white lines rules, truth, age and interiors full of love, then this is the most wonderful book on the subject I have ever seen. Of course its dominated by hundreds of full page, color photographs, each one stunning.

   The main body of the book (about two thirds) is dominataed by chapters which divide up interior looks according to different countries. Miller covers English Country style, American colonial, Scandinavian/Swedish, Italin and Spanish plus a couple of others. Under each country, we get a tour of a number of special houses which represent the country style of that land. Under Italy, a beautiful Tuscan villa is visited room by room. Under England, a mid-sized Elizabethan home. And so on.

   The remainder of the book, is divided into chapters which look at country style according to different rooms: kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms etc. Also a brief, but enlightening tour of country style through the ages - ie by period.

   What more could you ask for? Sensational, utterly inspiring photographs - (is the text EVER really that useful in these sort of books?) Incidentally, if you love wood for your interiors, I also HIGHLY recommend Wooden Houses by the same author. all just glorious and real and definitely make one want to either move out of the city or somehow bring the warmth and beauty of this style into one's town house.

No comments about Feng Shui Style: The Asian Art of Gracious Living.

5 comments about Camps and Cottages.

1. I was looking for a book with a softer approach and lighter colors. This book would be great for someone who loves dark colors, such as greens, browns, reds and plaids, and wants a more primative old fashioned approach. Also some of the pictures were quite small.



2. I loved this book. I can't tell you how many times I've picked it up and looked through all of the wonderful pictures. If you love the camp and/or cottage style, this book is a must for you.



3. The book's text and photographs made me wish I could be there (in Oregon). I enjoyed reading the author's growth in the book, what led her to write it. I found the step-by-step projects well detailed and the pictures excellent. Thank you.



4. I loved this book. For years I have been collecting Cowboy and Native American items and have gotten tired of the basically "masculine" feel of the rooms. This book incorporated many of these same elements in a shabby chic, cottage chic way. It showed me how to marry all these styles into one visually appealing look. I found my style! I just wish that there had been more written substance to the book. It took me all of 45 minutes to digest both the written dialogue and the pictures. However, I did especially find moving the dedication to Popeye, the resident cat. Gotta love an animal lover!



5. Camps and Cottages has some nice photographs of interior home furnishings. What I didn't like about the book are several things. The pictures are repeated throughout the book. For the price of this book I want to see original pictures on each page. The use of small pictures, about 1" square is really difficult for the eye to see. Printing text over textured, colored pages is extremely difficult to read. Descriptions are given of various rooms with no pictures to match, causing the reader confusion. Some photographs are cut off, even though the description includes items not seen. Some of the photographs are out of focus.

No comments about Hip Lounging Japan.

2 comments about Modernist Paradise: Niemeyer House, Boyd Collection.

1. I have been in the O.N. house and have contributed a few pieces to the collection of Michael and Gabriele Boyd. To me, it is the perfect house in design and functionality. The collection of early industrial design to mid century modern or simply put - from Breuer to Prouve and Eames. This book describes one of the best modern collections worldwide and offers pieces that any museum can envy along with the house that frees your spirit of unuseful clutter and lets you create. The house and functionality is in detail and written I invite anyone to enjoy this book for it is the best pictured private collection in a truly deserving setting. The effort and determination of M & G Boyd to renovate the O.N. house have paid off and as the book shows, they deserve every credit imaginable for it. What a house and outstanding modern collection. This book is a must have for any collector of modern industrial design, architectual design and good taste. Enough said... Just buy it and enjoy.
   Thank you for the book Michael & Gabriele. -
   D.Axer - Modern20



2. This book is beautifully put together in words and photographs. It is interesting, intelligent and informative. There is no better gift for those who appreciate good design. I recommend it whole heartedly.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

No comments about Flamant Home Interiors: Here and Elsewhere.

5 comments about Divinely Decadent.

1. Stephen Calloway, a self-described elderly roue and one of the more recherche and picturesque curators haunting the corridors of London's Victoria and Albert Museum (his words), is a wonderful author on the subjects of architecture and interior design. And Deidi von Schaewen is a very talented photographer whose work appears in World of Interiors and other magazines. So it is well-written and produced, but not so compelling for this reviewer.
   
   After A Little History of Divine Decadence, there are chapters on Pride, Covetousness, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, and Sloth. Points are illustrated by photos of contemporary interiors by owners who enjoy the persuit of beauty. This reviewer prefers the interiors that are the everyday environment rather than those that appear to be proped for the photo shoot, however. Also, there is a directory so the reader can find the author's recommended barber and hatter to today's dandies, for example.
   
   Although this book might not be a reference that one would return to over and over again, bargain pricing that is comparative to the price of a premium magazine makes this a good choice for the guest room nightstand or as a gift for one's own divinely decadent friends.



2. I have more than my share of interior decorating books. This one is the best! I have never seen such a beautiful, inspirational book. And it is also interesting to read, another plus.



3. I just received my copy of "Divinely Decadent" and was immediately captivated by the beautifully lush interiors presented by Stephen Calloway. I loved the spicy, exotic rooms which pepper this elegantly slim volume and cannot wait to devour it page by sumptuous page. "Divinely Decadent" is not your mother's decorating book. It is bold, over the top, balls-to-the-wall decorating that is definitely decadently divine!!!



4. I have lots of books on decorating, but this is the only one I can recall where the text is just as interesting and illuminating and exciting as the photographs--and the photographs are terrific. The authors begin the book with a nice "history of decadence", and they were truly inspired in organizing the book around the Seven Deadly Sins--you will have a hard time deciding which of the seven is your favorite. There are plentiful quotes from such demigods of decadence as Oscar Wilde, and wonderful over-the-top (and gorgeous) interiors designed by flamboyant characters like the late great Tony Duquette. The choice of interiors ranges from the traditional French-boudoir style of decadence to modern edgy ones, so there is something for everybody. My house is a nice virtuous Arts and Crafts house, but this book gave me some clues about the use of rich colors, fabrics, and the combining of objects so that even I can edge closer toward divine decadence. Loved it!



5. Stephen Calloway definitely does not subscribe to the theory "less is more." Thank goodness. Who needs another book on tasteful, bland interiors? I much prefer the pillow-strewn canopy beds and sparkling Edwardian dining rooms in Divinely Decadent. There's an almost voyeuristic thrill in being able to peek into these incredibly sumptuous interiors. The fact that they are inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins only adds to their over-the-top appeal!