We live in a time when eclecticism rules," declares Viladas in her introduction to this collection of interior design studies, all culled from the pages of the New York Times Magazine
, where she is an editor. Certainly, the 28 homes pictured here prove her right; no one design philosophy could possibly encompass them all. The black dining room of Jeff McKay and Michael D'Arminio—decorated with a mirror-top table, vases and a modern chandelier—has nothing in common with the eating area in Ronald Bentley and Salvatore LaRosa's weekend home—where a simple wooden table rests before a view of the woods. Nevertheless, Viladas manages to find some cohesion in this varied collection by focusing on individual style. Forget trends in color and textile, she admonishes; they change too fast to be worth extensive study. "A more important consideration," she writes, "is how well a particular designer or architect has absorbed design's history... and synthesized it into something with a personality of its own." Thus, the homes pictured function as "portraits" of today's most notable designers. (About half the studies are of designers' own residences.) And though grouped by broad categories like "Modern Living" and "The Mavericks," the studies' real purpose is to show everyday people how they can mix traditions to create a home that would be a real expression of the self. Inspiring for amateurs and valuable as a historical document for professionals, this volume is bound to become as classic as its 1976 predecessor. (Nov.)
