One of the leaders in the decorating field, Stefanidis (Living By Design) has the ability to produce stunning yet livable homes, be it an apartment in London, a federal style house in Rhode Island or a countryside estate. He provides the reader with the essential ingredients, and guides them into expanding their imagination, suggesting what to put in and what to leave out; he is not afraid of experimentation. The book brings together many of the common elements he uses without undue repetition. To help readers understand the process and his underlying philosophies, Stefanidis commences with a short autobiography that explains the influences that go into his work. From there he follows on with "Developing an Eye" and the need to exercise it. Each residence is fully documented with text and more than 240 wonderful color photographs, fully captioned. Completing the volume is a section called "Details," about the finishing touches. This glossy coffee-table book is an ideal luxury gift and an essential volume for any interior designer's library. (Nov.)
