Coffee Table Books

Hello World!  Welcome Friends!  I have been on a quest to clean out everything in my house.  We have completed the Playroom purge and my upstairs office is partially done.  I have decided that I no longer want to have an office away from everyone.  So, Greg and I are sharing the Study space downstairs.  The plan is to turn the upstairs office into a guest bedroom a little later on.  I have gone through all of our dvd’s, Chloe’s toys, some home decor items and books.  We have a ton of books and it was time to give them to someone else.  However, there are some books I will never part with.  And, that is what this post is all about.

Coffee Table Books

My French Life

In 1999, Vicki Archer, with her husband and three children, made a lifelong dream a reality when she bought a seventeenth-century property in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. She spent three years lovingly restoring the farmhouse, bringing back to life the abandoned apple and pear orchards, and planting an olive grove of more than two thousand trees. In My French Life, Vicki shares an insider’s view of life in France: from its landscapes, delicious food, and scents to its charming people. And she offers an intimate portrait of what it’s like to adopt a new home on the other side of the globe. It’s a personal tale of taking risks, facing challenges, and the joyous experience of falling in love with all things French. –My French Life

My French Life is one of those books that I return to when I need a little pick me up.  The photography is beautiful and Vicki’s story is captivating.  Next is,

The French Inspired Home

Carolyn Westbrook is a designer and decorator whose love affair with French styling began long before she ever traveled to France. Growing up in the US, her Southern heritage was infused with French influences—from the chic elegance of New Orleans to the romance of southern plantation houses. Carolyn’s subsequent journeys to France have only fueled her passion for French interiors and have influenced her designs and interiors ever since. “The French Inspired” has become her own signature style. Carolyn’s stunning plantation house, a sleek urban apartment, and a classically elegant town house showcase a variety of distinct styles that will leave you enamored with all that is French. Whether she has used a distressed and gilded mirror that oozes elegance, or a faded and frayed rug that exudes rustic charm, all of these ideas are essentially “French” in their inspiration. Carolyn Westbrook prides herself on these classic and timeless French-inspired interiors, and rather than reflecting the latest trends, she hopes they inspire longevity and a true romance with your own home. The French have mastered the art of this time-worn, yet sophisticated, style of living, and you too will fall in love with the colors, the textures, and the inspiration that is truly French.  –The French Inspired Home

This book to me is a marriage between Southern and French decor.  Both decors compliment each other beautifully.  This book will always have a spot on one of my tables.  It is perfectly comforting and dreamy.

Any good Southern woman who has a penchant for decorating will have one of Charles Faudree’s books in her library.  The one I love is:

 Details

Finishing accessories―by far the most important part of decorating.  The accessories we display, their color and texture, abundance or restraint, similarity or variety, combine to establish a unique personality for each room. The way we put them together is art. Focusing on tablescapes, wall decorations, mantels, and fabrics, Charles shows not just the results, but the wonderful journey and process of giving a room its soul and identity. –Charles Faudree Details

I remember the first time I perused through a Charles Faudree book.  At the time, I was a young opera singer who had booked a singing gig at one of the large estates in River Oaks which is a community of stunning and elegant homes here in Houston.  I was being interviewed by the Lady of the Home to see if I was going to be a good fit to provide singing entertainment for the charity event she was going to host. After arriving, I was escorted into the formal salon and asked to take a seat to wait for my potential employer.  After taking in the amazingly huge room and formal furnishings, I looked down at the coffee table and there was a Charles Faudree book on the top of a stack of 5 decor and art books.  I was immediately drawn to the cover and picked the book up.  I don’t know how long I waited for the Lady of the House to appear because I was so engrossed in the book.  The pages softly turning to reveal one beautiful room after another.  I was smitten with Charles and his craft! I jumped when the Lady appeared.  She laughed loudly and said, “Oh, good!  You have good taste!”  She then asked if I wanted to see more of her 20,000 sq. ft. home to which I immediately said yes!  So, off I went spending the afternoon with this gracious lady taking me through her beautiful and well appointed home introducing me to her staff whenever we ran into one on our tour.  I have never forgotten that day, the Lady, the house, and of course Charles.  Oh, and by the way, I got the job!

Next on my list of favorites is:

The World of Madeleine Castaing

The inimitable style of renowned French interior designer Madeleine Castaing, chronicled in-depth for the first time. While many were drumming to the beat of modernism in the early- and mid-twentieth century, French antiquaire and decorator Madeleine Castaing created her own look that was a unique blend of neoclassicism, Proustian romanticism, and pure wit. Her distinctive aesthetic vision has inspired tastemakers on both sides of the Atlantic, and her devotees—both then and now—are legion. Ocelot carpeting, opaline blue, “coolie” lampshades, and an eclectic mix of neoclassical furnishings ranging from English Regency to Napoleon III all formed part of the vocabulary of “le style Castaing.” This lavishly illustrated volume—the first on her work—explores in-depth the elements of her style, and examines how she crafted interiors so emotive that visitors felt that they had stepped into a Balzac novel or a Proustian recollection. Her entire life and career are chronicled, from her early years in Montparnasse, the epicenter of artistic activity in Paris, to her incomparable country house Lèves and her legendary shop on rue Jacob in Paris. –The World of Madeleine Castaing

This book is not safe!  What I mean by that is that Madeleine was a risk taker.  This book is filled with surprise after surprise.  When I get in a spot where I think I shouldn’t mix certain patterns or colors, I open this book and remind myself that it is okay to follow my gut.

The following is from our very own Carolyne Roehm.

A Passion for Interiors

In her most personal book, Carolyne Roehm shares her lifelong love of classical architecture and design, graciously inviting us into her favorite spaces in three remarkable homes: her own dazzling Manhattan prewar duplex, her antique-filled Colonial-era stone house in Connecticut, and a special friend’s Aspen residence evocative of eighteenth-century Sweden. Each is an architectural showpiece as well as a superlative example of her polished style: never fussy, always graceful and enticing.

Even as a young design assistant to Oscar de la Renta, Carolyne Roehm was a devotee of the eternal virtues of artistry. Now, having lived in several residences, she has gathered her knowledge, enthusiasms, and extraordinary collections to make these three homes quintessential examples of the Roehm style. Each is individual—yet all showcase her classical leanings and devotion to the beauty and grace of authentic craftsmanship. The New York apartment, with its selection of antique busts and objects and superlative artwork and furnishings; the stunning double-height great room, beautifully finished in handcrafted neoclassical details, that forms the heart of her Connecticut residence; Aspen’s colorful, abundant interiors, light-flooded from 78 windows—all express the special, satisfying harmony that can exist between timeless architecture and the artisan’s atelier.  –A Passion for Interiors

I own two of Carolyne’s books and both have and will continue to provide hours of turning through pretty pages.  When I sit with one of her books, the stress melts off of me and motivation and dreams return to give me renewed vigor to tackle my list of projects.

The next book was given to me for a Christmas gift:

The New French Decor

The art of setting, compiling, or combining disparate objects is a difficult art. Yet it has become the chic new decorating style in France, and is now spreading throughout the world. After the success of The New Eighteenth-Century Style, journalist Michèle Lalande and photographer Gilles Trillard team up once again to showcase the most successful combinations of treasured heirlooms and contemporary design.

From precious mundane objects like seashells and glass bottles to priceless works of master craftsmanship like candelabras and carved wooden chests, The New French Décor provides insight into the blend of sophistication, symmetry, confusion, and minimalism that makes each of these rooms successful. Beautifully photographed by Trillard, these rich designs, conceived and executed by top stylists, decorators, and antiquarians, delight the eye on each page with a brilliant patchwork of old and new. –The New French Décor

This book for me is about finding the balance between old and new and making it work in your home.  It’s a treat to take a break from hanging wallpaper or going through desk drawers to sit and see the possibilities.

Below, here is my other Carolyne book and by far one of my favorites.

A Passion for Blue & White

From the time designer Carolyne Roehm rented her first small apartment in New York in her twenties, she has loved blue and white. In that one-bedroom flat, she draped the walls, chairs, sofa, and a canopy bed in an inexpensive blue and white sheeting fabric designed by her boss, Oscar de la Renta, and began collecting blue-and-white porcelain from around the world—initially bargain reproductions and eventually museum-quality pieces—from China, Japan, Portugal, the Netherlands, and elsewhere.

Today, Carolyne Roehm presides over a magnificent duplex in Manhattan, an antique-filled stone house in Connecticut, and a chic yet rustic home in Aspen, all of which contain rooms decorated in blue and white, featuring accents from her collections of china, ceramics, glassware, linens, furniture, and decorative pieces. These rooms employ the whole spectrum of blues, from delicate sky to the deepest, boldest navy, evoking moods ranging from tranquil to vibrant.

In A Passion for Blue and White, Carolyne Roehm takes us inside her homes (including her former pied-à-terre in Paris) in never-before-seen photographs of these stunning rooms. She also reveals how she has used blue and white to magnificent effect outdoors in Connecticut around her pool and in her gardens—and even how she used the combination in designing a wedding for a friend.

She provides inspiration for tabletop design, flower arranging, and gift-wrapping, suitable for all budgets. Her ceramic, textile, and glass collections (endless sources of her creativity) can be emulated by anyone with trips to flea markets, thrift shops, and inexpensive import stores as well as antique stores and galleries.

A swatch of French fabric began Carolyne Roehm’s lifetime love affair with blue and white. In this book, she demonstrates through her own decorating and designs, how this combination works its magic on everything from upholstery and drapes to napkins and tablecloths, wrapping paper and ribbons. For anyone with a passion for blue and white, here is the ultimate style guide and Carolyne Roehm’s most gorgeous book yet. –A Passion for Blue and White

Now for my last favorite book.  Most of my friends know I love make-up.  The almost daily ritual of sitting down at the vanity and applying make-up is a task I really enjoy.  The following book has been on my list of books to get for awhile.  I was pleasantly surprised when it showed up in the mail yesterday.  So, I snapped a quick picture to show you.  I doubt this one will sit on one of my tables. It should be given a place of honor on the vanity:

Making Faces

Kevyn Aucoin, America’s preeminent makeup artist shares his secrets, explaining not only the basics of makeup application and technique but also how to use the fundamentals to create a wide range of different looks.  –Making Faces

Kevyn is no longer with us, but his techniques for creating beautiful faces still lives on in his gorgeous book.

There you have it!  A few of my favorite books.  I believe it’s important to step away from the tv, computer, tablet and phone and read a book.  To get lost in the pages of a book is truly a gift.  This year I have been endeavoring to set aside time every day for reading and staying off the computer. I seem to fall down rabbit holes when I sit too long at the desk.  My goal hasn’t been achieved, but I have increased my reading time from last year.

Next Thursday we kick off another round of the One Room Challenge!  This time around we are finishing up our Powder Room.  Greg has been working late and oftentimes on the weekend and we haven’t had time to get the moulding purchased, cut and installed.  And, I haven’t finished wallpapering the space.  So, I thought I would just save it for the One Room Challenge.

Click the links below for any posts you have missed:

Top Apartment Amenities for the Young Professional

The Right Roof Covering For Your Home

Planning the Backyard Garden and Entertaining Space

How to Get a Woodland Inspired Interior

Achieving your Home Decor Style

Maintaining your Roof to Cut Costs

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