BELLAS ARTES

Known for her witty and whimsical interiors with a bohemian flair, Brooklyn-based designer Fawn Galli shows us how to create magical rooms ourselves without breaking the bank.

The call of the wild has never looked as stylish as in these homes nestled in the French countryside, crafted by families pursuing a new form of country living. A manor next to an elegant seventeenth-century castle in a picturesque village, a restored four-hundred-year-old windmill, or a ruin in the Barbizon forest transformed into a contemporary timber house—our trio of authors saw the potential in these rural homes and took the leap into a life rhythmed by nature. But how did these urban dwellers step away from the glamour of Paris, and why haven’t they looked back? A calmer life enriched by its surroundings, with more space at home, a burgeoning garden, and a relaxed ambiance is a seductive combination. But a country house is different from a cozy apartment, just steps from modern conveniences. In their search for a deeper experience, they embarked on a long-term project that required planning and effort, but it brought unexpected joy along with the challenges. Life in the countryside takes adjustment and there is much to be learned—from furnishing and organizing your home to getting the most from nature and your garden, and from dressing to suit your new setting to hosting relaxed soirées where you’ll linger over dinner with your guests. This is the art of countryfication. Alongside portraits of similar-minded individuals and families who have adopted country living, this book provides insight, practical advice, and recipes that celebrate life in the countryside, all while retaining a Parisian flair.

This highly anticipated follow-up volume presents the exquisite designs of Tord Boontje, one of the most creative and romantic industrial designers working today. Tord Boontje: Enchanted World is a comprehensive visual document of the designer’s most recent work. As an artist and a craftsman, Boontje incorporates an artisanal sensibility into contemporary industrial design, drawing upon a rich graphic tradition to create objects of exceptional beauty and delicacy. Featured here are some of his latest works, many undertaken after Boontje stepped down as Head of Design Products at the Royal College of Art in 2013 (a position he assumed after Ron Arad in 2009). Now, solely focused on his own design studio in London, Boontje showcases many of his designs, including the wispy Icarus Lamp, an armoire constructed entirely of pressed-metal fig “leaves” for Meta, a portable Bluetooth speaker for Yamaha hidden under a curtain of horsehair, and many other romantic explorations that have made Boontje’s output stand out in the world of design. Combining developing technologies and traditional approaches, his pieces are prized for their originality, delicacy, and intricate detail. This book is a must for design lovers, providing readers with a window into how Boontje crafts his unique objects, from studio prototype to retail. Indeed, the book is conceived as a work of total design, using special printing effects and beautiful marginalia on almost every page in the form of Boontje’s sensitive and romantic detailed hand-drawn illustrations that have served as the inspiration for many of the objects featured here.