BELLAS ARTES

For most people, the search for a home involves setting a budget, finding a place, then filling rooms with stuff. But Kirsten Dirksen and Nicolás Boullosa believe the search for a home is a search for meaning, and that the right dwelling can set the direction for one’s life. Fifteen years ago, armed with a camera and limitless curiosity, they set out across the globe to prove their theory and to challenge traditional assumptions about what makes a home. Now that the past few years have completely altered the way we live and work, most of us are asking the same questions and seeking homes that reflect our lifestyles and values. The dozens of spaces featured in Life-Changing Homes urge readers to think differently about their own lives and what might be possible, and the gorgeous photography and thought-provoking writing share the inspiring stories of those who have made the change.

It was on a Malibu beach in 1988 that Peter Lindbergh shot the White Shirts series, images now known the world over. Simple yet seminal, the photographs introduced us to Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Rachel Williams, Karen Alexander, Tatjana Patitz, and Estelle Lefébure. This marked the beginning of an era that redefined beauty, and Lindbergh would go on to alter the landscape of fashion photography for the decades that followed. This edition gathers more than 300 images from forty years of Lindbergh’s career. It traces the German photographer’s cinematic inflections and humanist approach, which produced images at once seductive and introspective.

Zen, soothing, mystical, meditative—words cannot do justice to Asia’s most beautiful interiors. Whether it’s a gilded Tibetan monastery, a plantation in Sri Lanka, or a private villa in Thailand, each of the havens featured in this book are remarkable not only in aesthetic, but also in spirit. This showcase features about 40 exceptional locations across Tibet, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, and Malaysia. Highlights include traditional Burmese stilt houses; the breathtaking Shiv Niwas Palace in India, visited by James Bond in Octopussy; Cambodian temples; a rice barge-turned houseboat in Thailand; the “Blue Mansion”, an magnificient, indigo-painted courtyard house featured in the film Indochine; a breathtaking garden designed by Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa; and many, many more.

Apreciada por los viajeros por su exuberancia, su paisaje tropical y el encanto de sus gentes, la isla de Bali es uno de los lugares más espléndidos de la Tierra. Espiritualidad y naturaleza forman parte integral de la vida cotidiana de los balineses, y uno puede entender fácilmente por qué la arquitectura tradicional de la isla encierra ese aire de paz inspirado en el entorno con el que, en ocasiones, incluso llega a fundirse.

So rich and unique is traditional Japanese architecture that it’s nearly impossible to improve upon. Yet contemporary Japanese designers and architects keep finding fresh approaches to refurbish and take inspiration from the ways of old. Whether it’s a pristinely preserved traditional house or a sleek modern apartment, the best Japanese homes share a love of cleverly designed spaces and warm materials like wood, brick, and bamboo. From a thatched roof farmhouse occupied by a Zen priest to Tadao Ando’s experimental 4x4 House, from Shigeru Ban’s conceptual Shutter House to a beautiful domestic homage to bamboo, this elegant compendium traverses the multifaceted landscape of Japanese living today. Enriched by 170 brand new, unpublished photographs, this edition takes you on breathtaking journey through the Land of the Rising Sun―complete with a list of addresses, should you wish to undertake this journey to Japan’s most fascinating inns and homes yourself. An insightful glossary of key terms, such as tatami, shoji, and noren, will also help you come to grips with all elements of Japan’s unique aesthetic of Eastern minimalism.

South of the border, rich colors and woven textiles form a unique design aesthetic, crafted by the union of local Aztec and Mayan cultures and Spanish influences. Bold pigments and vivid patterns come together in simple and rustic spaces, resulting in a way of living that is both invigorating and homely; an authentic Mexican style. The dynamic writer and photographer duo Barbara and René Stoeltie have struck gold again―this time with a truly breathtaking look at Mexico’s most remarkable abodes. Traveling far and wide, from Costa Careyes to the Yucatán Peninsula, this photographic journey will surprise, delight, and inspire you. From the home of Constructivist architect Luis Barragán, a restored 16th-century hacienda, to a traditional Mayan thatched-roof dwelling, the contrast of styles within the pages of this book are testament to the country’s vibrantly diverse palette of textures and hues. With many new images, some never published before, prepare to be transported to the heart of lush and eclectic Mexico.