4 comments about William Morris: Decor and Design.

1. Elizabeth Wilhide's superb "William Morris: Decor and Design" will be a real treat for William Morris fans. Wilhide combines dozens of sumptuous color photographs of Morris interiors with an overview of his life, his influences, and his artistic goals. I learned a number of interesting things about his personal background, such as:

   - His beautiful wife Jane had a long affair with fellow artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti;
   - In addition to his design work, he was such a respected poet that he was offered the poet laureateship of England once Tennyson had died;
   - Many of his designs are still in active production today, more than a century after his death.

   Morris shunned the effect the Industrial Revolution had had on the arts in England (and elsewhere) and proposed that hand-crafted art, furniture, wallpaper, and so on be the goal of an artists' cooperative he helped to found. He felt that art should be in every home and that it should be useful, beautiful to look at, and durable. This success of the cooperative produced the uncomfortable situation, for Morris, of having art be so beautifully and painstakingly produced by hand that, in the end, only the wealthy could afford it.

   The photographs of Morris interiors, wallpaper designs, furniture, and more, are absolutely sumptuous, and Wilhide's well-informed and well-written text helps to expand our understanding of the whole of Morris' life. Highly recommended!




2. With its stunning photographs, reproduced in exceptional color, William Morris: Décor & Design is a fine interior design book that belongs on every coffee table. This book will surely win more appreciation for the diverse talents of the great designer when newcomers to Morris see the breadth of his talents presented so beautifully. As a long-time admirer, I have many books about the 19th century designer, poet, fantasist, etc., but this is one of my favorites, as well as one of the most complete books on his design that I have seen. Photographs range from the interiors of houses and public buildings decorated by Morris for clients, to the homes he actually lived in. Insets show details of patterns, from wallpaper to tapestry to upholstery fabric to curtains, as well as pages from his illuminated books and the Morris & Co. catalog. Non-Morris interiors are shown for comparison. A pictorial glossary of his most common patterns completes the book. Further, the biography chapter is a good, comprehensive introduction to Morris, describing his forays into politics and literature, as well as his many efforts in all aspects of design. I recommend this beautifully designed book, a fitting tribute to Morris's own delight in design, to any lover of beauty in art and design.



3. With its stunning photographs, reproduced in exceptional color, William Morris: Décor & Design is a fine interior design book that belongs on every coffee table. This book will surely win more appreciation for the diverse talents of the great designer, especially when newcomers to Morris see the breadth of his talents presented so beautifully. As a long-time admirer, I have many books about the 19th century designer, poet, fantasist, etc., but this is one of my favorites, as well as one of the most complete books on his design that I have seen. Photographs range from the colorful interiors of houses and public buildings decorated by Morris for clients, to the homes he actually lived in. Insets show details of his striking patterns, from wallpaper to tapestry to upholstery fabric to curtains, as well as pages from his illuminated books and the Morris & Co. catalog. Non-Morris interiors are shown for comparison. A pictorial glossary of his most common patterns completes the book. Further, the biography chapter is a good, comprehensive introduction to Morris, describing his forays into politics and literature, as well as his many efforts in all aspects of design. I recommend this beautifully designed book, a fitting tribute to Morris's own delight in design, to any lover of beauty in art and design.



4. With its stunning photographs, reproduced in exceptional color, William Morris: Décor & Design is a fine interior design book that belongs on every coffee table. This book will surely win more appreciation for the diverse talents of the great designer, especially when newcomers to Morris see the breadth of his talents presented so beautifully. As a long-time admirer, I have many books about the 19th century designer, poet, fantasist, etc., but this is one of my favorites, as well as one of the most complete books on his design that I have seen. Photographs range from the colorful interiors of houses and public buildings decorated by Morris for clients, to the homes he actually lived in. Insets show details of his striking patterns, from wallpaper to tapestry to upholstery fabric to curtains, as well as pages from his illuminated books and the Morris & Co. catalog. Non-Morris interiors are shown for comparison. A pictorial glossary of his most common patterns completes the book. Further, the biography chapter is a good, comprehensive introduction to Morris, describing his forays into politics and literature, as well as his many efforts in all aspects of design. I recommend this beautifully designed book, a fitting tribute to Morris's own delight in design, to any lover of beauty in art and design.

No comments about Designer Hotels.

2 comments about Cafes and Coffee Shops, No. 2.

1. Sure some of the pictures were nice, and some of the designs were inspiring. But a few of the pictures were fuzzy, and some of the featured locales just didn't seem to fit with the title. For instance a sports bar? or bar/kiosk at a stadium? And heck, some of the cafe's were nearly ugly. I guess I was just expecting more...



2. Not a day goes by that I don't look at this book on my bookshelf and get inspired on the next design of one of our restaurants. Great photography, great resource directory. A must if you own or or going to be in the business.

No comments about The Making of Interiors: An Introduction.

No comments about Lighting (Small Books).

3 comments about The Complete Idiot's Guide to Decorating Your Home, Second Edition (2nd Edition).

1. There is a lot of information in this book, but it does not go into depth about a lot of subjects. (Too many to mention here) I am not a novice, and a lot of information was either left out or not given. It is OK for just the basics, but the book to me is boring, especially with few photos (in the middle of the book) If I were going for the basics, I'd want a book that told me how many square feet a gallon of paint covered, or a roll of wallcovering covered. How about measuring for blinds, or draperies? If you would like a true how-to book try "Fabrique Technique" on fabric corrdination or "Use What You Have Decorating" on furniture placement. They're both informative and useful information that you can really use.



2. I was a complete idiot for not reading the book's description more carefully before I bought it. Talking about decorating is OK, but you have to SHOW me something beautiful too. This is only HALF a decorating book, becauase it has no photos.



3. I have zero talent in the decorting department. This book was great it showed me many different ways I could get the look I was looking for. If you are all thumbs when it comes to decorating and don't know where to start, yet you know you want a fresh new look this is the book for you.

1 comments about Period Style.

1. An invaluable aid to those whose desire is to authentically decorate, this book covers the periods spanning from Medieval through Moderism and Art Deco. The author, Mary Gilliatt is a distinguished international interior designer and the author of more than twenty-five books on decoration and design. This book contains a helpful glossary of period decorating terms, the color palettes of each time period, and an abundance of color photographs. Having recently moved into a new home, this book has been a tremendous help to me in choosing authentic looking window treatments and furnishings of a prior period in history.

3 comments about Houses of Saint-Tropez.

1. This book is full of beautiful images and you really can dream to stay there, in these magnificent villas, breathing the Provence air and earing the sound of the waves.
   It describes very well the atmosphere of St.Tropez.



2. I was looking for a book that covers the architectural views of the houses of Saint Tropez. This book should be entitled the Interiors of Saint Tropez. Less than 10 exterior photos of any value. Beautiful photography of eclectic interiors of the French Med. variety.



3. I just love looking through books like this with photos and descriptions of unique houses. This one profiles 23 vacation homes, cottages and mansions. Some are modern, others charm with their bohemian style or Moroccan style. Don't miss the sailboat that was owned at one time by Errol Flynn.
   This book has beautiful homes with a special character that is Saint-Tropez plus lovely waterfront views, and bits of history to draw you into the spirit of the place.

1 comments about Country Living's Country Look and How to Get It: And How to Get It.

1. Mary Seehafer Sears is a country-decorating God.

2 comments about TreeHouses: Living a Dream.

1. I bought some books on tree houses cause I want to build one. This was no help. Nice pictures (and ideas, maybe), tough.
   If you want to look pictures and dream, buy the book. Otherwise don't.



2. There are an awful lot of 'pretty house' books out there. Some of them offering quite unusual house designs. But nothing I've ever seen compares with the designs in this book. ==I've seen houses built on poles because they are located in a flood plain. Of course the Swiss Family Robinson and the Ewoks of StarWars fame lived in tree houses. I had one as a kid, and when my daughter came along, she had one (she could pull up the ladder and keep her brother out).
   
   In this book however professional architects from all over Europe, Tasmania, and the U.S have been used to design houses that live up in trees. The houses are mostly not the entire living structure but are offices, retreats, studios, and some of the most exciting entertainment areas imaginable. The results are unbelievably striking.
   
   The integration of the advanced design with the natural look of the trees gives a feeling of working together that I wouldn't have expected. This is true if the tree house is ultra modern, traditional, or some that I guess I'd just call unconventional. A surprising book.