I have purchased three bookcases in the last year and I'm sure there are some people who think, "Seriously, show some restraint." When it comes to books, I cannot.
I wondered if I could enjoy Nicky Haslam's new book as much as I did the last, which was a lot. (You can find my review here.) While that book focused on Haslam's house in the country, this is a broader view of his work and his philosophy as a designer.
It is filled with collages of newspaper clippings, sketches and personal photos that catalogue a life so full that I was almost overcome with envy. In addition, there are practical sections on decorative elements, the use of color and when it's okay to cheat.
Haslam's rooms may not, at first glance, strike you as easily translatable, but in fact, I gained a lot of inspiration from this book. (And not only that I want to be living a bigger and bolder life.) In addition, his voice is charmingly conversational and you will wish that you were seated next to him at a dinner party or side-by-side at a coffee shop. On the aching shelves of my bookcases, there are few decorators who include their craftspeople in their acknowledgements. So, basically, he had me at, "Hello."
You can find Nicky Haslam: A Designer's Life here.
All images courtesy Rizzoli New York, 2015.
