NOVEDADES

Regarded as perhaps the greatest of the stately homes and the finest example of baroque architecture in Great Britain, Blenheim is a treasure of English heritage. In this stunning volume, Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill, the twelfth generation of the family, takes us on a privileged tour of the palace. Designed by John Vanbrugh and Nicholas Hawksmoor (a protégé of Christopher Wren) in the early 1700s; with stonework, furniture, and tapestries crafted by the best talents of the age; and art and statuary by such notable artists as John Singer Sargent and Joshua Reynolds, Blenheim is filled with artistic commissions that provide a window into the history of England.

The decorating evolution of Bryan—one of the great patrons of interior design—has gone from classic modernism to sumptuous traditionalism to romantic eclecticism and everything in between, with the collaboration of such renowned interior designers as Tom Britt, Mica Ertegun, Susan Gutfreund, Mark Hampton, and Studio Peregalli Sartori. Each residence and each room make up an aesthetic memoir that explores those collaborations, reveals insights into the various processes, and inspires others to look at their own spaces and consider a myriad of beautiful and appropriate options. Anecdotes divulge her astute guidance and the charming idiosyncrasies of some of the twentieth century’s greatest decorators.

The definitive monograph on iconic Parisian designer Madame Grès, seen by her peers as the tutelary genius of French haute couture. Renowned for her signature draping and innovative asymmetrical dresses, Madame Grès (1903–1993) was one of the leading fashion designers of twentieth-century Paris. Formally trained as a sculptor, her complex yet delicate haute couture designs evoke ancient statuary and exude a timeless elegance.

For Ashe and Leandro, creativity is a way of life that is reflected in everything they design. They have built a star-studded portfolio (clients include Liev Schreiber, Seth Meyers, Naomi Watts, and Rashid Johnson) with their fresh approach to unfussy, high-design spaces. Their interiors favor a quiet beauty, based on simple shapes, asymmetrical details, and a fine patina.

Having a nineteenth-century apartment in Paris steps from the Trocadero and Eiffel Tower is a dream. So is owning an eighteenth-century chateau in the French countryside known as the “Versailles of the fields.” Having both? That’s the dreamy escapism found in designer Corrigan’s new book, which will enchant Francophiles and design lovers alike with its rich trove of ideas for anyone wanting to decorate in a French-inspired style.

In Sri Lanka, Palinda Kannangara created the Frame Holiday Structure on a budget of $ 40,000. Built from steel scaffolding, exposed brick, and wood floors, the house can be easily disassembled and moved, adapting to the reality of the nearby floodplain. Luciano Lerner Basso’s Fortunata House in Brazil accommodates the surrounding nature: it was built around a tree of an endangered species and sits upon stilts so as not to disturb the forest floor. Miller Hull’s Loom House near Seattle has been called “the world’s most environmentally ambitious home renovation” because of its reliance on recycled materials and its efficient energy use.