Description:
There's more to decorating a home well than simply selecting furniture and accessories for each room. A well-dressed home has a certain flair throughout that's stylish and inviting. That sense of style unfortunately doesn't come naturally to most people, so Signature Style aims to help you learn from those who have it in spades. The book features eight American designers, each of whom has a distinctive sense of style, and all of whom are masterful in their approach to interior design. Charles Faudree, for instance, specializes in combining French and English touches, such as toleware and Staffordshire figures. This artful mix of European high style and country brings warmth, comfort, and class to all of his rooms. Gary McBournie, on the other hand, brings a very American look to his homes with rag rugs, New England furniture, and antique handmade quilts, while also incorporating European and Asian pieces. Mary Douglas Drysdale melds neoclassical design with modern pieces and throws in her trademark detail of antique weathervanes; Kely Amen, on the other hand, favors the use of bold color over accessories. Other designers whose works are profiled include Thomas Bartlett, Paula Perlini, Kelly Amen, Douglas Rasar, and Alessandra Branca. This assemblage of designers brings an impressive amount of training and knowledge to their field--many have classical training at prestigious interior design schools, as well as backgrounds in art, art history, and architecture, and formative experiences in other countries. But the proof is in their designs, and the result is always breathtaking. Well written and laid out, this beautiful book is checkered with plentiful, large color photos of each designer's work. The editors have done a superlative job of selecting some fine American designers to feature in the book--each of these artists brings a timeless yet unique style to his or her work. Readers of Signature Style would do well to take some cues from the designers featured when trying to formulate their own signature style. --Kris Law
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