House Beautiful Great Style

About this book

Illustrated with more than 200 color photographs, Great Style, which celebrates the centennial year of America's leading design magazine, presents a portfolio of outstanding rooms from today's leading designers. The opening chapter profiles eleven great stylemakers working in America and abroad: Barbara Barry, Nancy Braithwaite, Jacques Grange, Albert Hadley, Victoria Hagan, Mariette Himes Gomez, William Hodgins, Christian Liaigre, John Saladino, Bunny Williams, and Vicente Wolf. These are the people who make and break trends; here, they share their secrets, reveal their sources of inspiration, and explain how they turn their ideas into reality. The second part of the book explores three recurring themes in today's interiors: balance, editing, and personal style. A third chapter outlines the properties and values of important, elemental materials - fabric, wood, stone, metal, and paint - and also honors the tradition of impeccable craftsmanship in both architecture and decoration. Finally, Great Style celebrates the distinctive design traditions of all regions of America, showcasing houses that convey a strong sense of place through the colors, materials, building traditions, and decorative motifs associated with a particular locale.