What's in Their Library: John Stefanidis

For over three decades, John Stefanidis has been one of the world's leading designers. Comfortable working in both the traditional and the contemporary design idioms, the Egyptian born, London based designer creates interiors that are sophisticated, informed, and timeless. And while many of his interiors reflect the aesthetic of his adopted country, the Mediterranean never seems far away.

The erudite Stefanidis has compiled a varied and rich list of his favorite books, and you might be surprised to see that design related books comprise only a very small portion. Shakespeare, Thackeray, and contemporary writers all figure prominently here. But I think this brings up an interesting point: perhaps we should broaden our horizons and look beyond the confines of design for our inspiration. Literature, history, and music, for example, can be such rich fonts of ideas and should not be ignored.

Mr. Stefanidis was also kind enough to share with us a photo of his London library, painted in his signature shade of blue. As he explains, “When I moved to my current home in London I had to find space for my many books. The built-in bookcases were carefully designed to improve the proportions of the rooms and painted a bright Mediterranean blue so that the books become an intrinsic part of the decoration.” I think he accomplished this quite successfully, don't you?



As he could not limit his list to ten, we are including Stefanidis' top 13 books. I would say that John Stefanidis is a bibliophile in the truest sense of the word!

John Stefanidis' Top Thirteen Book List:


1. An Illustrated History of Furnishing by Mario Praz
An essential handbook to the past in design and decoration



2. The Odyssey by Homer
An inspiration that is dateless, ancient and eternal


3. Electa - Editrice series of Bernini, Borromini, Palladio, Bramante, etc.
Architecture on which to base a career not to say a life



4. C.P. Cavafy: Collected Poems
Alexandrine poet –matchless evocation of place and atmosphere; crosses parameters of history



5. The Collected Proseby Elizabeth Bishop
US poet of sublime sensitivity


6. One Last Look by Susanna Moore
US novelist – the most talented of writers who evokes moods and place in a way that is unrivalled



7. The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers
Wistful charm and sadness in wonderful prose


8. Splendeurs et miseres des courtisanes by Honore de Balzac
Parisian life in 19th Century; descriptive writing at its best with an understanding of human nature which is unparalleled – if you read in the original French!



9. If This is a Man by Primo Levi
The best book on the Holocaust because it is written in sparse and pertinent prose by a survivor


10. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Realism and high romance – pulls the heart strings and turns readers into passionate Russians.



11. Vanity Fair by Thackeray
A moral tale with Becky a force of life and a celebration of exuberance.



12. Eugene Onegin by Pushkin
Unrecquited love and heartbreaking revenge.


13. The Tempest by William Shakespeare
The epitomy of imaginative fantasy that grips the heart with sweetness and charm as opposed to the terror of the tragedies.

What's In Their Library: Christopher Spitzmiller

I've long been a fan of Christopher Spitzmiller, and the reasons are many. His lamps became design classics within no time (I'm still dreaming about owning a pair of Butternut Gourd lamps. Or would I rather own a pair of Pear Gourd lamps? Tough decision.) His gracious and well-edited apartment, featured in Elle Decor back in Dec. 06, is one of my all-time favorite homes. Spitzmiller is also a connoisseur of fine living, enjoying design, cooking, and gardening. And the icing on the cake is that he's got to be one of the most photogenic people in design.

If you'll recall from the Elle Decor article, Spitzmiller has an enviable library; in fact, it's a magnifying glass-worthy library. I've added a few tomes to my collection based on titles in Spitzmiller's shelves. I asked Chris to provide me with a list of his ten favorite books, and he generously provided me with not only the list, but with an explanation of why these books appealed to him.

So, here's what is in Spitzmiller's library:

"My Top Ten Book list includes six books on interiors, three cook books and one book on gardening. There is some overlap of interiors in many of the books. My list focuses on the well lived life. Not only should your rooms be beautiful, but there should be something good to eat on the table. And a garden should not only be pretty, but after spending an hour out there working, it should also make you a better person!"


Legendary Decorators of the Twentieth Century, Mark Hampton (1992). This book includes Mr. Hampton’s insightful short synopses of the careers and styles of every major decorator. It also incorporates his charming watercolors of their works. This book is hard to find and often expensive, but well worth the price.

Summer Cottages & Castles, Scenes from the Good Life,Patricia Corbin and Ted Hardin (1983). This work has some really charming pictures of ‘Rock Cliff’, the Newport mansion that was decorated by William Hodgins. It also has more photographs of Sister Parish’s ‘Summer House’ in Maine than I have seen anywhere else.

Where Muses Dwell: Homes of Great Artists and Writers,Massimo Listri (1996). This is an obscure book covering some very notable interiors, including the interior of Knund Lyne Rahbek’s home in Copenhagen, which is my favorite. Also included are John Soane’s house, now a museum in London, and lots of other continental and English interiors.

An Affair with a House,Bunny Williams (2005). This book presents Bunny’s well thought out plan for restoring her country home spanning a period of many years. In the book she writes about taking on one major project each year. Having recently found myself the owner of a very old home, with at least five or six major projects to take on, I asked her if this was really true. “Oh, yes,” was her reply, “for the first five years I had no furniture in my living room!”


CZ Guest's Five Seasons of Gardening,CZ Guest (1992). Every good house needs a garden. In this book, CZ presents her refreshing, matter of fact and no nonsense approach to gardening, both indoors and out. There are also tons of pictures of the inside of ‘Templeton,’ her house in Old Westbury, Long Island


Consider the Oyster, M.F.K. Fisher (1941). “An Oyster leads a dreadful but exciting life.” With this sentence, Mary Frances begins her cookbook which reads more like a good novel than anything else I’ve ever read. It is one of the most delightful books you can put your hands on.

Glorious Food, Christopher Idone (1982). Filled with visually stunning pictures of delicious meals presented in wonderful New York interiors, this is a book I try to buy whenever I see it. I can never have too many copies -- it makes a great gift!

Lost Desserts, Gail Monaghan (2007). Gail’s book will show you, step by step, how to create some of the most over-the-top, eye popping, mouth watering desserts you have ever seen or tasted.


Private New York, Chippy Irvine and Alex Mclean (1990). This book has some really stunning pictures of a wide range of uptown and downtown New York interiors. Wade McCann’s small, concise kitchen provided the inspiration for my own, proving that a humble kitchen can be an elegant one too!


Manhattan Style, Esten, Gilbert and Chinsee (1990). Similar to Mark Hampton’s book, this one contains some really beautiful pictures of New York interiors representing all the best decorators.

What's in Their Library: Joe Nye

Last week's post on bookshelves confirmed my suspicion that I was not alone in my curiosity about other people's libraries. It was quite comforting to know that I was not the only one whose magnifying glass gets a workout! So, I thought it would be interesting to poll various designers and tastemakers to find out which books inspired them and which tomes they felt were the building blocks of a serious design library.

First up is Joe Nye: designer extraordinaire, man about town, and all around nice guy. Nye's look is one that is rooted in tradition but with a veneer of the modern. Many of his rooms are characterized by a fresh, tasteful use of color. And if you want to learn how to accessorize a room, then look through his portfolio. I swear, this man is a master at it! (He can also style a bar like nobody's business!).

Curious about Nye's list??? Drumroll please.... here it is. Joe Nye's Top Ten Book List:


Parish-Hadley: Sixty Years of American Design by Christopher Petkanas


Rooms by John Stefanidis


Colefax & Fowler: The Best in English Interior Decoration by Chester Jones


Frances Elkins: Interior Design by Stephen Salny


Interiors by Min Hogg and Wendy Harrop


Billy Baldwin Decorates by Billy Baldwin


Horst: Interiors by Barbara Plumb


House & Garden's Best in Decoration


Domesticities: At Home with the New York Times Magazine by Pilar Viladas


Jean-Michel Frank by Leopold Diego Sanchez

John Fowler: Prince of Decorators

I just got through reading the upcoming release, John Fowler: Prince of Decorators. If you're a student of interior design or design history, a lover of the English country look, or someone who is inspired by photos of beautiful interiors, then you truly must read this book. Written by author Martin Wood, this work is also the perfect companion piece to his previous book, Nancy Lancaster: English Country House Style.

Of course, Fowler is best known for creating the English country house look around the time of World War II (with some help from Lancaster, of course). This look, which has often been imitated to varying degrees of success, is one that is adored by some, admired by many, and dismissed by a few. What's important to remember, though, is that when Fowler developed this style, it was actually rather revolutionary. It was certainly in stark contrast to the modern look that was prevalent prior to WWII. It was also a novel way in which to decorate a stately British home, which tended to be the type of home on which Fowler worked.

The foundation of the English country look was beauty and comfort- two very noble design goals. Fowler achieved both by using comfortable and sometimes humble fabrics, charming prints, and painted furniture. This was truly a far cry from the stiff fabrics and mahogany furniture that had been the standard for these great homes. It was "good" design, not historical accuracy, that Fowler strove for.

I think that what makes this book a success is that Wood provides the reader with a thorough yet interesting account of Fowler's career. There is certainly enough information to satisfy those of us who love design history. For those who are more entertained by the photos- well, there are plenty of those too.


The drawing room of the Bruces at the Albany, London, designed by Fowler. Christopher Spitzmiller cites this home as the inspiration for his New York apartment.


Another celebrated Fowler room- the saloon at Daylesford, designed in the 1950s.


The drawing room at Hambleden. According to the author, this room has remained the same color for 40 years, proving how timeless Fowler's designs were.

Breaking News!

Attention all of you Domino fans: I just found out that the magazine will be publishing a new book titled "The Domino Book of Decorating". Unfortunately, we will have to wait until Fall 2008 for its release. The book is said to include "floor plans, before and after shots, and a wealth of lush photography". I wonder which of our favorite designers might be included in it?

With Editor in Chief Deborah Needleman, Sara Ruffin Costello, and Dara Caponigro editing it, it is sure to be a fun, stylish, and informative read.

See You Next Week!

I'm currently traveling this week so I won't be posting. See you next Monday!

Upcoming Book Releases

Have I said enough about all of the fabulous Fall book releases? There are so many great titles coming out that I just can't contain myself! I've listed a few in previous posts, but here are some more titles that are sure to be pleasers.



Design Directory of Window Treatments by Jackie Von Tobel. First, I'm excited about this book because Jackie is a Bibliostyle/Peak of Chic reader. Secondly, she has a wonderful blog (Jackie Blue Home). And most importantly, this book contains hundreds of renderings (done by Jackie herself) of every type of window treatment and component as well as definitions of terms. If that's not enough, there is an accompanying CD-ROM which allows you to create your own designs. Sounds like the perfect book for both reference and inspiration!


Axel Vervoordt: Timeless Interiors by Armelle Baron. Is there anyone who has influenced design over the past few decades more than Vervoordt? Although his style may be a bit stark for some, there is no denying the importance of this book in any design library. (Release date September 18, 2007)


Farrow & Ball: The Art of Color by Brian Coleman. According to the description, the book contains images of homes, castles, and cottages in which paint and paper play an important role in the overall scheme of the home. (Release Date September 15, 2007)


Moderne: Fashioning the French Interior by Sarah Schleuning. Ruhlmann, Mallet-Stevens, Perriand- these are but a few of the iconic early 20th c. designers whose work is covered here. Focusing on the early 20th c. French interior, the book features over 200 original plates of interiors created by these innovative design legends. This book will be a must-have for all of you modern design lovers. (Release Date October 25, 2007)