Feb 17, 2010 -
Sunset magazine has been publishing books since the 1930s, with titles ranging from home wiring to deck building, although the most consistently popular title since that time has been Sunset's Western Garden book. Now, an updated and expanded version of Sunset Western Garden Book of Edibles ($25) is available for those of us who are cultivating a green thumb and a beautiful backyard garden.
The new copy improves on the old favorite in many ways, including gorgeous full-color photos for every entry, from vegetables and herbs to nuts, tropicals, and fruits.
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Feb 16, 2010 -
Interior stylist, author, and owner of London shop Caravan, Emily Chalmers has made a career out of finding beauty in objects that require more ingenuity than income. Cheap Chic ($20), which was originally published in 2003 in hardcover, will be released at the end of this month in paperback, and is a perfect example of her talent at transforming overlooked secondhand objects into things of beauty.
I was lucky enough to take a peek at the book thanks to a review copy from the publishers.
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Dec 23, 2009 -
A good decorating book can't exist without beautiful photography for inspiration. Though a shutterbug is not the only ingredient in the secret sauce, to be honest, I often do judge shelter books primarily on imagery. But, there are exceptions.
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Nov 19, 2009 -
Just a week after the fold of Metropolitan Home, I've got my hands on another city-centric design volume: Sue Hostetler's new book Majestic Metropolitan Living: Visionary Homes in the Heart of Cities. The shelter and design editor for magazines like Gotham, Hamptons, and LA Confidential, and the host of Plum Homes With Sue Hostetler on Plum TV (which "targets the most active, influential, and educated audience in the world"), Hostetler has tapped her cronies for tours of their unique and luxe urban dwellings.
The American dream of retiring to the pool and tennis courts in your countryside home is squashed by this book, which showcases a range of sprawling, real-life city homes.
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Oct 21, 2009 -
No academic course will teach you how to give a derelict house a gut renovation and turn it into a fantastically unique, high-style home. That skill comes with experience and serious design savvy, something which Robert and Cortney Novogratz accidentally learned they had.
After renovating their first home in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood 10 years ago, which then was a neglected, not-so-fashionable area, they realized they had a knack for building and decorating, together.
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Oct 19, 2009 -
For 20 years, Elle Decor's chic issues have offered readers ideas and inspiration for their homes. I've been collecting a giant stack of dog-eared Elle Decor issues for the last 10 years, so I'm excited to announce that the best of the magazine can now be found in Style and Substance ($45) by Margaret Russell and the editors of Elle Decor. I was thrilled to receive a (personally autographed!) copy of Style and Substance in my mailbox, and couldn't wait to review the book.
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Oct 09, 2009 -
When I think of interior designer and stylist Abigail Ahern, who also owns one of London's leading interiors stores, there are a few things that come to mind. One is the Neo Baroque Chandelier in her collection — one of the most breathtaking and showstopping pieces I have ever come across. And the other is her perfected and signature use of Farrow & Ball's "Downpipe" paint from floor to ceiling — which inspired my own gray(-ish) kitchen.
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Sep 25, 2009 -
It's a big month for ELLE Decor. Not only is it the magazine's 20th anniversary, but Oct. 28 marks the official launch of the new book Style and Substance: The Best of Elle Decor, written by editor-in-chief Margaret Russell (below).
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Aug 13, 2009 -
I am on a never-ending quest to expand my home library, and fortunately my home is small enough that I'm not plagued with any bare bookcases giving guests the illusion that I'm illiterate. But, if I did live in a sprawling space with lots of storage, why not fill those built-ins with books? Enter Wonder Book, which sells books by the foot.
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Jun 24, 2009 -
Hello Casa,
My dream is to buy or build a Spanish Colonial home for myself one day. I was wondering if you could recommend some books on this architectural style for me. Some coffee table books would be fine, or something on the construction of the homes too and interior design .
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