Depending on your mindset, this time of year is either fun or stressful. Fun if you like the challenge of finding the perfect gift for each person on your list – stressful if you just never know what to buy.
If there’s someone on your list who loves design or is a big DIY-er – we have some ideas for you. House Beautiful has some great gift ideas including the book “Apartment Therapy Presents.” The book is full of solutions for small spaces that won’t cost a fortune. There are even floor plans and resources listed by the photos inside the book.
We also asked members of the Hirshfield’s family for their favorite design or DIY books. We hope these ideas help – happy shopping!
Kathy from the Design Resource Center lists these as her favorite design books:
- Barry Dixon Interiors Barry Dixon’s philosophy is that the element of surprise is crucial to good design. That belief comes through in his passion for mixing styles – even putting antiques in a modern design space.
- Billy Baldwin Decorates This book was published in the 1970s but is considered by many to be one of the most authoritative books on interior design. Billy Baldwin explains taste, how to work with a decorator and the basic elements of a room.
- The Home Within Us (Bobby McAlpine) This book is from an architect and designer who combines modern living with historical and romantic design. McAlpine showcases more than twenty homes to back up his philosophy of using unexpected materials and spaces.
- New Classic Interiors (Alessandra Branca) Go inside a designer’s creative process in this book on creating beautiful spaces. Branca walks the reader through the steps of creating a room through it’s form and function, lighting, furniture and decorative elements.
Julia from the Design Resource Center had this suggestion:
Downtown Chic: Designing Your Dream Home: From Wreck to Ravishing This book is from a couple in New York City – who happen to be designers. They’ve been renovating and designing unique spaces for families for more than a decade. Think of this book as a practical guide that offers amazing inspiration. It also comes with a healthy dose of humor that you really need if you’re doing a renovation. The authors also just had a show on Bravo called “Nine by Design.”
Both Julia & Kathy love Kelly Wearstler’s books. Kelly is an American interior designer who you might know from being a judge on the reality show “Top Design.”
She has several books that would make great gifts – “Hue” is all about color and “Modern Glamour: The Art of Unexpected Style” takes you inside Kelly’s home in Beverly Hills and some projects she’s worked on for celebrities.
What are your favorite design books? What are you hoping to get under the Christmas tree to spark your creativity?