i don’t typically do a lot of book “reviews” on d*s, mainly because i’m not a huge design book reader. for some reason my mind seems to wrap well around online content and magazines, but i’ve always had a hard time making the jump from $5 magazines to $40 books. but as my favorite titles fold around me (sniff sniff) i’m left looking for other sources of inspiration. and as much as i love the web, there’s something about holding something in your hands and flipping that is so much more gratifying sometimes. so i thought i’d share two books that i’m currently flipping through.
kathryn m. ireland’s creating a home has been a favorite of mine for a few weeks now. every year i find myself inching closer and closer toward more traditional design tastes and this book has been a nice glimpse into the future for me. one day (when i win the lottery and magically own a house like the one in this book) i’d love to own a home that oozes the same sort of passion for color and pattern- with a dash of tradition and history. kathryn’s flair for patterns and design details from different countries is a look i’ve been longing to create in my own home, but have no design ability to create. for some reason, i’m just no good at mixing in bright colors, bold patterns and over-sized art or antiques. perhaps it’s my small-scale apartment, but i imagine this is something i’ll get to try when we live in a larger space one day. either way, the pages of this book have been such a treat for my eyes that i can’t remember a day this week i haven’t flipped through it.
my other favorite book right now is the find- the housing works book written by stan williams. it’s positively bursting with beautiful interiors that make the most of found or thrifted items. i know many of us are currently obsessing over this sort of style-a mix of weathered antiques with character and contemporary details- and the find is full of great examples of this look. john derian’s home is my favorite (i’m nursing a major design crush on his personal homes right now), followed by heather chadduck, whose home is a great example of smart shopping and clever diy-ideas. if you haven’t picked up a copy of the find yet, i highly suggest it. it’s affordable and both practical and inspirational at the same time. i have so many ideas bookmarked to try at home i have a feeling this will keep me busy all spring.
*stay tuned for more updates on the d*s book. it’s well over the 400+ page mark at this point so it’s going to be a whopper of a book. i’m so excited!
*ps: our biz ladies article for today was delayed a bit so we’ll have a fresh article next tuesday instead. sorry for the delay!
23 Comments
Lovely house!!!!
<3
With all this rainy weather on the west coast these colors really brighten up the day, thank you!
I’ve been coveting the bedspread in the first photo for the past month. Hopefully I’ll be able to find something similar and closer to my budget:) Thanks for sharing–I saved the photo but not the source!
I dream of living in that Kathryn Ireland house one day too! Oh to have stables and riding paths and a pool … She’s also featured in House Beautiful on a re-do of a darling cottage this month.
Wow! I need to get this book! I’m not drawn to many design books either, but this fits right into my aesthetic.
Glad to note that it’s not only my design taste that’s starting to move a bit more towards traditional each year!
I aspire to Ms. Ireland’s playfulness and elegance.
I only just discovered Kathryn Ireland’s work, and I am so in love. I’m going to have to pick up her book!
Hee, I love the irony of your not being into design books coupled with the fact that you’re working on a design book! Luckily, some of us love design books so I think it’s a fair bet that you’ll sell a few. ;) Thanks for sharing these, they look yummy.
Heather Chadduck was always a fave of mine from Cottage Living. She has such great vintage ideas with a fresh spin. I look forward to her next project.
Thank you for such a kind review on your fabulous website. A devoted fan of Design*Sponge, Stan
Is that room with the painted white floors and pink curtains from Sharon Simonaire’s house?! I have been in love with her since they featured her home in Domino… but that is not a room I remember being in the magazine spread.
These look great! I just came across a book I am really coveting,”Creative Space: Urban Homes of Artists and Innovators” :
http://www.laurenceking.com/product/Creative+Space:+Urban+Homes+of+Artists+and+Innovators.htm
Oh my the images from Creating a Home are so darn cozy and lovely. Such character!
The Find by Stan Williams has become my favorite design book ever–I am insane for the thrift aesthetic and what the book captures is incredible. The writing is fantastic and entertaining and totally inspiring! So happy you locked onto it!
Stan Williams is a marvelous gifted man and his book The Find is the perfect canvas on which he illustrates his talent. My DIY list is bursting at the seams with ideas from this book, too!
thanks for the tips Grace! Books are one of our top sellers at the shop. I LOVE the Kathy Ireland one’s style – I wholehearted agree with you about recreating this look – it is a challenge but I love the look!
It is Sharon Simonaire’s house. It’s her parsons table that she uses as a desk for work and then transforms it for an elegant, casual dining experience. And I’m crazy about Heather Chadduck. She has made such a difference in Coastal Lving. Stan
What a sweet lovely house!
I love Kathryn Ireland’s style. I must pick up the book!
There are loads more photos of that house floating about; it was purchased by Reese Witherspoon.
Love Kathy Ireland…as a matter of fact, the home you show in the post is now owned by Reese Witherspoon.
Gorgeous.
anyone know where to get similar chairs in sharon simonaire’s dining room? the room is gorgeous!
I have loved Kathryn Ireland fabrics for ages now and would love to buy her fabrics, but they only sell to the trade. Any suggestions??
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