Book Review: Out East: Houses and Gardens of the Hamptons

If you only buy one book to add to your collection of interior design and coffee table books this summer, it better be Out East: Houses and Gardens of the Hamptons by Jennifer Ash Rudick with photos by Tria Giovan. Every single page is more stunning than the last, and it is inspiring on every single level. 

Whether you have an interest in gardening, interior design, vignettes and tablescapes, architecture, or all of the above, I promise you will be thoroughly satiated by this book. I have so much to say about Out East, but before I go on and on, I want to start with some photos. Let's take a look inside shall we?

Incredible, right? And that's only a tiny sampling of the more than 30 homes and gardens featured in the 328-page volume. The book is incredibly beautiful, wonderfully laid out, and an informative and educational read. Author Jennifer Ash Rudick is a native Floridian, but has lived in Southampton for years with her husband and their two children. An already celebrated author with three books under her belt, Jennifer presents a fresh perspective on the Hamptons, an insiders scoop if you will, as she walks us through some of Long Island's most glamorous spaces under roof and sky. 

Houses designed by interior designers like Jeffrey Bilhuber, Tom Scheerer, Muriel Brandolini, Robert Couturier and Daniel Romualdez range from delightful cottages to sprawling shingled mansions, and gardens span from formal and manicured to wispy and organic. Still, with all of the different styles featured in architecture, decor, and gardenscape - there's a common thread holding all of these properties together, and that's the feeling of relaxation. Without a doubt, Tria Giovan has captured the Hamptons as the most peaceful and contented place on earth.

You may remember the recent architectural digest feature on "Woody House" with photos taken by Tria Giovan. Woody House is smartly featured in Out East, with additional photos and far more information on the decoration of the house, the process and the inspiration. So if you were a Woody Fan, and so many of us were, you'll be overjoyed by the multi-page layout of Woody House in Out East.

Brilliant and beautiful, I highly recommend you pick up a copy for yourself. Check out more of the book and purchase via the amazon link below:

Book Review: Lines of Thought: Drawing from Michaelangelo to now

Lines of Thought: Drawing from Michaelangelo to now

By Isabel Seligman, Foreword by Bridget Riley, Preface by Hugo Chapman

Published by Thames and Hudson

I greatly enjoy art, particularly line drawings and sketches. I don't know what appeals in these works, perhaps it's the simplicity or the art of perfectly understood form, but I find them thoughtful, enduring, elegant and beautiful. The recently published Lines of Thought: Drawing from Michaelangelo to now uncovers the process and practice of drawing, and how artists have used drawing as a means of recording and provoking thought. The book is wonderfully illustrated by a selection of work created over 500 years. From Dürer to Degas, Michelangelo to Matisse, Rembrandt to Riley, this volume studies the types of thinking that produced their drawings―brainstorming, inquiry, experiment, association, development and decision―giving us fresh insight into the creative impulse of some of the world’s greatest artists.

120 illustrations in total, each of them awe inspiring. Let's take a look at a few of my favorites:

Plaster Cupid Study, 1890 Graphite - Paul Cezanne 

Pen and Ink by Julie Mehretu, 2002

Pen and Brown Ink, The Virgin and Christ Child with a Cat, Leonardo da Vinci, 1478-81

Melchior Lorck, Tortoise and view of a walled coastal town, 1555

A traveling art exhibition accompanies the book, and will tour the United States in 2017 and 2018, inspiring and encouraging the practice of drawing. I hope that I can find a museum near me to view these amazing pieces from the British Museum’s outstanding Prints and Drawings Collection.

The exhibition and the book includes work by artists as diverse as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Albrecht Dürer, Piet Mondrian, Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, Bridget Riley, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Franz Kline and Rachel Whiteread. Combining work from master artists of the past with artists working today, clearly demonstrates the common thread of drawing as the basis for creation. I definitely recommend taking a closer look at this beautiful book, and purchasing your own copy via the Amazon link below:

Book Review: Evergreen: Living with Plants

It's still frigid here in the Northeast, and every year about this time, I start getting the itch to travel to warmer climates. Since I don't see a trip in my future, I rely on my vicarious journeys through reading to help transport and inspire me all at the same time. Gestalten just published Evergreen: Living with Plants, and let me tell you - it's been an amazing getaway.

From rooftop gardens and flora-laden balconies, to elaborate private gardens creating secret paradises in unassuming backyards, there are hundreds of awe-inspiring, beautiful photos of the beauty that can be created from those who find joy in the art of gardening. When I think of urban gardening, I tend to have these pictures of old tires painted by school children, filled with geraniums and marigolds, and perhaps a volunteer-built raised garden with unruly, forgotten tomato bushes. But these patches of hidden beauty and not so hidden beauty go far beyond that to full scale urban projects centered around horticulture. Take a look:  

Of course, the book is more than just architectural and urban garden design, it also tackles the addition of plants to interior design, with custom blueprints of plants that thrive in dark, shadowed corners, and those that require almost no attention at all. (Sign me up, please!) Evergreen: Living with Plants is a great book for both the professional designer, avid gardener with a healthy green-thumb, and the burgeoning hobbyist. It's the perfect guide for inspiring anyone with a love for nature, getting their hands in the soil, and spending some time with beauty in a garden they helped to create. Take a closer look, and pick up your copy via the Amazon link below:

Book Review: Jane Packer's Flower Course

I've always been an advocate for fresh flowers in the home. Whether it's a simple vase of tulips you pick up for $7 at the grocery store, an elaborate florist bouquet you receive as a kind gesture, or something handpicked from your own flower garden, corralled together in your favorite container - there is something undeniably brightening about those petals. Frequently, I will go to my local Trader Joe's and pick up a mix of things for under $20, and come home to work a little magic and create a florist inspired bouquet of my own. That's when having books like Jane Packer's Flower Course comes in handy! 

Jane Packer Flowers is one of London's best-known elite florists. The bouquets are distinctive, elegant yet refreshingly modern. The prestigious company supplies flowers to hip boutique hotels, designer stores, and offers a highly regarded four-week career course to students who are lucky enough to travel to London and learn from her genius. In this book, published by Ryland, Peters and Small, Jane Packer covers the same ground as you'd find if you took her course, helping to make you a much better floral arranger! From party and wedding flowers, to small arrangements and floral gifts, to dried hangings - it's all here in beautiful step-by-step photography and easy to follow instructions! Let's take a look: 

Honestly, the book is a must for anyone who enjoys beautiful flowers and DIY floral arrangements. It's an impeccably detailed resource for getting it right, each and every time, and bridging on what great skills you already have - to make you a more confident and well-rounded floral designer. And really, who doesn't want to be the envy of all of your friends when you can make $18 worth of flowers from Trader Joe's, look like a $250 bouquet from the local high-end florist and design shop? Give it a look, and grab a copy for yourself via the Amazon link below: 

Book Review: Scandinavia Dreaming

For those of you familiar with Nordic design, or what we all think of as traditional Scandinavian design, you know that there is a strange dichotomy in their design aesthetic. Scandinavia Dreaming: Nordic Homes, Interiors, and Design tackles the uniqueness of the interiors and rich variety of architecture of Nordic design in dreamy, brilliant photos that feature the light, open, beautiful and deeply creative spaces. 

Scandinavian design is all at once modern and minimalist, while still being stylish, traditional, and elegant. Architecture is typically at one with nature, with large windows that let as much light as possible in during their short winter days. The history of this aesthete dates back to original Nordic homes, but thanks to brilliant young minds now asserting their footprint on design and architecture in Scandinavia, there's a whole new world of work. Something that blurs the lines between the balanced and stylish antique work of their predecessors, and a new modern take on these historic classics. Let's take a look:

Scandinavia Dreaming is a wonderful book for those interested in interiors, architecture and design. There's a wealth of inspiration and delightfully playful solutions in the book thanks to the skilled craftsman and Nordic creatives who have established a signature style that is coveted the world over. 

Take a closer look and pick up your own copy via the Amazon link below: 

Cross Bottles, Cushions, and Chic Stays

Welcome back from the weekend! I hope that everyone had a lovely weekend, and that your temperatures are more welcoming than the inhospitably single digit numbers we have had here. This weekend I took some time to get the Cross Bottle Guy studio back up and running. The move really set me behind, as the organization of the many pieces that are involved in my process for designing these little treasures is a key component to their successful creation.

We are all up and running though, and this weekend I made 9 pieces for the Cross Bottle Guy website, including these two, which are among my favorites;

It's so rewarding to be back in the studio, creating. I'm sure just about all of you know the story behind these cross bottles. I started making them way back in 2008, and first sold them on this blog. But as I began seeing more and more find new homes, I decided that I needed a proper name and dedicated site for them. Thus, Cross Bottle Guy. 

So pop on over there if you're so inclined to see what I did with most of the weekend. Michelle, my helpful seamstress and creator of all my slipcovers, came by on Friday to measure the sofa for a new cushion cover. 

Sorry for this poor photo, but it's the most recent of the sofa. There's nothing wrong with the white one that is currently on the sofa, but since it's all upholstered, I wanted to be proactive and find a solution for any pesky stains/etc. that would occur between cleanings. So, I found a lovely camel colored velvet by Pindler & Pindler, and I'm having her create that with some inspiration from Jeffrey Bilhuber: 

I've long loved this room, featured in his book Defining Luxury which I'm pretty sure I've said more than once - YOU MUST OWN! Seriously. That book is incredible. Here's the link: 

Anyway, in this Manhattan brownstone, Jeffrey had the details on the upholstered pieces include stitched trim from Samuel and Sons Passementerie. I loved the look then (2008) and I still love it today. So, I'm having Michelle stitch trim to the top face of my new cushion. As soon as I get it I will let you know, along with everyone else, since I am pretty sure I'll be shouting "whoohoo" from the rooftop! 

Speaking of books ... I have a few book reviews to share with you this week, including a beautiful coffee table book called Chic Stays. 

I got lost in the pages of this book this weekend. Truly. It was a marvelous way to take a departure (even though it was only visually and mentally) from the snow on the ground, and teen temperatures with sub-zero wind chill. I can't wait to share this one with you Wednesday! 

P.S., I know that many of you are (and have been) anxiously awaiting more photos of the apartment. I promise that as soon as I get this cushion cover back, and have a day with good lighting (that's been the main roadblock) I'll get some great photos of the space, and I'll share them with you here. 

Books on Sale!

I think that most of us probably look for a bargain when we can find one, don't we? I know I do! And because I do so many book reviews here on the blog, I'm constantly purchasing on Amazon and love when I get a chance to get even further discounts on their already reduced prices! 

Right now, and until December 17th, you can use promo code GIFTBOOK and receive $5 off book purchases of $15 or more. That's right!

So if you wanted to buy a book for someone for Christmas, or if you were keeping your eye on one of the books from my reviews, you can get an even bigger cut on the price! I decided that I would share with you some of the books I would definitely suggest using this coupon for!

First up, Mark Sikes' Beautiful. I did a review on the book, here. I can't tell you how many times I've looked through this book, cover to cover. Probably dozens. Maybe 100! It's truly beautiful from start to finish, and already a great bargain at $33.39, the book with the discount code GIFTBOOK is a mere $28.39! When was the last time you paid $28 for years worth of inspiration?!

An oldie but a goodie, Mary McDonald Interiors: The Allure of Style is another of my go-to books. Just $43 with the coupon code GIFTBOOK! 

You could use it on any of Jeffrey Bilhuber's books, and you'd be filled with inspiration from start to finish over, and over! Honestly, any of the books I've reviewed under the book review tab would be wonderful additions to your library! And with this coupon code, it just makes it a little easier! 

So click on any of the links above for the specific titles, or the banner below to shop for your favorite books! Just don't forget to use the promo code GIFTBOOK at check out! Hurry, you've only got til' the 17th! 

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree ...

I have decorated over 100 Christmas trees. Seriously! Thanks to the tour of homes that I used to participate in, and the fact that I had anywhere from 4-6 trees at the old house. And I used to really enjoy it. USED TO! Now, I either end up with no time to do it for myself, or no where to put a tree.

However, I still love the smell of Christmas that you get with fresh, live greenery - so I wanted to share with you quickly my most favorite candle of the Holiday season:

Votivo candles are absolutely the most fragrant I have ever found, and each year when they unveil their signature holiday scents, I get excited and stock up on my favorite, Icy Blue Pine. Votivo says that the candle is a potent powerful punch of prickly pine pleasure with the underpinnings of sweet and spicy stripped cedar bark topped with merry crumbles of crystallized ice cubes - the suspended delight of wintery wonderland adventure. My own review of the scent is this: IT'S CHRISTMAS IN A BOX! I'm not even kidding. You walk into any room where you're burning this candle and it has this incredible power of just yanking you into the holiday spirit.

Amazon sells the candles in three sizes. The votive candles here:

These votives last about 20-hours. And then they have the large candle, which is the size that I have burning right now! 

All of the Votivo candles are soy blend, and this particular fragrance is limited to the holiday season, only. The holiday collection of scents come in mirrored jars, or quatrefoil tins and fit perfectly with any decor.

The quatrefoil tin is 4oz, about half the size as the large candle, and twice the size of the votive. Of course, I'm not the only one who loves these things, so they're in limited quantity. 

I also just noticed that they have a room spray! 

Consider it sold! Seriously, if you're a fan of fragrance candles, you will love this one. I have spent so much money on candles throughout the years, trying to find one that not only smelled like Christmas, but smelled as good burning as it did when I picked it up off the shelf! I know I'm not the only one! These candles certainly aren't inexpensive, but, they are incredibly aromatic and I've never found a candle that smelled more perfect for the holiday season. 

If you're not a holiday fragrance fan, I will tell you that my go-to scent for the rest of the year, is Volcano, by Capri Blue. If you've ever walked by or near an Anthropologie store, you have smelled this intoxicating candle. 

They come in a variety of sizes, but the 20 oz. jar for $23.99 is their best value, and saves you $6 over the Anthro price. 

I hope you're all enjoying the hustle and bustle of this season, and finding all the gifts and trappings for everyone on your list! 

Book Review: Segreto Style

Leslie Segreto is a powerhouse! Recently, my friend Joni, the author of the insanely popular Cote de Texas, wrote: "I have long been convinced that the owner of Segreto, Leslie Sinclair, is actually the Wizard of Oz behind the most beautiful houses in Houston - and more."  I can't think of a better way to describe her myself. 

If you didn't already know, Segreto Finishes specializes in custom paint treatments and decorative finishes. They can paint anything, and they have! Leslie's website and portfolio shows the breadth of work, from furniture and wallpaper illusions, to custom kitchen cabinet finishes and ceiling treatments. I am convinced there is nothing that Leslie and her team of artists cannot transform into a masterwork ready for debut in interiors of any style. Segreto Style, along with her two other books: Segreto Secrets and Segreto Vignettes is proof of the incredible talent and artistry of her inimitable team.

Between the three titles, there are more than 940 pages of one beautiful room after another, each of which was touched by the expert Segreto Finishes brush. Leslie was kind enough to send me a signed copy of Segreto Style after reading that I didn't have one in my review of her newest book, Segreto Vignettes. Leslie is as kind and generous as she is talented, and passionate about the art of interiors, and I am beyond thrilled to have a complete set of her published work. 

Leslie and her team work with all of the finest interior designers in Houston and beyond, and her books capture the beauty of not only the work of Segreto Finishes, but of these very talented interior designers. Prepare yourself, for inspiration overload: 

There are over 300 pages of rooms just like these in Segreto Style, each image absolutely stunning in nearly every range of interior design style. Published in 2014, all of these rooms are magazine cover worthy today, and that's the power of decorative treatments - they're universal, and timeless! If they're right, they work in every house, every room, every style - and in my opinion, Leslie and her team at Segreto Finishes can do no wrong. 

I encourage you to look at Leslie's website, www.segretofinishes.com and to read my reviews of her other books, Segreto Secrets and Segreto Vignettes. 

You can purchase all three of Leslie's books on her website at a discount, here: 

You can also order them individually from the website, or on Amazon, below: 

Also, you can still shop the decoration sale while things last here.