Lamps changed with light sources

  • By Jura Koncius The Washington Post
  • Wednesday, November 28, 2012 10:24pm
  • Life

Stylish coffee tables have a tall stack of fresh design books to display this season. After a lean few years in the interiors book category, an army of experts is bringing us the best of design in 2012.

The list of authors includes West Coast rock-star decorators, style bloggers and TV design personalities.

A message from these books is this: Your home should reflect who you are. So, we might add, should the books you display in your living room. Here are our picks.

“Young House Love: 243 Ways to Paint, Craft, Update &Show Your Home Some Love” by Sherry and John Petersik ($25.95)

Richmond, Va., bloggers Sherry and John Petersik use their fixer-upper houses as labs for DIY improvements.

The husband-and-wife team, who are self-described “cheapos,” have a huge following on their friendly blog, Young House Love.

The book serves up no-attitude advice and step-by-step directions for lots of everyday projects, including dressing up an $8 flea market mirror or painting ugly kitchen cabinets.

“The Things That Matter” by Nate Berkus ($35)

Ever since Chicago designer Nate Berkus began appearing on Oprah in 2002, his name has been associated with room makeovers that reflect the lives of the people who live in them.

In his second book, Berkus presents houses that tell the stories of their owners.

Berkus, in a very personal chapter, reveals how he is connected to the leather rhinoceros head and the chunk of malachite in his own New York place.

Then he invites us into the homes of 12 others. Through those stories, he hopes to inspire readers to celebrate and decorate with what is unique about themselves.

“Home by Novogratz” by Robert and Cortney Novogratz ($35)

How do you decorate a surf shack? The Novogratzes would know. A hip, urban couple with seven children and a knack for interiors that combine the bold and the beautiful, their look has launched a brand.

Robert and Cortney Novogratz propelled their lifestyle and talents into an HGTV show, a home furnishings collection for CB2 and, now, this book chronicling their vintage-meets-modern design style.

Twenty projects that the couple transformed, from a cramped condo in Queens to a mod bedroom for triplets, highlight the Novogratzes’ talents. Realistic budget analysis estimates for each project show the cost of looking awesome.

“The Collected Home” by Darryl Carter ($45)

In his second book, Washington designer Darryl Carter explains how he creates his refined yet rustic spaces.

There are ideas for hinges, moldings and paint colors. Then there is something deeper and more personal.

“In collecting your home, you are sharing the story of your life,” Carter says.

He explains how he elicits clues from clients about what speaks to them as he works with them to create their rooms.

If you’re ready to curate your place in a meaningful fashion, this book will guide you in the right direction.

“Barbara Barry: Around Beauty” by Barbara Barry ($65)

Anyone who has ever met Los Angeles designer Barbara Barry knows she is someone who cares deeply about every little thing, from how to properly arrange a tea tray to how to display arugula in the fridge.

The goal for Barry is always beauty.

In this, her first book, she uses stunning photography and carefully composed prose to explain how you can achieve her well-ordered and Zen lifestyle.

If you let Barry be your life coach, you will learn to simplify and elevate what you have.

“Rhapsody” by Kelly Wearstler ($55)

If your life is lacking in glamour, flip through the latest book by Beverly Hills designer Kelly Wearstler.

Her decoration of high-profile boutique hotels and a stint as a judge on Bravo’s “Top Design” series brought national attention to Wearstler’s way with textures, colors and gilded Rococo mirrors.

The Wearstler inspirations offered in this book are more in the lavish photographs than the text. She illustrates how some of her large projects using mixed materials such as marble and crystal can be recomposed in a smaller environment.

By the last page, you might be tempted to invest in some purple leather chairs, mirrored doors and studded metallic walls.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Sarah Jean Muncey-Gordon puts on some BITCHSTIX lip oil at Bandbox Beauty Supply on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Langley, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bandbox Beauty was made for Whidbey Island locals, by an island local

Founder Sarah Muncey-Gordon said Langley is in a renaissance, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, seen here in 2013, will perform April 20 in Edmonds. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

R0ck ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn, frontman of The Byrds, plans a gig in Edmonds in April.

Mother giving in to the manipulation her daughter fake crying for candy
Can children be bribed into good behavior?

Only in the short term. What we want to do is promote good habits over the course of the child’s life.

Speech Bubble Puzzle and Discussion
When conflict flares, keep calm and stand your ground

Most adults don’t like dissension. They avoid it, try to get around it, under it, or over it.

The colorful Nyhavn neighborhood is the place to moor on a sunny day in Copenhagen. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves: Embrace hygge and save cash in Copenhagen

Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital?

Last Call is a festured artist at the 2024 DeMiero Jazz Festival: in Edmonds. (Photo provided by DeMiero Jazz Festival)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Jazz ensemble Last Call is one of the featured artists at the DeMiero Jazz Festival on March 7-9 in Edmonds.

Kim Helleren
Local children’s author to read at Edmonds Bookshop

Kim Helleren will read from one of her books for kids at the next monthly Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop on March 29.

Chris Elliott
Lyft surprises traveler with a $150 cleaning charge

Jared Hakimi finds a $150 charge on his credit card after a Lyft ride. Is that allowed? And will the charge stick?

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.