
Inspired by the sun-drenched colors of southern France, french country, or provencal, decorating is the epitome of understated luxury, as fitting in the city and suburbs as in rural reaches. No matter that it’s roots are firmly planted in the small stone farmhouse, or mas, the typical dwelling in the provencal region. It is eqaully appealing in a remote chateau as in a stately manor house, or bastide. The most inviting homes exude comfort,tradition, and grace. Most people, though, say it is charm that best characterizes the french interior. Through stunning photographs, informative text, and an extensive resource list, provincal interiors detail everything necessary for creating this harmonious mingling in america.< BR>
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Provencal Interiors: French Country Style in America
Regency Redux: High Style Interiors: Napoleonic, Classical Moderne, and Hollywood Regency

The classical elegance of the Regency period in England is considered one of the most sophisticated and refined moments in design history. Throughout the twentieth century, designers took elements of the Regency vocabulary and restyled them to meld with the reigning design aesthetic of the day to extraordinary effect. The book opens with an introduction to the original Regency period, which built its sophisticated aesthetic on the example of the Neoclassical style of Napoleonâ??s time. It then picks up with the Art Deco designs of Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann and Süe et Mare in France. By the 1930s, the Vogue Regency returned home to England where Sibyl Colefax and Syrie Maugham created stylized classical interiors. In America, the Regency revival took hold in Hollywood on the lavish film sets of the 1930s and â??40s. Designers and architects to the stars such as Billy Haines and T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings made a mark with their work for the Hollywood elite. The book concludes with Regency fashions of the 1930s and â??40s, when Dorothy Draper and Elsie de Wolfe cut a stylish swath with their Regency-infused designs from coast to coast. Rounding out the vintage interiors are designs by acclaimed contemporary designers. Each chapter is illustrated with a rich selection of images of interiors, film sets, and furniture.
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My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living
My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living offers a window into the life and mind of an extraordinarily creative person who was once told by a pottery professor that he had no talent and should consider another career. Not only did Adler stick with pottery, he transformed it from a dreary, unappealing summer camp craft into a contemporary signifier of modern, handcrafted luxury and became America’s first (and only) celebrity potter. Interior designer Bill Sofield has declared, “Jonathan Adler does for American pottery what Noel Coward did for cocktail parties — he makes life witty, sophisticated, and simply delicious.” And now, on a much larger canvas, Adler reveals how you can do the same.
My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living explores Jonathan’s own tongue-in-cheek design “manifesto,” with each chapter devoted to a different “tenet,” moving through the major incarnations of his interiors and products and ending with the story of his personal creative odyssey. The book is a visual feast, jam-packed with images of interiors and objects for the home, both those designed by Jonathan and those that have inspired him. At the heart of the book are ten of Adler’s signature interiors, ranging from photographer Andrea Stern’s landmark modernist beach house to the Parker Palm Springs, a desert resort that Adler gave a head-to-toe makeover. Overviews and details of the Parker are prominently featured throughout the book, as are images of the three homes (in Greenwich Village, Shelter Island, and Palm Beach) Jonathan and his partner, Simon Doonan, share with their dog, Liberace, and five other private residences.
Part portrait of the artist as a young decorator, part call to armchairs, Adler’s much-anticipated literary debut is spirited, provocative, and, ultimately, inspiring.
Maison–Christian Liaigre
Christian Liaigre’s epoch-defining interiors include the Mercer Hotel in New York, offices for Valentino Couture in Paris, and Selfridges department store in London, as well as private residences for Calvin Klein, Karl Lagerfeld, and Kenzo.
His luxurious dark-wood minimalism and masculine palette of creams, browns, and grays have redefined modernism, supplanting the Scandinavian blond timbers on white that just a few years ago were the sine qua non of the modern interior. Working in close collaboration with Liaigre, Herbert Ypma set out to capture and document eight recent and previously unpublished residential projects. They are incredibly diverse: a modernist retreat on the Galician coast belonging to the family of Spanish fashion designer Adolfo Dominguez; a former artist’s atelier in Montparnasse; Rupert Murdoch’s capacious SoHo loft; an eighteenth-century Bavarian timber farmhouse owned by the proprietor and designer of Germany’s fashion label Strenesse; and Liaigre’s own fisherman’s cottage retreat on the Ile de Re.
The integrity and pervasive calm of Liaigre’s spaces reflect an instinctive aversion to the clamor of modern life. His materials are luxuriously authenticâ??exotic African timbers such as ebony; linen, silk, and wool; marble and natural stone; and his signature bronze hardware. And, as every project demonstrates, he makes deep connections with the tradition of each location, whether it be the industrial heritage of downtown Manhattan or the wild coastal landscape of Corsica. 500 color illustrations
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Entertaining is Fun: How to Be a Popular Hostess

The timeless and collectible classic on entertaining-at last back in print!
Dorothy Draper (1889-1969), like her contemporaries Diana Vreeland and Elsie de Wolfe, became an icon of stylish living through her interior decorating and many books.
Originally published in 1941, Entertaining Is Fun! is one of Draper’s most delightful creations, hailed in the original flap copy of the book as “neither a cookbook nor a book of etiquette, but a vivacious and inspiring book on home entertaining.” With its charming retro package, this book teaches you how to host the most fabulous dinner parties, holiday meals, and weddings, and also makes a great gift!
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Urban Country Style

Urban Country Style mixes modern and vintage furnishings with a crisp, clean approach and a touch of the unexpected. Hickman and Gent go beyond the generic idea of an “eclectic mix” and define this popular emerging style by providing a six-element guideline to the style. F.U.S.I.O.N is an acronym around which the chapters are organized: Function, Unexpected, Simple, Integrated, Old and New.
Liaigre

Following his highly successful volume Maison, interior design guru Christian Liaigre takes us inside six exclusive properties to unveil his luxurious world of design. Liaigre unleashes his masterful eye on diverse, international settingsâ??a hidden Spanish residence, a luxury yacht, a massive Swiss farmstead, a thatched-roof paradise in Bora Bora, a modern Canadian manor, and a villa in the South of France. He combines local materials with the personality of the owner, while remaining true to the signature style that has made him one of the most sought-after designers of our time. Close-up photographs feature a wealth of design detailsâ??embossed leather and velour upholstery, generously proportioned furniture, and splashes of jewel-tone accessories that sparkle against the warm earthy tones of the natural, local materials. These creative details are contextualized via panoramic views throughout the book. This handsome, oversized volume is rich in ideas for amateur and professional interior designers alike.
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Southern Living Christmas Cookbook: All-New Ultimate Holiday Entertaining Guide (Southern Living (Hardcover Oxmoor))
Over 350 recipes, 32 menus, and nearly 250 color photographs team up to make this the ultimate holiday entertaining guide. Take the guesswork out of meal planning with complete menus and time-saving game plansâ??one for every menu. Make entertaining a joy with casual-fare menus, for when you’re entertaining family and close friends, and more dressed-up menus, for when you want to go all out.
You’ll love the make-ahead ease of the Harvest Fare menu that features Bourbon-Glazed Ham and Out-of-this-World Scalloped Potatoes. The Easygoing, Family Breakfast, with its Breakfast Pizza and Cheesy Baked Grits, will delight the entire family. Don’t miss the Coffee and Chocolate Party that offers such indulgences as Mocha Fondue, in addition to tips on setting up a coffee bar. The Classic Christmas Dinner, with its entrée choice of Marinated Cornish Hens or Marinated Turkey Breast, will have you preparing this meal year-round rather than waiting for Christmas Day! You’ll be ready for every Yuletide event with menus for brunches, buffets, and cocktail parties, as well as a New Year’s Day feast.
A full-to-overflowing “Holiday Cooking” section encompasses every food category from appetizers and beverages to main dishes and sides; there are breads, as well as cakes, pies, and candies. Treats for Early Risers gives you at-a-glance breakfast and brunch ideas, from Basic Buttery Biscuits to Bananas Foster French Toast and cute, little Mini Sausage-and-Egg Casseroles baked in coffee mugs. You’ll refer again and again to Simple Supper Solutions as a year-round source for family-friendly dishes. Whether it’s Fiesta Turkey Soup and Green Chili Biscuits or Spicy Coleslaw Reubens, you’ll discover a treasure trove of easy weeknight meals. Convenient prep and cook times are listed with every recipe to help you plan ahead.
A bonus gift sectionâ??”5 Ingredient 15 Minute Gifts From the Kitchen”â??shares a dozen quick-and-easy gifts from the heart of the home. Each recipe either has just 5 ingredients or takes only 15 minutes to prepareâ??and some feature both. Colorful photos show simple packaging ideas, so whether it’s Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix or Red-and-Green Pistachio Bark, you’ll have delicious solutions to satisfy everyone on your gift list.
Be sure to check out the “Holiday Entertaining Guide” for inspiring table-setting ideas, hostess tips, and a special selection of 12 year-round, all-occasion, mix-and-match menu ideas that will have you in good standing for party planning any season of the year.
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Martha Stewart’s Wedding Cakes

Of all the decisions that go into planning a wedding, choosing the cake may be the sweetest. Much more than dessert, this beloved wedding symbol should be as special as the bride and groom themselves. Whether you imagine a majestic cake blooming with fresh flowers, a pristine fondant-covered masterpiece, or a homespun take on strawberry shortcake- or even if you donâ??t know where to begin- Martha Stewartâ??s Wedding Cakes will provide you with more than 100 delicious and inspiring ideas for timeless and beautiful confections that are perfect for every style of wedding.
Not just visually inspiring, these pages are filled with information you wonâ??t find anywhere else. Martha Stewart and Wendy Kromer, the master baker and decorator who has been creating cakes for Martha Stewart Weddings for more than a decade, guide you through everything you need to consider when selecting a cake- and even how to bake and decorate one yourself. Novice and experienced bakers alike will find recipes and insidersâ?? techniques to create truly memorable wedding cakes.
You will learn:
Where to begin- how to decide what style and flavors are right for you, taking into account the season, location, and theme of the event
Buttercream or fondant? Ganache or meringue? Useful charts explain the delicious materials bakers use, so you can choose the ones that suit your taste and style
Creative ways to display your cake so it takes center stage at the reception
How to find and hire a baker, including questions to ask and contract considerations
Ideas for cutting costs without sacrificing quality or beauty
How to incorporate traditions from around the world
Everything you need to know about baking a cake yourself, with complete recipes as well as how-to decorating techniques with color photographs and reference charts
A treasury of inspiration, Martha Stewartâ??s Wedding Cakes will ensure that your cake, whether homemade or professionally baked, triple-tiered or a tower of cupcakes, embellished with fresh fruit or elaborate sugar roses, is every bit as magical as your big day.
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The Legendary Estates of Beverly Hills

This deluxe volume offers a meticulously researched and lavishly illustrated history of 45 magnificent estates in three of Americaâ??s most prized residential districts: Beverly Hills, Bel-Air, and Holmby Hills. Lush new color photographs as well as a trove of historical images take readers beyond the front gates for an exceptional, never-before-seen view of the mansions, grounds, and gardens of these sumptuous estates, and tell the history of Los Angeles’ rise from rugged paddocks and farmland to famed metropolis. Each house is explored both for its historical and architectural importance, for here are the epitome of residences and gardens reflecting the famed Italianate and California Mediterranean styles by all the leading architects of Southern California, including Wallace Neff, James Dolena, Gordon Kaufmann, Robert Farquhar, Roland Coate, and Paul Williams. They built for clients whose own stories reflect the intrigue and foibles of Hollywood society (What rich widow built one of the greatest estates, only to lose everything because of non-stop parties and gambling? Which major Hollywood star secretly took nearly 100,000 photographs of nude starlets including young Marilyn Monroe at his estate?). The bookâ??s final chapter, “Gone But Not Forgotten,” pays homage to great estates that have been destroyed or lost to history.
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