Forget for a while the social media and go back to the old days, and “dive” into a book, with history, the smell of the pages and mostly the wise minds that recommended, let’s see what books Stanley Abercrombie, today on design books.
Stanley Abercrombie is an architecture and interior design editor and author Stanley Abercrombie has been “dipping into Finnegans Wake for half a century,” favors poetry, and admires Rizzoli’s series of Richard Meier monographs and their design by Massimo Vignelli. He has a list of 14 books that he recommends to all the interior lover’s and students need to read, today we are going to talk about 7 and for the next week the other 7 ok?
Let’s started, with Anatomy for Interior Designers by Francis de N. Schroeder is a compiled by a former editor-in-chief of Interiors, this book offers data that can be a key tool in making interior elements fit the people who use them. We may be a bit taller and a lot wider than we were in 1948, but this is still a useful reference.
2- How to See by George Nelson, although in his preface Nelson admitted the book’s title might have been “How I See,” this is clearly a plea for all of us—particularly designers—to be more consciously aware of our surroundings.
3- Art House by Chara Schreyer (she is one of the world’s leading modern and contemporary art collectors) chronicles an extraordinary life dedicated to living with art, and a friendship devoted to designing homes to honor it. She has built a staggering collection of six hundred works, and her forty-year collaboration with interior designer Gary Hutton has produced five spectacular residences to house them. Art House is a breathtaking visual tour of these houses, which range from an architectural tour-de-force to a high-rise “gallery as home.”
Art House features a rare and intimate look at hundreds of these works at home in spaces designed to be both intellectually and materially empathetic with them. This book is an inspiration for art and design lovers alike.
4 – Journey By Design by Katharine Pooley’s is a British designer refined, sumptuous interiors are inspired by a lifelong zest for adventure. Pooley has traveled extensively around the world, indulging her love of mountain climbing whenever possible, and her journeys are clearly reflected in her bold, eclectic, and daring designs. From the rustic country charm of Forter Castle in the Scottish Highlands to a contemporary beach villa on the Palm Islands in Dubai to the golden-red tones of a private residence in Doha, Qatar, Pooley’s expert attention to detail shines in any setting. In addition to her successful design studio, Pooley has two boutiques in Knightsbridge, London and Doha, Qatar that boast a line of curated accessories sourced from all over the globe, including crystal vases, cashmere throws, and shagreen boxes, that bring a dose of luxury to any room. Journey by Design explores the creative process and diverse inspirations behind nineteen of her inimitable projects.
5- 100 Interiors Around the World by Bibliotheca Universalis. This books is the ultimate in interiors inspiration, this catalog spans six continents to deliver you the most immaculate abodes from Biarritz to Brazil. Pore over pictures by illustrious interior design photographers that profile every style of home you can imagine: from the clean line, concrete minimalism to bustling eclecticism, where textures, time periods, and trends clamor for attention.
6- When Art Meets Design by Hunt Slonem. This book offers an exciting view into artist Hunt Slonem’s fantastically decorated and meticulously restored homes. Slonem rescues and refurbishes historic houses, such as Cordts Mansion in upstate New York, side enhancing them with his extraordinary decorating style. Pairing vintage furniture with contemporary art, including many of his own works, and also pieces by Alex Katz and Andy Warhol, Slonem creates spectacular spaces. Vivid and expansive interior photography reveals how the artist combines antiques, fabrics, and artworks, offering an exciting view into his unique world, and his extraordinary studio in Manhattan.
7- Michele Bonan by Leonardo Ferragamo. Renowned (is the son of eponymous luxury company founder Salvatore Ferragamo ). Michele Bönan likens each of his ventures to a film script, composed of dynamic narrative, wit, and irony. His aesthetic incorporates modern elements and luxuries; but historical architecture, particularly that of his native Florence, always informs his style choices. “Truth before all things” is the inspiration behind all Michele Bönan’s work, a mantra he manifests by carefully arranging the desires of his clients into their ideal environment, “translated with pure Italian flair.”
8- 100 Contemporary Houses by Bibliotheca Universalis, this book collect 100 of the world’s most interesting and pioneering homes designed in the past two decades, featuring a host of talents both new and established, including John Pawson, Richard Meier, Shigeru Ban, Tadao Ando,Zaha Hadid, Herzog & de Meuron, Daniel Libeskind, Alvaro Siza, and Peter Zumthor. Accommodating daily routines of eating, sleeping, and shelter, as well as offering the space for personal experience and relationships, this is architecture at its most elementary and it’s most intimate.
And finally A Touch of Style by Carlos Mota ( an independent stylist and Architectural Digest’s current international style editor, and former editor at large for Elle Decor). He is the mastermind behind the amazing photographs seen in all the top design magazines, including Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, House & Garden, Vanity Fair, Departures, and Interior Design. His gifted and educated eye for selecting furniture, textiles, accessories, and art has produced some memorable imagery. Mota is known for adding color and sophistication to the set, often by way of his elegant flower arrangements. Mota’s styling influences the way we see the world’s most extraordinary interiors, bringing vivacity to the pictures of some of the finest homes. Beautifully illustrated, A Touch of Style presents a curated journey through some of these incredible spaces.
Next week we show you the other seven that Stanley Abercrombie recommended. Stay tuned!
