Description:
When we think of London style, often the first types that come to mind are the English cottage garden and Victorian. London Rooms, with its pages showing glossy photos of sleek surfaces and unusual architectural details, is determined to change that. With interiors from 33 different designers, you'll find modern construction coupled with sleek urban designs that take full advantage of natural light and traditional materials. It is likely that folks living in urban settings will gain the most from this book in the form of inspiration. Most interiors are flats or lofts, with lots of vertical space and ingenious ways of making the most of all available space. One unusual solution for a 2,200-square-foot flat was to create a flame-red glass wall through the middle of the room lined with a raised concrete hallway that connects the living and sleeping areas. Another large, rectangular flat was designed without interior walls, using instead a system of pivoting screens and moving "interventions." In this home, the owners' collection of beloved objects is displayed in a glass-covered raised platform covered with etched strips that prevent slipping as visitors walk over the area--definitely not your typical "English country house!" Throughout the book, glass, wood, and metal are coupled with subdued neutrals so the overall effect is one of smooth, sharp edges and few personal touches. Several interiors add visual excitement through unusual uses of bright colors, but textural interest is added only through the occasional old brick wall or rough concrete table. Modern stylists will certainly enjoy this book, but the cool, citified tone is not for everyone. --Jill Lightner
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