Divine Design

For those of you who have read my reviews before you will know I have a real fascination with pink. Especially bright pink – in fact, the brighter the better. Recently I have been toying with painting my lounge fuchsia…

It is pretty near impossible to choose my favourite out of all the design books we are reviewing in this article. I think in all sorts of ways – each one is a favourite. I really can’t choose between them.

For those of you who have read my reviews before you will know I have a real fascination with pink. Especially bright pink – in fact, the brighter the better. Recently I have been toying with painting my lounge fuchsia, but I have realised I actually can’t do it as a lot of my furnishings are pink and they would quite simply disappear.

I have to say the reason for reviewing this particular book is entirely shallow. The cover is just glorious! The front cover is bright pink. What is not to love about that? I thought that even if I didn’t like the book, it would still look gorgeous on a table somewhere in my house, or in my bookcase. Living in Mexico by Barbara & Rene Stoeltie is so much more than a pretty cover…

I have to say that pink does feature prominently throughout the book, but so do oranges and greens, and cobalt blues. In fact just about any happy, bright colour you can imagine. With hand painted plaster walls, and painted furniture to showcase the vibrant shades. There is nothing ‘trendy’ about the use of these colours in Mexico; it just so happens that the West is catching up with these feel-good shades of yellows and reds. Reading this book you realise that designers like Trisha Guild from Designers Guild have been royally inspired by this colour history. You could actually buy the book for just the photographs but the text is also inspiring. The thing I also like about this book is its price tag. At $34.99 it is a steal. Living in Mexico by Barbara & Rene Sloeltie is published by Taschen and available now.

While we are talking about colour it seems the perfect time to talk about Jonathan Adler on Happy Chic Colours. I dare you to try and walk past this book and not pick it up.

Jonathan Adler is someone we here in New Zealand associate with ceramics. His whimsical figurines and vases are collected all over the world and interestingly they are almost always white. Always created with a sense of humour, I didn’t realise what a strong sense of colour he had! This book is a dizzying array of bright yellows, aqua, orange, red and happy apple green.

This is not a man afraid to make a statement. I just adore this book – but then I love colour so it was always going to be a favourite with me. It really is the sort of book that you pick up, flick through and put down feeling better. A happy book. And Happy is what he calls his aesthetic. He has, quite simply, got that right. Jonathan Adler on Happy Chic – Colours. It is published by Sterling Innovation at $49 and is available now. I have tried to find the distributor in NZ – and if anyone knows – can they please contact me!

Interiors Now! 2 Edited by Laszlo Taschen is a grown-up sort of interiors book. This is a beautiful book for people serious about their design. It is the second in the series, with, I assume, more to follow. This book features divine homes from all around the world and covers many styles and design schools; from a gorgeous house in Ghent in Belgium to a humble mud hut (painted pink and blue) in Tamil Nadu in India and everything in-between. It also includes a modernist cedar-clad house in Auckland that looks out over Pollen Island. Good design resides here! There is plenty to excite the senses with this book and it covers such a huge range of tastes that I think everyone is looked after. It avoids being to ‘trend-driven’ and instead concentrates of simple, good design. You will still love this book in 10 years time. Interiors Now! 2 Edited by Laszlo Taschen is published by Taschen and is $99. It is available now.

How lovely is this next book? I am sure it is because the cover has a blue chair on the front… A Space of My Own by Caroline Clifton-Mogg is my bible at the moment. I am just re-doing my office and there are no extra funds to help with the transformation, and this book is just the ticket. It has a ton of practical information (desk height should be 65-70cm from the floor) but also plenty to say on what actually matters (it is your space), and what doesn’t (boring old filing cabinets). There are a whole raft of ideas on different styles and even thoughts on keeping yourself organised (which I really NEED). This is a bit of a rare book – at least for me – as I am the sort who flicks through books and looks at the beautiful pictures. I have actually read this book from cover to cover. Plenty to digest. A Space of Your Own – Caroline Clifton-Mogg is published by Ryland Peters and Small. It is distributed by www.bookreps.co.nz and is $59.99. It is available now.

Another book I have read from cover to cover (and this is REALLY surprising) is Kevin McCloud’s 43 Principles of Home Enjoying Life in the 21st Century. The God of All Things Home Related, McCloud has a very strong following in this house. Even my husband who isn’t the slightest bit interested in ANYTHING design-related religiously watches Grand Designs with me. And even he has read this book all the way through!

McCloud writes with a great ease – pretty much the way that he speaks. In fact you pretty much feel like you are having a one-way conversation with him.

There is so much practical advice that is easily balanced with real-life living. He talks at great length about building his own barbeque as he detests the bought metal ones, but after one collapsing, and another setting fire to his orchard and hedges, he relents and buys one from his local Bunnings. I think this is what I like about the man – he is principled but practical. He has made me really think a few issues through. We are in the process of downsizing out fridge (supposedly the optimum size is actually just 330 litres) – we have double that at present – and I realise all that happens is I leave things in there until they go furry as I can hardly find anything in there it is so big! His theory on what you should actually spend money on in your house is quite interesting – bathroomware and door handles – not supersized fridges and double ovens. He lays his ideas out well enough that you feel if you don’t agree, the affable McCloud would simply shrug his shioulders rather than argue with you.

We were very keen to hear him speak when he was here at the end of October, but I think I might just have to settle for the book. And by the way – I love principle 29 the most – put simply – your home is not a shop. Kevin McCloud’s 43 Principles of Home, Enjoying Life in the 21st Century is published by Harper Collins. Watch out for what appears to a soft cover abridged version of this book, Kevin McCloud’s Principles of Home, which is $39.99, and also out now.

By Anya Brighouse
23 October 2011