An excellent resource for artists, designers, architects, craftspeople, or anyone interested in the decorative arts. First published in 1856, The Grammar of Ornament remains a design classic. Its inspiration came from the pioneering architect and designer Owen Jones. His observations of decorative art on his extensive travels in Europe and the Near East were employed to improve the poor quality of Western design. His goal was to change the Victorian habit of mixing elements from a wide variety of sources and applying this mix indiscriminately to buildings, graphic design, and products. His resulting study is a comprehensive analysis of a remarkable collection of styles of ornamental design -- from Ancient Egypt and Greece to Imperial China and Renaissance Italy. With its sumptuous illustrations, its detailed survey of individual cultures, and its manifesto of "General Principles," it offered guidance to the designers of the future. In this new edition the designs are further illuminated by Iain Zaczek's perceptive commentaries. Hugely influential since its first publication, The Grammar of Ornament inspired great figures such as William Morris and Frank Lloyd Wright. Contemporary designers, entertained by the archaic charm of Jones's descriptions, are struck by the book's enduring relevance and its soundness regarding the essential principles of good design.
The "bard of Tuscany" (New York Times) now offers a lavishly illustrated book for everyone who dreams of integrating the Tuscan lifestyle--from home decoration and cooking, to eating and drinking, to gardening, socializing, and celebrating--into their own lives. When Frances Mayes fell in love with Tuscany and Bramasole, millions of readers basked in the experience through her three bestselling memoirs. Now Frances and her husband, In Tuscany coauthor Edward, share the essence of Tuscan life as they have lived it, with specific ideas and inspiration for readers stateside to bring the beauty and spirit of Tuscany into their own home decor, meals, gardens, entertaining and, most important, outlook on life. In her inimitable warm and evocative tone, Frances helps readers develop an eye for authentic Tuscan style, with advice on how to: - Choose a Tuscan color palette for the home, from earthy apricot tones to invigorating shades of antique blue. - Personalize a room with fanciful door frames, unique painted furniture, and fresco murals. - Cultivate a Tuscan garden, adding fountains, vine-covered pergolas, and terra-cotta urns among the herbs and flowers - Select the best Italian vino. (Frances describes lunches at regional vineyards and imparts tips for pairing food and wine.) - Create an atmosphere of irresistible, anytime hospitality--a casa aperta (open home). - Make primo finds at local antiques markets. (And to help truly bring Tuscany home, shipping advice and market days for several Tuscan towns are included.) - Set an imaginative Tuscan table using majolica and vintage linens. - Enjoy the abundant flavors and easy simplicity of the Tuscan kitchen, with details on everything from olive oil and vino santo to pici and gnocchi, plus special homegrown menus and recipes. - Make the most of a trip to Tuscany, visiting Frances's favorite hill towns, restaurants, small museums, and other soothing places. With more than 100 photos by acclaimed photographer Steven Rothfeld (including several of the Mayes's California home and its Tuscan accents), twenty-five all-new recipes, and lists of resources for travelers and shoppers, Bringing Tuscany Home is a treasure trove of practical advice and memorable images.
Discusses items found in architectural salvage yards.... Projects range from simple to complex, and safety tips on working with metal, glass, and wood are provided.... Recommended for public libraries. "Library Journal. " Try any one of these 45 projects and create something new with all the elegance of the original historic remnant. "Better Homes & Gardens Decorating. "
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A comprehensive handbook for maximizing the decorative and practical power of tiles.
Endlessly versatile and available in a huge range of materials and finishes, tiles are an increasingly popular choice for home decorators. This handy book is a comprehensive guide to the types of tiles that are available, from ceramic and glass to terracotta, slate, marble and metal.
In The Home Decorator's Tile Bible, Morwenna Brett includes the history of tiles, explains how they are manufactured, and discusses associated products such as adhesives and grouts.
The main section of the book is the tile directory, which includes over 800 beautifully photographed tile samples representing a vast range of colors, patterns, textures, finishes, shapes, sizes and applications. Readers can turn to the color scheme that interests them and then view a selection of tiles in a wide range of materials. Each tile is described according to:
- Type
- Cost
- Application (indoor, outdoor, wall, floor, bathroom, kitchen, patio, fireplace, swimming pool)
- Slip and scratch resistance.
Also included is a detailed color wheel and additional information on trims and accessories, making this a definitive guide for homeowners and professionals. The lie-flat concealed wirobinding makes it easy to use whether on the job, at the design table, browsing in a store or home center, or just relaxing in an easy chair.
A practical and inspiring A-Z guide to the world's most popular woods.
Many of the world's most beautiful and useful woods are in serious decline due to over-harvesting and environmental degradation. This updated edition of The Real Wood Bible gives the current sustainability status of these rare and important woods.
Wood is a favored building material because of availability, ease to cut and join, decorative properties, functionality, flexibility, and a favorable strength-to-weight ratio.
The Real Wood Bible is a comprehensive handbook for anyone who works with wood...or is planning to. Woodworkers, crafters, carpenters, and interior designers will find extensive information about the woods they regularly use as well as discover some new ones.
This colorful, easy-to-use book features:
- How trees are converted into boards and veneers
- How to convert your own trees into boards
- Woods that incorporate beautiful natural effects
- A list of woods available from sustainable sources
- Useful advice on buying and storing lumber.
An extensive and illustrated A-Z guide to the world's most popular woods is the heart of this book. Each wood is shown with a color illustration demonstrating the true look and beauty of the finished and unfinished grain.
A special section on sustainability is included, with an introduction to key conservation issues.
The Real Wood Bible is the essential reference for the appreciation of the practical beauty of the world's most popular building material.
Ready to graduate from dorm
decor and mismatched furniture?
Now it's easy to create a perfect, stylish space for entertaining and relaxing. Playing House is the bible for the girl who knows she has an aspiring domestic goddess inside her but doesn't know how to make those impulses meet reality. Page after page of advice on cooking, decorating, cleaning, and entertaining will provide you with everything you need to turn your bachelorette pad into a welcoming, cozy haven, including a stress-free formula for making any room look elegant and inviting for little money and minimal effort; tips on transforming an apartment filled with mismatching furniture into a well-choreographed pad; time-saving strategies for dinner parties that can be prepared 80 percent in advance and on a tight budget; advice on making a bedroom that looks like a sanctuary rather than a dorm room; and more
Featuring the budget-friendly tips and advice of top interior designers, chefs, and event planners, Playing House will help you achieve blissful domesticity with minimum fuss and maximum fun.
The long-awaited home d cor bible by the beloved design blogger
"Thank you," wrote a reader to Design*Sponge creator Grace Bonney, "for teaching me that houses don't have to be frumpy and formal. They don't have to be matchy-matchy or rigidly modern." They can just be comfy and unique and reflect who you are, no matter how small your budget or space.
That reader is one of the 75,000 unique daily visitors to Design*Sponge, who make it the most popular design site on the web. The site receives 250,000 pageviews every day and has 150,000 RSS subscribers and 280,000 followers on Twitter. Design*Sponge fans have been yearning for the ultimate design manual from their guru, Grace, and she has finally delivered with this definitive guide, which includes:
- Home tours of 70 real-life interiors featuring artists and designers
- Fifty DIY projects, with detailed instructions for personalizing your space
- Step-by-step tutorials on everything from stripping and painting furniture to hanging wallpaper and doing your own upholstery
- Fifty Before & After makeovers submitted by readers of Design*Sponge--real people with limited time and realistic budgets
- Essential tips on modern flower arranging, with 20 arrangements
With over 700 color photos and illustrations and projects that are customizable, relatable, and affordable, this is the democratizing design book everyone has been waiting for--and all for only $35.00
"I am a hugefan Kate Payne has nailed it in this humorous and creative guide for fabulous, chic and easy-on-the-wallet ideas for your home. . . . another must have for mygirlfriends." --Kim Barnouin, co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, Skinny Bitch
"Anencouraging, non-perfectionist, step-by-step guide for creating a pleasurablehome without killing yourself (or the planet)." --Sally Schneider, Founder of TheImprovisedLife.com, and author of The Improvisational Cook
Artist, creator, and self described "half-assed domestic goddess" KatePayne delivers a savvy and resourceful guide to creative home living. With aknowledgeable, encouraging, and no-nonsense tone, the Brooklyn-bred, Austin-baseddomestic guru dispenses her need-to-know advice on thrift stores, flea markets, Craigslist, interior design, decorating, cooking, crafting, and the best waysto embrace an artistic lifestyle.
Bring gorgeous greenery into your life with this delightful guide to decorating your living space with a wide variety of plants.
Using his own house as a studio, garden stylist Satoshi Kawamoto, founder of the Green Fingers garden design stores, guides you around each room in the home, demonstrating how to incorporate a variety of plant life seamlessly indoors. Making use of indoor plants, succulents, driftwood and dried, preserved or artificial flowers, he presents many different ways of styling for people who have limited space who lack the expertise required to grow their own plants
The beautifully illustrated examples enable you to easily transform every corner of your interior space, and also include decorations for occasional celebrations.
