[.ca] East Meets West: Global Design for Contemporary Interiors (ISBN 084782036X)

Eastern influence on the Western World.:
I have always felt a strong pull toward eastern/Asian style of decorating and have found Ms. Hoppen's book inspiring. I discovered Ms. Hoppen's work when I came across a show about her decorating/design methods on the Style Channel. During the hour long show, she took the viewers on a tour of her London home, which she renovated using her style elements (East Meets West). I fell in love with her simple and subtle use of color, texture and lighting. I went out and purchased her book immediately. Her photos are wonderful, they follow the text fabulously. Her style is simple and uncluttered, which creates a very comfortable and serene atmosphere that I had been trying to achieve in my own home. I highly recommend this book.

Diverse in style and color:
This book is quite interesting. It shows how the designs of the East can blend harmoniously with the designs of the west. It does not only show the famous Zen design of the Japanese but shows much of the deep colors of Indian and Chinese design. For someone who has no formal background in designing, this book suggests the balance of colors that is simply shown in nature--which the author herself has been inspired with. The designers English design influence though has been displayed much in her style- a little bit too elitist. But indeed, a great book to keep for reference!

Best decorating book in years.:
Everything about this book is inspiring. The text is excellent and the photographs explain and illustrate Ms. Hoppen's methods beautifully. Her use of color is new to me and incredibly helpful. The pictures, which show her use of Eastern influences in Western rooms, are stimulating, yet whether simple or complex they illustrate a system of decoration that creates the background for a blissful, peaceful way of life. This book has altogether changed my philosophy about household design.