Simply Serene: Thomas Pheasant

Thomas Pheasant is an award winning interior designer, with a soft, polished, sophisticated style that is simply, serene. So, his new book Simply Serene is the perfect title, and the perfect book for those of you who love gorgeous interiors! 

Pheasant is known for his neutral rooms: creams, whites, and taupes made perfect by the complex mix of textures and addition of amazing art and lighting. With a style described as "contemporary classical" he effortlessly blends classic architecture and traditional lines with contemporary art and a monochromatic color scheme making for a beautiful portfolio - and a richly entertaining, 336 page book filled with inspiration and beauty. 

This foyer, a wonderful example of that neutral, monochromatic room that Pheasant is known for, is absolutely gorgeous. Richly traditional architecture with that amazing mill work and moulding, combined with modern furniture and an impressive collection of artist pottery and modern art. Yes, Pheasant's style is impressive and unique, and Simply Serene catalogs that style beautifully.

The photography of the book is by Thomas Pheasant and Durston Saylor, and every photo perfectly captures the life of the room, really allowing the eye to inspect every inch of the page, learning from every corner of Pheasant's portfolio. 

There's so much to take from this inspiring book and add to your home; from styling tips to ideas on how to make a neutral and monochromatic color scheme work in any room. 

Pheasant teaches through his book that neutral doesn't have to mean beige. In this room, finished in sweet blues, and styled with blush peonies, Thomas shows us that we don't have to be afraid of color - we just have to know how to use it, in order to still achieve that restful, serene space we're hoping to create. 

Recognized by Architectural Digest as one of the Deans of American Design, and winner of the Andrew Martin International Designer of the Year award in 2005, Thomas is highly regarded and endorsed. And I'll add my name to that list of those who praise and endorse, gladly. If you are an interior designer, a decorator, someone who just loves your house ... you can learn a great deal from Simply Serene. I've used the book on multiple occasions to inspire clients, make drapery and slipcover accent decisions (see the chairs and ottomans above) and furniture arrangements. I also love his simple but well-layered vignettes and styling for the photos - and if you have a blog, or like to photograph your home, you know how having an endless catalog of vignette and styling ideas really comes in handy! 

The book also features black and white photography of some of Pheasant's rooms. I love the addition of these in Pheasant's book because his rooms are so neutral the architecture really shines. The black and white photos help to show that architecture even more - like those gorgeous iron and glass entry doors in the photo above. They also could be framed and hung gallery style! (I don't recommend deconstructing this book!)

Whether you use design books for reference, for ideas, for inspiration or just to have a beautiful coffee table book - Simply Serene will be a perfect addition, no matter if you have traditional, contemporary, modern, or eclectic design sensibilities. I happily tell you that it's a must read, and you can purchase via the amazon link below!

Happy Reading!