HomeStyle Book Club
For the DIY-er looking to strip the 70s wallpaper from a room, then a “Home Remodeling for Dummies”-type book will suffice. But for those wanting to show their home design savvy and put something beautiful on the coffee table, these two gorgeous new design books will impress guests and get the creative juices flowing.
Live, Love & Decorate
By Martyn Lawrence Bullard
(Rizzoli, 2011) $50
It’s the perfect coffee table book, if your coffee table is large and weight-bearing. Both the hefty size and price are warranted, though: Martyn Lawrence Bullard includes photos from his beautiful designs, many of which were created for super celebrities like Cher and Elton John.
Bullard’s upbeat designs are brightly patterned and colored, and delightful to simply look at. The text tells the story of each project; it is descriptive but not disruptive. He offers insight into the homeowners' tastes and lifestyles. At left, the interior page displays the extensive shoe collection and personal rooms of Tamara Mellon, cofounder of the Jimmy Choo luxury brand, who is one of Bullards’ famous clients whose photograph appears in the book.
Word As Image
By Ji Lee
(Penguin Group, 2011) $14
A small and simple book with a simple design challenge: “Create an image out of a word, using only the letters contained within the word itself.” Sound easy? Maybe – but Ji Lee’s creations are more than just fun with type. He takes creativity to the next level. It’s hard not to think of each page as a missed opportunity for an awesome company logo. And with text becoming more prevalent in home designs, you might consider having some fun with wall decals after seeing his gorgeous renditions of “eclipse” and “ying-yang.”
Lee was previously the creative director at Google, and he is now the creative director at Facebook. Some of his designs show off a playful side, like “Insomnia” shown above, and others have more serious implications, like the colorful combination of “Israel” and “Palestine” or the scrambled “Tibet” piled inside the “C” of “China.” This book is definitely a conversation piece.
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