The New Decorating/Design Book

Hi everyone!  In Monday's post about our living room, I showed you a glimpse of the two new decorating books I got for Christmas.  The book I want to share with you today is called "THE GREAT AMERICAN HOUSE, Tradition For The Way We Live Now," by Gil Schafer, III.  This is the first time I've been exposed to Mr. Schafer's work, but based on the houses in this book, I would say that Gil Schafer, III, is an architect extraordinaire.

"THE GREAT AMERICAN HOUSE" features a forward by interior designer, Bunny Williams.  It's a 255-page hardback, coffee-table style book, that's chock full of information and beautiful photos.

Gil Schafer, III specializes in contemporary classical architecture and this book features four classic houses.  One is his own home in New York's Hudson Valley, and the other three houses include one new creation, one renovation, and one restoration.  All feature Mr. Schafer's work.

**SOURCE NOTE:  The following photos are all taken from my copy of "THE GREAT AMERICAN HOUSE, Tradition For The Way We Live Now," by Gil Schafer, III; Copyright, 2011; first published in the United States in 2012 by Rizzoli International Publications, Inc.**

In this book, the author explains his thoughts on the best ways to design a contemporary classic house.  If you were planning on building your dream home, this book would make a wonderful guideline for designing from the ground up.

But it's also filled with pictures of the interiors of these homes and how they're decorated.  The style and decor of the homes really appeals to me.

I love this stone facade and the beautiful Ionic columns on the porch, as well as the combination of black and white trim.  It's just so classic.

Notice that you can look straight through this hallway from front to back of the house.

Another common element that I see in the interior of these homes is the use of color.  Mr. Schafer, his clients, and the designers he works with are obviously not afraid of color.  Hallelujah!  That's one of the big reasons these rooms appeal to me so much -- I love color.

I see so many images of homes dressed primarily in whites, ivories, and beige's that I feel like I'm out in left field sometimes.  But I'm a firm believer in sticking with what you love.  If you truly love a lot of white, then it will always be in style in your home.  I just happen to love color, so I decorate our home accordingly.  You can hop on board with every big trend that is popular at the moment, or you can make a decision to choose things you like and (hopefully) will like for a long time.  For me, personally, I'm just more comfortable and happy that way.

My husband and I can't afford to re-do our house every time something new comes along, and I wouldn't want to.  I do, however, think we all need a little change and variety sometimes.  To satisfy that need in myself, I make small changes with accessories, often switching out the ones I have from time to time.  If you truly love to make big changes often, you're probably a really talented DIY person, which I'm not.  :) 

The other reason these interiors (and exteriors) appeal to me so much are the abundance of classic touches everywhere.

Isn't this a beautiful Corinthian column?

This dining room is spectacular --I love the mantel, paneling, and wallpaper in this room.

I'll share more photos in a future post, along with some of the architect's thoughts on design, historic homes, and landscapes.  If you like books on decorating and design, this really is a well-written book and a great addition to your home library.

Do any of these pictures speak to your sense of style?  I'd love to hear from you.

Denise

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