Book Shelf: Spring 2019 Design Books

It’s time for the Spring 2019 Design Books releases (okay, past time!) and I wanted to share a few of my favorites.

Preeminent American designer Jeff Bilhuber ‘s latest book Everyday Decorating, written with Jacqueline Terrebonne, published by Rizzoli 2019, breaks down decorating in the following categories: Comfortable, Happy, Colorful, Personal, Lighter & Brighter, Sexy, Charming and Cozy. I love how “Comfort” comes first.

I also really like his take on Instagram:

“There are so many awe-inspiring jawdropping design images out there, it’s hard to know what to do with this total information overload. Seeing a pretty room is one thing, but knowing how to distill what makes that space work and translate those takeaways into your own home is an entirely different matter. For that you really need an expert, and that’s where I come in.”

Charming

Happy

Colorful

Comfortable

The latest book from Farrow & Ball, Recipes for Decorating, compares the art of design with the alchemy of cooking. It’s an interesting concept and is fleshed out by segmenting design styles such as a city apartment, a country cottage and a seaside escape and offering a color palette for each, thus creating the recipe for creating a harmonious space.

Note, there were many other more colorful spaces shown in this book, but they were not available for press use. In general, I do think of F&B as having moodier color palette which I think comes from the fact that the paints are so saturated with color that they are the best choice for darker, moodier spaces.

Behind the Privets is an eclectic look some historically significant houses out in the Hamptons. Rather than showcasing some of the splashier new homes, Hamptons historian Richard Barons, with photos by architectural photographer Stanley Rumbough, takes us on a tour of some of the classic homes which made the region famous. One of the most notable aspects of this book is that the interiors are truly  “lived in” spaces that don’t feel staged for the camera. There is the occasional lamp cord or two and books are piled everywhere, not just for display. If realism is your preference when it comes to looking at interiors, this is the book for you.

A literal peak over the hedges at Wheelock Cottage aka “Bonachk Acres” was built in 1891 and renovated and enlarged in 1978 by Robert A. M. Stern.

Above and below are Scuttle Hole Cottage, 1998, isn’t that old, but it has a nice, long lived-in look to it.

Above was the home of actress Dina Merrill (no relation to me, sadly!) whose son, Stan Rumbough is the book’s photographer. Still a part of the family, the home is a warm and lovely mix of modernist and traditional forms.

Textile designer and gardener Jack Lenor Larsen created LongHouse Reserve in 1970, which is open to the public. The outdoor spaces were sculpted into distinct “rooms” with rotating outdoor art exhibits.

The LA-based interior design team of Alexandra and Michel Misczynski new book Houses: Atelier AM is filled with gorgeous images that span quite a wide design style from warmly traditional to sleekly modern. The book itself is  a classic coffee table book – rich looking, large, heavy and pretty much nothing but big glossy photos. The interiors are beautifully appointed with every detail well-considered and beautiful.

Texture and detail really pops within  subtle color palette.

The accessories in these rooms are really standouts – each item is beautiful on its own and works well within the whole.

I hope you have enjoyed my favorite pics from the Spring 2019 design books. There’s definitely something for everyone! You can read all my book reviews here.