King Penguin Books at Ben Pentreath Ltd.

If you're not familiar with Ben Pentreath, by all means go visit his website right away. (After reading my blog post, of course!) In addition to owning his own interiors and architectural practice, Ben also has a very cool shop in the heart of London's Bloomsbury. (The shop is run by the stylish Bridie Hall.) Unfortunately, I have not been able to visit the shop in person, but plan to do so on my next trip to the UK.

In Ben's email newsletter, he wrote about his collection of vintage King Penguin Books. According to Ben, 76 of these books were published in the UK between 1939 and 1959. The subject matter ranges from "Animals in Staffordshire Pottery" to "Life in an English Village". I guess that I've been living under a rock because I had never even heard of these books before. What I'm most taken with are the books' cover art. Have you ever seen a series of books with such charming covers?

I'm showing some of Ben's photos below so that you can the illustrations for yourself. "Tulipomania" would look awfully nice stacked on a side table in my apartment. Then again, "Popular English Art" would add a little color to one of my tableaux. I even have a feeling that the text inside is just as interesting as the cover.

A selection of these vintage books is for sale at Ben Pentreath's shop. To inquire, email shop@benpentreath.com










All images courtesy of Ben Pentreath Ltd.

Jean Govoni Salvadore and her Dolce Vita

Yesterday was a typical Monday. I was drowning in emails, drowning in laundry, and drowning in stress. But you know what? I'm going to stop complaining about things like that. Why? Well, because Jean Govoni Salvadore would never whine and moan. She would stay positive and upbeat despite the laundry and emails.

Salvadore is the author of My Dolce Vita: A Memoir, a recently published book that chronicles Salvadore's career first as the Rome based public relations person for TWA and later as the PR doyenne for Villa d'Este in Lake Como. I recently read the book, and while I was intrigued by her impressive career, I was even more taken with her positive attitude. Salvadore is a woman who seems to roll with the punches and who appreciates all that she has been given and all that she has accomplished. Isn't that refreshing in a world in which mean spiritedness seems to run rampant?

Of course, being enthusiastic about one's career is made a little easier when one has encountered interesting and notable people throughout the years. As one of the early female public relations executives, Salvadore charmed her guests with her sunny demeanor. During her years with TWA, Salvadore greeted such luminaries as Richard Burton, Nehru, Hedda Hopper, and Audrey Hepburn when each visited Rome. And later, as the "ambassador" of Villa d'Este, she went on to meet the likes of Billy Joel, Robert Mitchum, and Barbra Streisand as well as to promote the resort in the far corners of the world. What a fascinating woman! What is even more impressive is that she became lifelong friends with many who she met during her career. One of those friends is Pamela Fiori who wrote the foreword to the book.

So why am I writing about a book that isn't design related? I think it's because I believe that we all need a pick-me-up every now and then, and this book is just that. It's breezy, engaging, and fun. It's the perfect antidote to all of the heaviness we see on the news. And quite frankly, it's nice to see someone who, despite an enviable career, has remained down to earth and, from what I can tell, nice too.



Salvadore, at right, greeting a young Shirley MacLaine. Both are attired in Chanel suits.




Salvadore with Richard Burton.





Salvadore's house on the Villa d'Este property was once a greenhouse, seen here in an old photo.





The author with Pamela Fiori and Colt Givner.


All images from My Dolce Vita: A Memoir by Jean Govoni Salvadore; Glitterati publishers.

Lindsey Harper and her Library

Have you checked out the iPad app called Book Crawler? It allows you to electronically catalogue your library of books, but the really neat thing is that you can add the books automatically by scanning the book's barcode using your iPad camera. No typing needed! I have spent days walking around my apartment scanning my books. During this endeavor, I realized that I have a lot of books and still want many more to add my growing library. In fact, I just added a few titles to my wish list thanks to the July issue of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles. There is a great article on the New York apartment of designer Lindsey Harper (she hails from Cartersville, Georgia). Clearly an advocate of the more is more theory, Lindsey has cleverly carved out space for entertaining, living and sleeping within the confines of a studio apartment. And, she managed to find space for her book collection, never an easy feat in a small space. I whipped out the old magnifying glass to see what books Lindsey had and found some new titles that I think I need for my library. (See what I plan to buy below.)

To see more photos of Lindsey's apartment, visit Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles website.

And here are a few titles that I spied in Lindsey's apartment:



The Making of the Royal Pavilion, Brighton: Design and Drawings by John Morley




Ready-Made Miracle: The Story of American Fashion for the Millions by Jessica Daves





Complete Home Decorating edited by Connie Dodds





Illustrated Dictionary of Historic Architecture (Dover Books on Architecture) edited by Cyril M. Harris

Image of Lindsey Harper apartment courtesy of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, July 2011, Quentin Bacon photographer. Image printed with permission from Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles.

Charlotte Moss Decorates

Years ago, I read Charlotte Moss' Design Inspirations, Vol. 1, a terrific book which detailed four show house rooms created by the illustrious designer. The only problem was that after reading it, I wanted more. After all, Charlotte Moss' show house rooms are some of my very favorites. Her rooms at past Kips Bay show houses are legendary. Fortunately, Charlotte has a new book out, Charlotte Moss Decorates: The Art of Creating Elegant and Inspired Rooms, which features more of her show house designs as well as a few other projects. As I had hoped, this book is chock full of inspiration.

One of the things that I so enjoy about Charlotte's work is her attention to detail as well as her skill at layering, both of which are very much evident in this book. Each chapter focuses on a different room and the story behind that room. These stories are told through the book's engaging text (Mitchell Owens worked with Charlotte on the text; talk about the dynamic duo!), photographs, and scrapbook collages that Charlotte created for each project. Charlotte's collages include all kinds of inspirational material such as photos, drawings, quotations, even snippets of textiles. They give the reader such insight into Charlotte's creative and educated way of approaching design. And finally, each chapter ends with a recap of lessons learned from each room, but they're presented to the reader like a Diana Vreeland "Why Don't You" column. How fun is that?!

So, Why Don't You...check out this new book. I think you'll be as charmed with it as I was.

A scrapbook collage that tells the story of a sitting room that Charlotte designed for the 2009 Kips Bay Decorator Show House. This space was imagined for a husband and wife who were well-read and well-traveled.

The vestibule off of the sitting room at the 2009 Kips Bay Decorator Show House. Charlotte curtained this space in a magenta Michael Devine fabric. Note too the Van Day Truex drawings.

A room at the 2005 Southampton Designer Show House. The color scheme here consisted of Creamsicle colors. I think that I may have also been drawn to this room because of the dog bed in the corner. Adorable.

Two detail photos of Charlotte's 2006 Kips Bay Show House bedroom. The second photo is a perfect example of Charlotte's eye for gracious details.

All images © CHARLOTTE MOSS DECORATES, Rizzoli New York, 2011. Cover image and photographs #3, #5, and #6 by Pieter Estersohn; collage photo by Charlotte Moss; image #4 by photographer Eric Striffler.

Chinese Bird Paintings

A few weeks ago, I wrote about Bird Paintings of the Ch'ien Lung Period, a 1967 book of color plates of Chinese bird paintings. Copies of the book are really difficult to find, although I did manage to track down a copy in the UK. Because so many readers asked that I show photos of the book, I'm doing just that. The book is comprised of only eight color plates, but how colorful they are. If you do manage to locate a copy, I encourage you to buy it. But in the meantime, here's a look at the bird paintings.

Green Magpie

Eclectus Parrot

Lesser Lemon-Crested Cocktaoo

Golden Pheasant

Blue-Crowned Hanging Parakeet

Red-Billed Blue Magpie

White-Eye

Yellow Wagtail

Tantalizing Titles

I admit it. I judge my books by their covers...or at least I do when choosing the ones to place on top of cocktail and side tables. Why waste precious real estate with a banal book cover? But what about titles? Have you ever thought to display books with witty or naughty titles?

I admit that I never thought of doing so until I saw the above photo of London designer Richard Adams' bookcase. He very cleverly placed Snobs, Unsuitable Company, and Shocking! facing out on the ends of the glass shelves. I do have Shocking! in my home, and I really should place it on the top of a stack of books. Unfortunately, that might be the most Shocking! thing my home as seen.

After a quick search on the web, I found all kinds of books that would be perfect to display in a woman's home.




This Lonny photograph shows a stack of books in the home of New York designer Elizabeth Bauer. On top is the classic 1930s single gal primer Live Alone and Like It by Marjorie Hillis. I might have to get a copy for myself because I live alone, and guess what? I actually like it.




You could really be devilish and feature Maysie Greig's Men as Her Stepping Stones prominently in your home. (I have Nick Harvill to thank for introducing me to this book.) No, I'm not trying to make a statement nor a confession with this choice.





The feminist counterpoint to Greig's book might be Self Made Woman by Faith Baldwin. It might not be feminist, though, depending on how that woman became self made.




And last but not least, another Maysie Greig novel that is perfect for me: No Dowry for Jennifer. "His selfish love forced Jennifer into the arms of another man." And you thought all I did was write this blog!



Adams photo from English Eccentric Interiors by Miranda Harrison. Bauer photo from Lonny magazine, June/July 2010, Patrick Cline photographer.

Give Me Fever

I'll never forget it. I was 12 years old, and my father had just picked my friends and me up from a birthday party. As we drove past a library, we saw an ambulance out front. Want to know what dear old Dad said? "Uh oh. Looks like someone had a book attack!" Well, you know, I died. Seriously died. Wanted to crawl underneath the front seat of the car. I think that I lost all street cred right then and there. Thanks a lot, Dad! As we say in my family, "It's another one of Dad's jokes."

Well, I'm having a book attack right now. Actually, more like book withdrawals thanks to my One Kings Lane sale a few weeks ago. (And by the way, a big thank you to everyone who bought my books. I just know that they have found very good homes.) The problem is that there are holes in my bookshelves now, and I'm jonesing for more books. As Bruce Dickinson- yes, the Bruce Dickinson- might say, "I gotta fever, and the only prescription is...more books!" (Click here if you have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about.)

So where am I going with this random post? Straight to photos of libraries where it's obvious that the owners gotta fever for books- just like me.




In his Chicago loft, designer Mark Radcliff has created the perfect spot to luxuriate amongst his books. I feel a book attack coming on.




Admit it. You stopped and stared at this photo in the January issue of Architectural Digest. I want to raid Friederike Kemp Biggs' bookshelves.




Booze and books...always a good combination. Gets your mind off of your worries. That and the outrageous number of books in your home.





Manuel Canovas has quite the library, from decoys to design. After all, variety is the spice of life.




The studio apartment of Sam Watters. All of those books and a fur throw on the sofa? I'd never leave.


(Top image: a stack of my books. Image #2 courtesy of Mark Radcliff. #3 from January 2011 issue of Architectural Digest, Derry Moore photographer . #4 from Southern Accents. #6 from Living Well.)