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Brava for Susan Gray and Designers on Designers!:
What a wonderful idea -- an intimate look in words and photos at some of the world's most influential designers and their candid thoughts on the designers and interiors that have inspired them. An elegant, eloquent, and informative book.
A concise history...great background information:
Susan Gray's "Designers on Designers" presents a multi-dimensional panorama on the world of interior design. The book's essays, each accompanied by illustrations of the particular author's own work, effectively complement the work of the designers who are discussed.
Sources of Inspiration:
DESIGNERS ON DESIGNERS is a great idea for a book. Practicing interior designers write an essay on a legendary, here meaning dead, interior designer showing examples of the legend's work as well as their own and tell how the legend influened the development of their own sense of design. With a Forward by Albert Hadley, a living decorating legend in his own right, 24 well-known interior designers discuss the sources of their inspiration. One of the best examples is the chapter on David Hicks by his son Ashley that shows a good overview of the master's background and his work, and how it influenced the work of the son and daughter-in-law; just as interesting, if not more so, was how the younger Hickses chose to depart from the senior's taste. Bunny Williams tells of the influence of Sister Parish for whom she worked for 22 years. Thomas Jayne writes about Edith Wharton and collaborator Odgen Codman and gives an explanation of the room at Wharton's house, The Mount, that he furnished. Ellie Cullman cites Henry Francis du Pont and his house, Winterthur, as important influences in guiding her sense of style. Most of the essays are interesting, but a few are cringe-inducing. Pamela Banker's examples of her work supposedly inspired by Sir John Soane may cause some rolling-in-the-grave action. Thomas Britt's essay could be compared to a train wreck as he jumped the track so many times; someone should tell him that Elsie de Wolfe and Lady Mendl were the same person. Ron Wilson reveals he found inspiration in the work of Michael Taylor, but only after Cher threatened not to use Wilson for her new Malibu home unless he could come up with an approach different from what he had done for her before. John Stefanidis writes about the still-living Phillipe Starck whom he has never met and fails to show any significant influence. Jamie Drake missed the point of the talent of Stephane Boudin. Marjorie Shushan cannot be accused of being overly influenced by her former employer Kalef Alaton. This book would have greatly benefited from better editing by Susan Gray, if there was any editing at all. With bargain pricing, those interested in the history of interior design might enjoy this book. But it is not dependable as a scholarly reference. The concept of the book is a good one, however, and worthy of another volume in the future.
A must for those who are passionate about interior design:
If you are passionate about interior design and its history, you will adore "Designers on Designers." It features a select group of today's top designers and reveals in detail the people and historic places that have had the greatest impact on their work. The notable designers include Ellie Cullman, Robert Couturier, Bunny Williams and Jamie Drake. Gray allows the designers to tell their stories in their own words, lending the text a desirable intimacy not found in many design books. Each chapter includes telling photography. I'm looking forward to volume II.
Fascinating!:
"Designers on Designers" is such a fascinating and informative book, especially for anyone who is interested in learning more about how to decorate one's home from masters "who know!"
| Author: | Susan Gray | | Binding: | Hardcover | | Dewey Decimal Number: | 747 | | EAN: | 9780071421607 | | Edition: | 1 | | ISBN: | 0071421602 | | Number Of Pages: | 240 | | Publication Date: | 2003-10-13 | | UPC: | 639785506843 |
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