Living Spaces

This inspiring collection of compelling and characterful interiors will have city and country dwellers alike dreaming of carving out a personal haven far beyond the big city. Through two hundred newly commissioned photographs and engaging profiles of twelve unique, personal, and creative interiors on both sides of the Hudson, Upstate features a variety of spaces--from tranquil minimalist retreats to exuberant small-town residences. Among them are a farmhouse of globetrotting food photographers, a lavender-hued Victorian brimming with eclectic curios, a striking cottage with modern furnishings and elegant Georgian bones, and the country-house-on-acid of an artist and art director, complete with giant mushroom side tables and permanently installed party streamers. Shared by these distinctive spaces is a common approach to decoration that centers on collections gradually accumulated, delights in the handmade, embraces the beauty in imperfection, and values comfort and character above all.

Pemba: Spontaneous Living Spaces looks at self-built dwellings and settlements in the case study city of Pemba in the Cabo Delgado region of Mozambique. Self-built houses born from need, in haste and with limited economical resources are often considered to be temporary structures but frequently become an integral part of the urban fabric, representative of a local culture of living. The study is part of the Spontaneous Living Spaces research project, and through a variety of documentation tools, it investigates the evolution of the architectural and urban elements that characterize self-built dwellings in Pemba. The evolution of the spontaneous living culture creates new forms of living in the city connected to local cultural expressions and the environment. These are placed in relation to the traditional and contemporary living cultures, settlement trends and the natural environment. Covering a history of housing in Mozambique and unpacking four settlement types in Pemba, this book is written for academics, professionals and researchers in architecture and planning with a particular interest in African architecture and urbanism.

The first book from acclaimed Australian interior designer Tamsin Johnson, known for her fresh interiors that evoke luxurious ease and coastal elegance. Tamsin Johnson’s international high-end residential projects reflect her signature ability to combine pieces from across decades and continents in ways that feel understated and natural. This knack for appearing effortless brings the ultimate level of sophistication to her work. Johnson favors elements of surprise and a sense of play in her designs, as evident in contrasts of scale, the bold use of art, and the sculptural nature of the furniture she selects or commissions. Her spaces celebrate comfort, character, and user-friendly design, and this philosophy is tangible in her showroom, where a veneration of European heritage is balanced with characteristics of modern coastal Australia. Under Johnson’s artful eye, traditional pieces become unexpectedly lighter, and a sense of luxurious ease pervades. In a trade which requires an eye for historical value, the objects Johnson sources and collects to accent her interiors have contemporary appeal—everything feels relevant and persuasive, as if even the most formal of objects could sit comfortably by your bedside. Johnson gracefully shares her ideas, images, and stories to illustrate these principles for readers, resulting in a book that is both a rich visual resource and design reference.

A passionate work about the fragile and arid West that Stegner loves

Joel Beath and Elizabeth Price explore this question drawing inspiration from a diverse collection of apartment designs, all smaller than 50m2/540ft2. Through the lens of five small-footprint design principles and drawing on architectural images and detailed floor plans, the authors examine how architects and designers are reimagining small space living. Full of inspiration we can each apply to our own spaces, this is a book that offers hope and inspiration for a future of our cities and their citizens in which sustainability and style, comfort and affordability can co-exist. Never Too Small proves living better doesn’t have to mean living larger.

Expert evaluation of building materials combined with the trend towards eco-friendly homes give the reader every opportunity to use the ideas in the book to plan and build energy efficient houses. Chapters on solar energy, thermal insulation, waste water recycling, healthy homes, sustainable building and energy efficient materials combined with wall, ceiling, floor and roof construction will enable you to make your home an ecological living space. (M.B.).

A colorful handbook shows how to design, construct, and personalize a variety of outdoor living spaces to suit a range of styles, tastes, and budgets and offers helpful tips on maintenance, decorating, furniture and accessories, walkways and arbors, and planting schemes.