Book Description

The most comfortable rooms in the world are those that have aged gracefully. Bearing the traces of their owners' lives and tastes, these spaces beckon you to enjoy them, to make yourself at home. The Well-Worn Interior is an illuminating tour of these beautiful rooms, visiting older residences and historic houses in the United States and throughout Europe and exploring the evolution of these special places over time. There is much to learn from these timeless interiors.

Evocative photographs explore the warmth, charm, and beauty of faded and gently decayed interiors-the peeling paint, vintage fabrics, worn floors, and other testaments to a place's history. This "lived-in" look will appeal to anyone seeking the comfort of home. As subtle as the loving wear of decades can be, there are simple strategies for achieving such an intimate aura without working, or waiting, all those years. The Well-Worn Interior is the essential guide to helping you make decoration decisions that are sensitive to your existing home. A reference section illustrates how long-neglected techniques such as limewash, graining, and gilding can be applied to today's interiors, and a directory points you toward the right materials. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Warm, Rich Photographs of Beautiful Lived-In Rooms
This is one of my favorite decorating books. The photographs are rich and warm, revealing the interiors of beautiful, aged, classic homes. If you like the look of distressed original walls, furniture, rugs, and paintings, you will enjoy this book. There is no chrome, plastic, or formica here.

Many of the photos in this book remind me of the classic "Ralph Lauren" look, featuring English or European country style with the patina of age. The interiors have the "shabby chic" look, but without the overabundance of white paint on everything that "shabby chic" usually implies.

There is a lack of fussiness and frilliness in these rooms. They look lived in -- these are not museum-type rooms, for show only. These are rooms where you can sit down, kick off your shoes, read a book, enjoy a meal, or sleep comfortably, without worrying that you're going to ruin something.

I give this book my highest rating -- five stars. ... Read more

Book Description

Matching Paul Duchscherer's authoritative text with striking photographs by Douglas Keister--the team that made The Bungalow so successful--Inside the Bungalow will thrill Arts and Crafts aficionados. Chapters devoted to all aspects of bungalow interior design include the front door, with its sense of arrival; the fireplace, a major Arts and Crafts symbol of hearth and home; the living room, hub of bungalow living; the den, study, or library; the kitchen and dining room; and bedrooms that range from nursery to sleeping porch.Finishing touches of the period abound: textiles, pillows, wall treatments, lighting fixtures, millwork detailing, art glass, and more. A special section shows eager enthusiasts how mundane interiors have been transformed into beautiful, exciting Arts and Crafts environments. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Beautiful photographs of interiors
This book contains big color photographs of interiors; reference guide at the end of the book detailing resources of Arts and Crafts literature and furnishings

Friendly Resource
This is a user friendly book to have close at hand. If you're like me I am always looking at ways to incorporate colors, designs and arts and crafts style into our 1922 Chalet Arts and Craft's home. I especially appreciate all the colorful pictures and the textiles shown. Paint, stenciling and wallcoverings being modest in cost and are realistic changes that are indeed affordable. Lots of ideas and examples to pull a room together. I refer to the book frequently and I am pleased I bought it.

Bungalow owners idea book
For newly into the arts and crafts movement and restoring our bungalow, this book concentrates exactly where we needed it to -- the interior. From shots of wonderful restored homes to our favorite section (before and after), this book will become our favorite resource. Excellently focused!

What an inspiration....great book...buy this book!
As soon to be purchasers of an 'arts & crafts' home in the Hudson Valley (NY), my husband and I never heard of 'arts & crafts' style homes. This book has been such a wonderful inspiration for us. The book is filled with color photos, wonderful ideas, themes and history! We will borrow from what we've learned and put those concepts, colors etc to great use in our new home. What was especially dramatic was the before and after pix of rooms/homes. You won't be disappointed in this purchase.

EXCELLENT IDEA BOOK FOR OWNERS OF BUNGALOWS
ANYONE WHO INCLUDES BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES IN THEIR BOOK GETS MY VOTE. BEAUTIFUL HOUSES DON'T JUST HAPPEN, THEY ARE THE RESULT OF HARD WORK BY THEIR OWNERS. THIS BOOK SHOWCASES SOME WONDERFUL INTERIORS AND PROVIDES INSPIRATIONS TO THOSE OF US STILL WORKING ON OUR HUMBLE BUNGALOWS. ... Read more

Book Description

Trompe L'Oeil Interiors provides a hands-on approach to the tradition of using murals and painted illusions in interiors. For home decorators who want to create something unexpected or adventurous, this book gives clear, step-by-step instructions for carrying out a range of exciting trompe l'oeil projects in any room. Small stand-alone projects, such as marble blocks, vases, greenery and balustrades, serve as an introduction to the different elements of trompe l'oeil painting. More ambitious feature projects, such as a cloudy ceiling with greenery and birds, as well as a stone urn in a niche with a drape, demonstrate how basic techniques can be combined to create trompe l'oeil features with real impact.Inspirational photographs provide variations on each theme, encouraging readers to recombine the basic elements in their own way. ... Read more

Book Description

The first lifestyle book to show groups of colors inspired by nature and how they work on the interior walls of 26 homes. Kaufman's colors are distinctive in that they are designed to capture the nuances of color in nature. The authors reveal their paint-mixing techniques, and recipes for five neutral Donald Kaufman paints are included. Illustrations. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

I was a little disappointed....
that there wasn't more info on what pigments the author used to create the colors for each of his beautiful palettes .

I later found on the web that he sells his paints (called, surprisingly enough, the Donald Kaufman Color Collection) for $40 to $75 per gallon. They are available only through the Color Factory (Englewood, NJ) or Painter's Supply (Santa Monica, CA).

Other than that, a beautiful book with plenty of pictures and in-depth discussion of each house.

the best book on color for interiors on the market
As an artist, I believe this book is, by far, the very best book on color for home/office interiors on the market. I have gotten so frustrated at paint stores as the language usually spoken there is very different than that of visual artists. Alas, Donald Kaufman has filled the gap! An intelligent, stunning book that reaches a place in my spirit that Martha Stewart couldn't reach........right up there with the recent book by Suzanne Butterfield, using Kaufman's color system.

At last... colors that are ALIVE!
Are you tired of shuffling and comparing paint sample cards and agonizing over coordinating a palette, finally selecting what looks like the closest match only to find the colors you selected look positively DEAD on your walls?

This book will explain why. The concepts behind Kaufman's color palettes really open up a whole new world of color. If you never took an art class (or even if you did), you'll treasure this book because it explains very simply the basic problem with off-the-shelf paint colors and why, no matter what you choose, they have no life to them. There is even a chapter at the end of the book that shows how to mix and select your OWN palettes.

Anyone wanting a refreshing outlook on using color in home decorating will find this book essential reading. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Radiant color is not merely joyously prevalent in Mexico, it is part of the national psyche. According to this energetic celebration of Mexican style, "the color that floods Mexico's streets and plazas, markets and homes (and the pages of this book) is language and metaphor--a form of communication, deeply bound to experience. Day and night, birth and death, rich and poor, feast and famine: color is always there. Earth, sky, and history conspire to make it so." The profusion of multihued walls, tiles, ceramics, textiles, and folk art that fill the home; the riotous juxtapositions ofvivid foods, flowers, supplies, and accessories that comprise the spectacle of the marketplace; the vibrant details that define everything from facades to clothing to handpainted toys--the Mexican obsession with color is everywhere, as is strikingly documented in this lively book. --Amy Handy ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A lot of ideas for my new home
I was (and still am) searching for books, information and pictures of mexican architecture and color. This book was helpful for me, and also brought back great memories of my two trips to Mexico. This country is amazingly beautiful and rich in cultural heritage, and in my search for rustic/mexican ideas that I can adapt to the design of my new hacienda-type home, I found that the book satisfied me with all the beautiful pictures portraing the real Mexico. A must have for mexican citizens living outside the country, and Mexico freaks (like me) as well.

Mexico lindo/Beautiful Mexico
Having travelled through most of the states of Mexico, witnessing the enchanting colorful culture firsthand I can say this book captures the essence and beauty of Mexico lindo. It reminds the viewer of the places and people of Mexico in all their colorful splendor. What traveler through Mexico can forget the mercado (outdoor maketplace)experiece with the aromas and color blending for an intoxicating mixture that stays with you for a lifetime? It is all captured here in this brilliantly colored book. An inspirational book for the artist as well, the splashes of color jump from the pages into one's imagination for new ideas based on centuries old traditions. Although the fantastic color photographs are the highlight of this magnificnet book, the text is equally as good and highly informative. Little known tidbits abound. Take for example the centuies old technique of hanging cactus upside down to attract cochineal bugs. The bugs are then crushed to extract a wonderful red dye for wool rugs. Nothing is wasted, the bugs are sun dried or toasted on a griddle and mixed with lime after being crushed to a powder. The 21 chapters cover all aspects of Mexican life and each deserves the utmost attention since the detail given to each is exquisite. Nearly half of the chapters are dedicated to some aspect of the home, whether the garden, renovated haciendas or charming homes away from home for the traveler, the peeks into the places of rest are magnificent. The section featuring four artists homes is fabulous. There is one particular chapter that I love most, it is simply entitled wood. Here one will find marvelous wood creations, including masks and furniture as well as the famous wood carvers from Oaxaca, who create whimsical, colorful animals that defy conventional conceptions. There are other places to find wood creations as they are featured throughout the book in one form or another. This book demands to viewed over and over. This is one not to be shelved but to be kept handy for reference or inspiration. I would highly recommened this book to anyone who loves the old world culture that is Mexico. It is one of my favorite books that I cherish, a special gift that I view often, colorful memories rekindled and brought to life again and again.

Sunglasses Required!
Put your sunglasses on (make sure there prescription, the font is really small) and get ready to feast your eyes on 176 pages of brilliant, intense colours. The book covers most aspects of the Mexican lifestyle and shows how colour is integrated into every part of their lives.

I had thought that the pictures where the leftovers from the authors other book, Mexicasa: The Enchanting Inns and Haciendas of Mexico, but this book seems to have been published first.

If you buy either one of these books, make sure you check out the binding really good, and keep your receipt. The bindings seem to be very poor and may totally fail before your half way through the book.

When I opened the book, I was like a kid in a candy shop.
Brilliant! Vivid! Alive! An optical tease, each chapter, every trichromatic photograph, allures you sensually. Walls, kitchens and tiles blaze with vibrant colors. This isn't a book that you read as much as it is a book that you experience. You will find yourself slowly flipping through the book, not once , but many times. Each time your visual senses will be stimulated. If you are thinking of redecorating in pulsing colors then this book is a must buy.

My decoration/collection bible
I ADORE this book!!!! I have poured over it SO MUCH that the spine is cracked open on certain pages. Masako's love for Mexico, the people, the artesania, the "flavor" of Mexican life (well detailed in her husband's book "On Mexican Time") comes screaming through loud and clear on every page. I am an AVID collector/aficionado of all Mexican folk art, handicrafts and artesanias, and this book is virtually my decorating bible. Well worth every cent I spent on it and so much more!

The only flaws (for me)are the chapters on Modern Mexican Architecture and the artists' homes- WAY too modern, as far as I'm concerned, and they do NOT blend with the rest of the book!!!!! However, I have LONG ceased to let those chapter ruin my enjoyment of this simply INCREDIBLE book- I simply skip over them, refuse to look at them, and revel in everything else in the book. My only REAL regret is that she doesn't hurry and come out with MORE books, MORE often!!!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Interior Color by Design 2 is an upscale primer on color?possibly the most important design element used in decorating interiors. Effective color selection can be a powerful element in any design. This book takes the mystery out of the color application process.

Included are more than 250 color samples to mix and match and experiment with to achieve different looks that suit any style of decor. Beautiful color photographs bring key concepts to life and make them easy to understand and easy to apply to any room in a home or office.

The book is packed with information on planning color relationships, preparing color schemes for interiors, making color charts, selecting materials, putting together color samples, and working with additive and subtractive color. The author also discusses the psychological impact of color and how color can enhance functional spaces and solve a wide range of practical problems. ... Read more

Book Description

• Respected interior designers showcased on the popular HGTV program offer tried-and-true decorating advice for all budgets and personal styles.

• Includes rooms with designer looks and their low-cost alternatives.

• Offers "make-a-statement" decorating ideas for remarkable living and family rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms.

• More than a dozen easy-to-make projects with step-by-step instructions, estimated completion times, and materials costs-to help readers stretch their decorating dollars.

• Helps home decorators make rooms look professionally designed through creativity, planning, and smart shopping.

• An informative quiz helps readers identify their personal style.

• Bonus shopping guide assists with choosing furnishings and accessories that suit budgets and tastes. ... Read more

Book Description

A-Z's for designing superior day care facilities

Virtually unknown 30 years ago, daycare has become a growth industry. Child Care Design Guide helps architects and designers plan, design, and renovate functional, developmentally rich, pleasing centers. Author Anita Rui Olds brings to this work over 25 years of design experience with children's facilities. She gives you step-by-step explanations of interior and exterior layout and design principles fleshed out in clarifying case studies. You learn about licensing and code requirements, operational standards and strategies, and get helpful checklists, charts and graphs for optimum facility design within time, space, and budgetary constraints. This highly visual work features over 300 floor plans for infant and toddler, preschool, and afterschool spaces, plus areas for outdoor play and more. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Outstanding Resource!!
Worth every dime!!! Anita Rui Olds has incredible insight into creating environments that are reflective of children and their interests. She believes that a child care setting should have "spirit." Included are Reggio-type environmental solutions that create a sense of wonder with an architecturally aesthetic sensibility. Lots of great ideas packed into this book. Only regret is that the pictures are too small and not in color. Would have been worth extra [$$] to have an expanded edition.

Essential Resource
This is a terrific and necessary resource for anyone involved with the design or renovation of a child care setting. The author has clearly and concisely poured into the book her considerable knowledge and understanding of child care facilities, her passionate beliefs, and her attention to the details of good design. Her knowledge of child development is evident in all of her ideas.

The best
This must be the best book that exist about designing Child Care Center. It covers everything, but the most important is the focus the autor made on the children. This book is a must for every architect or people interested in design of this kind of buildings, specially if he/she is really interested in children well being.
The only but is that for the quality of its content, this book deserves a better paper and color pictures. (a 0 star here for MacGrow-Hill).
Probably this book is call to change the way a day care is seen today.

Long awaited, exceeds expectations
Preeminent authority on design for child care, Anita Rui Olds consummated a lifetime of deep concern and research into the needs of children with the publication of this magnum opus. Lavish use of illustrations--photos, sketches, floor plans, and examples--and attractive layout support Ms. Olds's incisive text to create a remarkably accessible book. Many hundreds of child care professionals and architects who have studied under Ms. Olds will recognize and welcome this work as the summation of the concepts that placed the author at the forefront of her field.

More and more children are in institutional care and, "in search of a model," day care typically happens in society's "leftover" spaces, church basements, warehouses, and places intended for adults. This book will help anyone committed to doing better for our children to "see that young children are raised in nurturing, spirited settings that honor their precious young souls." (from the introduction)

The book's only drawback is technical as the reproduction of photographs is of disappointing quality.

Tragically, Anita Olds did not live to see this book published. We can be thankful that she left it for us, full of her passion for children. In its use we will honor her spirit as we effect her designs. ... Read more

Book Description

This magnificent book is the key to understanding one of the world's most important architectural traditions, one that spawned major masterpieces throughout the near east, and particularly in Persia, India, Turkey, North Africa, Southern Russia, and Spain.As human representation is forbidden in Islamic religious monuments, design and ornamentation reach unparalleled heights of expression through mosaics, stucco, brickwood, and ceramic.Brilliant colors are used everywhere to enhancedesign.

This monumental study is a close collaboration between Dominique Clevenot, a distinguished scholar of art, and Gerald de George, a renowned photographer.Together, they visited and photographed hundreds of monuments, selecting their most noteworthy features.Unlike other books, which divide the subject geographically or chronically, the authors have approached this complicated topic from four different and interconnected angles: the history of Islamic architecture, materials and techniques, ornamental design, and the aesthetics of ornamentation.

Each of these topics is presented through a number of outstanding examples and comparable monuments from all over the Islamic world.Travelers overwhelmed by the Taj Mahal or the Alhambra will gain greater understanding.Architects and designers will find endless inspiration and ideas.Historians will be illuminated.Anyone interested in the vast world of Islam will find new knowledge in this magnificent full-color publication. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A must companion
If you are someone who is involved in arhitect or interior decoration, this book is a must to guide you in creating something splendor from the Islamic culture, and it's a good refrence on a cofee table top.

Four different approaches to Islam architecture
Islam expanded quickly within a few centuries, embracing a wide area and altering the political and cultural heritage of the entire region. Splendors of Islam examines the visual effects of Islam, considering the structures in contrast with other architectural traditions and examining the role given to various decorative choices and styles. Four different approaches to Islam architecture provide an exceptionally well-rounded view, with color photo examples packing an oversized coverage. ... Read more

Book Description

For readers who want to go beyond feng shui to the next level of home enhancement, this beautifully illustrated book looks to the mythology and psychology of the home, while showing imaginative and practical ways to use light, color, and sound to give any living space a welcoming and relaxing ambience.

Designing and arranging spaces that improve the quality of life-spiritually, emotionally, and physically-can make a home, be it a spacious house or a single room, a refuge from a stressful world. Readers will find the process of improving their home to be simple and fun as they follow the book's formulas. For example, the "Loose Living" chapter shows how people with no sewing skills can enhance a room by swathing and draping furniture in fresh fabric as an instant cover-up for a battered sofa-or use fabric as an ally to filter the light atmospherically or conceal a dismal view. The "Found Objects" chapter shows how finds from junk shops, flea markets, and other secondhand sources can be transformed into treasured keepsakes. Instructions for arranging the home to attract success and energy and clear clutter painlessly are among the many easy-to-implement tips presented. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Indispensable reading for anyone who cherishes their home
I've read so many books about interior decor, Feng Shui, space clearing, etc., etc. - but this book covers all aspects of making your home a true haven for body, mind and spirit. It is not only inspiring to read but beautiful to look at. Jane Alexander gives many tips which are easy to carry out without a great deal of expense. I can personally vouch for the fact that if you follow her advice, you will notice the difference in the atmosphere of your home - and so will your visitors. This lovely book makes a perfect gift, particularly for someone who needs their spirits boosting or is contemplating decorating their home, or perhaps moving house. Only trouble is that if you buy it for someone else, you'll probably be tempted to keep it for yourself!

Great Overview of different spiritual aspects of home
When I first looked over this book I did not get into it. But as I began to buy new furniture for a new home and pulled together my tastes and sytles (The Domain Book is great for that!), I found this book to be a wonderfully insightful book that helped me to consider Feng Shui and blessing my home and many other spiritual and tangible aspects of this place called my home. I have ordered a second one today for a friend.

One of the best "sacred space" books I've read
This book was a real "find" for me. I have several books on feng shui and space clearing, and this one was intuitive, yet practical at the same time. It is spiritual but loaded with remedies for clearing one's space on this earth while we are here! I never thought to talk to my house, yet it makes perfect sense! It reads almost like a novel and is just full of information. I wish I could go home from work now and continue with the "read"!

No pictures, but lots of good info.
This book is a good introduction to lots of new age stuff (and common sensical stuff, too) relating to homes. Alexander gives recommendations of other books if you want to dig deeper into a particular topic.

Lots of information but not enough pictures
I enjoy reading, but I am a very visual person and was disappointed in this book because while it offers suggestions that make sense, it takes longer to get through the book since it is practically all words and very few pictures for inspiration. ... Read more

Book Description

In Light Revealing Architecture, nationally recognized authority Marietta Millet goes beyond fixtures and hardware, lumens and light bulbs to explore the timeless principles of lighting, as evidenced in architecture by using examples ranging from ancient to contemporary buildings. Providing over 400 illustrations—plans, sections, diagrams, paintings and photos—Millet shows how specific lighting effects are achieved from an architectural approach. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A very EN"LIGHT"ENING book!
Any spatial experience is intimately connected with the experience of light. The author has very articulately described this phenomena in architecture, using four major themes - where light helps with a physiological EXPERIENCE, gives a building FORM, defines and enhances SPACE, and thus gives it MEANING. This is an excellent book, well written and has a good association with all aspects of lighting, studied and explained with the help of a wide range of buildings and architecture. It makes a very strong (and convincing) argument, for all designers to pay attention to the importance of light while planning and designing their spaces or buildings. ... Read more

Book Description

With its unforgettable images of oceanfront vistas and creative decorating details, Family Houses by the Sea invites us to sample the gracious possibilities of living within reach of a gentle offshore breeze. The book's beautiful photographs capture the varied but always engaging personalities of seaside homes around the world. Illustrations. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Sumptuous and inspiring
I received this book for my birthday last year and still enjoy looking at it. In fact, I was getting ready to order it for a friend for the holidays when I saw an earlier review of this book that also mentioned another vacation home book called Second Home, I bought it, too. I highly recommend both books. This is wonderful dream book, as is Second Home. Second Home also includes pointers (throughout the book) on deciding where you might want to have a second home, real estate shopping tips, and ideas on building and decorating, too. Second Home is as inspiring as Family Houses by the Sea, but it offers the bonus of being practical and talking directly to me about what I can do to actually realize my dream of having a weekend house.

One of our favorites
We are accumulating a wonderful little stack of books related to second homes as we plan a getaway of our own. This one is a favorite because of its dreamy photography. I also highly recommend SECOND HOME: Finding Your Place In The Fun, which is a new book that mixes dreamy photos of real homes with some helpful tips on finding a location as well as buying, building, remodeling, or decorating a second home. Like Family Houses, Second Home is a larger hardback book. Gorgeous.

Family houses - eclectically by the sea
And therein lies the beauty of this book. Yes, some of the homes are older & some are rustic-but there's the sleek & contemporary too. In other words, something for everyone who loves to live by the water (or wishes they did). Buy this book to appreciate the different ways to express loving the natural light & atmosphere in a home that is reflective of the sea. You may not get Decorating Lessons 1-100 - but thats not the point. You can escape thru this book, dream thru it, share it, admire those who have created beautiful spaces in beautiful places - without displaying every obvious "seaside" nic-nac but with much good taste & class. Buy it for those pleasures & of knowing that kind of life does exist & can be lived by those to whom it means the most. To the authors - a beautiful volumn - thank you for seeking these places out & creating an arm chair trip to some incredibly beautiful spots by the water.

A Classic
A beautiful book that captures what it feels, smells and looks like to live by the sea. If you want glitzy resort style houses then this book is not for you. The houses shown are not show cases for a glossy magazine but places filled with memories and life. It's my favourite beach house book.

Seaside Fantasies Brought to Life
This book was my inspiration for a beach house I just finished completely cosmetically rehabilitating. The book took me all the way through the process by stimulating me with the beautiful visuals of its photos. I would look through it repeatedly, looking one time at flooring, another at windows, and so on, depending on where I was in my rehab process. I can't imagine it not being a superb stimulus for anyone. ... Read more

Book Description

In this beautifully illustrated work, acclaimed architectural author Francis D.K. Ching explores how basic structural elements and systems combine to form our interior environments, and considers the factors that affect their design, formation, and use. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Resource
I am currently getting my degree in ID, and I think that this resource is invaluable. The drawings are great and they really help with perspectives and rendering.

Excellent but abit outdated
The auther is fantastic, the book is well written otherwise he wouldn't have got the 4 stars, the book covers the subject from A to Z literally speaking, a must have, BUT it is too much outdated.

This is a great book for teaching
Interior Design Illustrated is a pictoral book with easily understood text. This book gives the reader a chance to learn the basics of Interior Design. I recommend this book for any Interior Design school to be used in their course. ... Read more

Book Description

* Includes design scenarios for more than twenty different commercial and residential scenarios.
* In-depth rationale for proposed solutions include lighting distribution diagrams, floor plans, and lighting installation/construction details. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The blending of two vastly different styles achieves stunning results in East West Style. It's far more than simply adding a Japanese painted screen to your comfortably overstuffed living room--it's about finding beauty in clean lines, unusual textures, and an overall balance of simplicity and opulence. With dozens of glossy photos and simply written text, author Ann McArdle clears the path to a wholly new style, using only the best of both worlds.

At first glance, many of the rooms seem a little spare by western standards. On closer examination you'll spot comfortable couches with down-filled cushions, silk bed coverings, and deep baths meant for long, relaxing soaks. One sunny spot behind the kitchen sink is filled with a small rock-and-bamboo Japanese garden, a delightful new use of the ubiquitous bay window. Furniture ranges from the classic Eames chair to a plump, bright-yellow loveseat to an elegantly stark raised platform bed, each looking equally at home in its setting. Dramatic carved screens, Chinese silks, and unique ceramics are added in small doses, rather than as full-blown themes--the idea is to achieve harmony, balance, and a sense of peace that incorporates every element in your home and garden, paying attention to shape and ultimate effect rather than strict conventions.Accompanying the pages of inspiration is a shopping resource list, which will prove a great help as you head off on your way to a whole new interior style. --Jill Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Excellent first book on fusing East and West styles
Interior design is very subjective to one's taste.
I was looking for a book that had plenty of examples of living rooms, bathrooms, and bedroom that had fused east and west elements. Some other books I have looked at concentrated more on phyical eastern objects and pieces.

This book gives a very good introduction on paring American and European style furniture with Asian style furniture. There are plently of pictures and the writing is simple and easy to understand. One picture has a Le Corbusier Chaise Lounge ( LC 4) in the bedroom adjacent to a crocodile shaped teak bench in front of a bed. Most traditional modernists wouldn't have thought of such a pairing.
Other photos include a compact Eames Sofa in asian style living room.

There lots of screens ,bamboo and fabrics examples in the photos as well.
This book will be a great coffee table book as well. I've had lots of people pick it up when they come over.

The bottom line is that once you read and look at the pictures many times, you develop your own sense of style. This practice determines which style works for you.

This book will give you focus on your objective to combine the two elements in your home.

Perhaps one day, your living room, bathroom or bedroom will be featured on Metropolitan Home because of this book.

too unfocused
The five main chapters of this book are "Simplicity and Order", "Proportion and Form", "Harmony and Balance", "Color and Texture", and "Eastern Treasures". The book purports to show you those "eastern" elements can be incorporated into western rooms. Well obviously the concepts of color and texture aren't unique to the east so you might expect a length discussion about how eastern notions of color and texture differ from western notions and how the two can blend together to create a harmonious and beautiful room. Instead, the two pages of text in this chapter merely say, "Ancient Eastern beliefs include much color symbolism that relates to the emotional responses the colors evoke" and "The Eastern affinity for natural fibers and materials introduces a broad range of textures". Gee, thanks.

The other problem is the poor dilenation of topics. If you flip to a random picture in the book you'll have a hard time whether they are trying to tell you something about texture or proportion. Certainly, in a complete room all of the factors need to balance each other out, but without focusing on each one individually it is harder to grasp its importance.

There are a few hundred photos of designs that look like they would, for the most part, require expensive modifications (for instance, the kitchen with contrasting textures made of three separate materials or the dining room with the floor treatment). As another reviewer pointed out, virtually all of the photographs reflect a Japanese and (to a much lesser extent) Chinese aesthetic.

East is more than Japan
If you think that Eastern style is all about Japanese style and minimalism then this is the book for you. But if you think Asia includes India, Thailand, Burma, Bali, Korea etc, you will find this book and its aesthetic a huge disappointment. I did. Stick with Kelly Hoppen.

Great blend of western & Asian design
This is a wonderful book for anyone wanting to elements of Asian design, which are so popular today, to their home. With so much to choose from you can't help but be inspired. Sections focus on various principles including simplicity, order, proportion, harmony, balance, color and texture. Examples in photos are accompanied by descriptive text.

Since I am a crafter I am always on the lookout for the things I can make for myself and I saw many here that I could. My favorite idea is a Japanese-style dining table that is sunken into the ground. It looks so elegant and I am dreaming of having one someday. They also use lots of screens, which are one of my favorite elements with their beauty and versatility. I though an attic room with a semi-hidden bed was a great idea as well.

I appreciate the practical approach here of incorporating authentic Asian design into existing Western homes of various types. If you are looking for some fresh ideas for your home and want a simple, yet elegant style this book will give you some great ideas.

Excellent, thoughtful, serious and whimsical!
I am so pleased with this purchase. I was a little skeptical initially because the front picture wasn't to my taste, but the inside photos show diverse ways in which to incorporate eastern elements into a liveable design scheme. Another thing that I appreciate about this specialized design books is that I learned general principles of design from the author. The photos are beautiful, the rooms are beautiful, and the suggestions are thoughtful and fairly easy to implement without going crazy overboard on money. I love it! Can't wait to start buying seriously! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Gorgeous works, terrific for inspiration
This book is full of beautiful paintings and ideas. The author gives you layout examples so you could literally paint your whole house, or at the very least all 4 walls of a room. Some of the examples are things like: being in an Arabian tent with one flap rolled back to reveal a beautiful desertscape; an indoor swimming pool circled with mythological creatures; draped fabric on all the walls, etc. There are many more, and they're simply breathtaking. The author has painted murals inside museums in Europe, so you know the quality is there. There are oodles of color photos here, and while this isn't a full blown step-by-step book, with 1,2,3 pictures, it gets 4 stars because of it's incredible diversity of mural use, from small to large, and the inspiration that comes from it. I wish it were a little less costly, but it is a nice book with quality paper stock and binding. I know I will refer to it when I start my mural project. If it had more of a beginner's feel, I'd have given it 5 stars.

An excellent source book!
As a professional mural painter, I've found "The Painted House", by Graham Rust, to be an excellent idea source book. In fact, it's the best I've found to date. The illustrations are not only imaginative, but extremely rich in detail. My only complaint would be that at times he shows the original sketch without showing the finished product. Otherwise, I've found the book to be extremely helpful and I'm ready for Vol. 2.

Your Own Fantasyland
Though no one could possibly duplicate the trompe l'oeil in this magnificent collection, anyone can take one or two ideas and at least begin to create an escape from the ordinary and never walk out her own front door. Just browsing through this book is an uplifting experience. I feel as if I just toured a fine museum! Furthermore, I am inspired to turn my sunroom into a garden pavilion, with the help of stencils, paint, and Mr. Rust's amazing book of wonders.

Very pretty book, but a bit complicated
This is a very pretty book to look at and the skills of the author are outstanding. However, I personally find most of the designs a bit heavy and over-complicated, but I think that's just a matter of taste. You might get inspired by these decorations if you live in (or if you are going to paint) a good size manor, church, public building or a large home. The author's specialty obviously is detailed painting of botanical or zoological objects. For example, his painting of a cabbage is really photo-like, but who is going to paint a cabbage in his/her house? A lot of designs in this book include detailed paintings of animals, like dogs, birds, fish, lobsters even cheetah, lizard or monkey. That makes the designs really interesting, but very hard to get inspired by, unless you are a very skilled and experienced artist. But I find some inspiration and new information in every book, so I'm not dissapointed with my purchase. This book is at least an extensive record of some amazing art work.

Masterful!
I bought this book and G. Rust's, "Decorative Design's" about a year or more ago. In my opinion, his work ranks with the classics. As an art professional for more than twenty years who specializes in trompe l'oeil murals, I am amazed that there is someone like Rust actually living, breathing and still walking the earth. ... Read more

Book Description

In the West, a bath is a place one goes to cleanse the body. In Japan, one goes there to cleanse the soul. Bathing in Japan is about much more than cleanliness: it is about family and community. It is about being alone and contemplative, time to watch the moon rise above the garden.

Along with sixty full-color illustrations of the light and airy baths themselves, The Japanese Bath, delves into the aesthetic of bathing Japanese style and the innate beauty of the steps surrounding the process. The authors explain how to create a Japanese bath in your own home. A Zen meditation, the Japanese bath, indeed, cleanses the soul, and one emerges refreshed, renewed, and serene. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

4 for the photojournalism and philosophy, 3 for ideas
I'm confronted with a major redecoration of my bathroom (status post leaking tub, water damaged floor, and Great Dane deconstruction project!), so I've been casting about for ideas. Since I've always admired the minimalist beauty of Japanese art and architecture and the oriental appreciation of the natural as art, when I found The Japanese Bath by Bruce Smith and Yoshiko Yamamoto I decided to check it out for ideas. What I was looking for was practical information, however, and this book is more a philosophy of The Bath as multi level sensual experience. As the authors write, "Entering a bath in Japan is to enter another world. It is a place where one not only cleans the body but also cleanses the mind (p. 13)".

The photos are lovely (my favorites are the "created scenery" on pp. 30, 33, and 47), and one can hardly but envy those wealthy enough to have the space, let alone the wherewithal, to have a separate building devoted to the "zen" of bathing. Unfortunately I live in a town house, and I rather doubt that the association would appreciate my extending my bathroom into the commons-I could be wrong, but I sincerely doubt it; they're not terribly open minded! I suspect I am not alone in my lack of space for major remodeling.

Taking the above quote from page 13 as a starting point, what I did gain from the book was a realization that in our fast paced Western lives we can still find moments of relaxation and relief from stress by creating small environments in our homes conducive to the Eastern concept of "centering." It needn't be hours long and one needn't even be consciously aware of the effect to derive a benefit from the experience. While The Japanese Bath provided some information useful to the average person for creating a bathing room (it does discuss tubs and wood for making them), there was little of the nitty gritty of how to apply the philosophy to the smaller homes most of us live in these days.

The information one gleans from The Japanese Bath has to be more indirect. The notes on the Japanese "palette," for instance, suggest the use of darker, less vivid colors to create a quieter, more restful room. Certainly this idea above all gave me a starting point that finally helped me pull some of my other ideas more smoothly into place. I'd been struggling with loosely associated "great" ideas for over a year. The notion that brighter isn't necessarily better also gave me plans for less direct lighting-after all one isn't always shaving or putting on makeup. Integrating something of nature into the bathroom-table top fountains, plants, an aquarium, etc.-while it seems a bit '70s, certainly isn't a bad one; furthermore it's affordable and not terribly space intensive.

Still while it's nice to see how the other half lives-or at least the other 5%- the book really is more of a coffee table display than a practical book for the average home owner to make design plans.

easy on the mind -- easy on the eyes
This is a handsome little book. The emphasis is on photography. If you're seeking a photo essay for Japanese baths and possible details (designs, plans, etc.) this is not the reference for you. However, if you just want a visually pleasing browse, this book has beautiful photography and very limited captions. You're not likely to use this book for detailed design research but you may find it useful for idea research (brainstorming). Although the baths look authentic, most of them are Western replicas(many in the US) of their Japanese cousins. If it's authentic Japanese baths and detailed explanations (concepts, theories, etc.) this is not the book for you. But, if you just want a nice browse, the photographs are thought provoking enough to be useful.

A gorgeous photographic journey into the art of the bath
A relatively short book (less than 100 pages), what "The Japanese Bath" lacks in length it makes up for in content. Just about every page is filled with beautiful, full color photos ranging from small, home baths, to exquisite, private baths found in spas, to the large, community baths found in Japan. The authors keep the writing brief and simple, but it's nonetheless enlightening and captures well the Japanese mindset towards bathing.

Paragraphs on how to build a Japanese bath from scratch are absent, but a great emphasis is placed on the points that make the Japanese bath so unique: lighting, depth, materials. The book provides abundant inspiration for creating your own design, without providing actual builders plans.

If your wish is to incorporate a Japanese bath into your home, or simply to visit one, the resources guide in the back of the book will prove very useful. Most suppliers and spas are on the West Coast, but many have web addresses where they can be reached. One of the finest, Ki Arts, boasts "the flexibility to work anywhere in the world" since they utilize the traditional Japanese joinery system for their projects.

All in all, "The Japanese Bath" gives truth to the adage that great things can come in small packages. It is a diminutive, but excellent volume for those interested in the topic.

Nice but confusing book
The descriptions in the book were appropriate and accurate but the photos were mostly of baths in California! I was really hoping for more photos of actual Japanese baths in Japan, and was confused by the choice to include many California baths.

Excellent overview, beautiful pictures
"The Japanese Bath" gives a very good introduction to the purposes, ritual and architecture of bathing Japanese-style. The authors explain why the Japanese bath doesn't belong alongside a toilet in a Western bathroom, and why taking a shower falls short of the Japanese bathing experience.

There's an explanation of the essential elements of the Japanese bath for those who wish to create one (homeowners are encouraged to have a room or outbuilding dedicated to bath use). The bath's relationship to the outdoors is also explained.

The book includes a lengthy list of resources for bath-related fixtures and other items. Many suppliers are in California.

The pictures are beautiful, tranquil and relaxing.

What you won't find here is a lot of scaled drawings or plans describing how to build a bath; instead, you'll be encouraged to choose the proper site in your home or on your property and develop a design to fit your space and needs after looking at the authors' examples. A knowledgable, sensitive do-it-yourselfer could read the book and take it from there.

A few "sample" architectural-type plans would have improved the book for my own use, but "The Japanese Bath" remains a very beautiful and informative book. ... Read more