Books that Inspire Design

In every room I design I like to draw inspiration from nature.  Whether it's the subtle colors sand and sea or vibrant floral gardens, earthy natural wood grains or furniture created from sustainable products like bamboo and sisal, I simply can't ignore the beauty of the outdoors.  I find the color palettes endless and decor appealing in a timeless kind of way.  So I thought I'd share some of my favorite illustrated books that inspire me.

My all time favorite is Albertus Seba's "Cabinet of Natural Curiosities".  Taschen book publishers describes it as one of the 18th century's greatest natural history achievements and remains one of the most prized natural history books of all time." Each illustration is taken from a rare, hand-colored original.  Originally published 1734-1765, it has been in reprint for centuries and the fact that it has a different cover from time to time makes it a great coffee table book for almost any decor.

Another favorite is Robert John Thorton's "The Temple of Flora".  Also first published in the 18th century, this publication comes with 33 loose-leaf color prints that are suitable for framing.  A collection of eight to twelve prints hung together in a block can add visual interest to a room and  have just as much visual impact as a huge framed print or painting.

Framing vintage book plates is one of my best decor secrets.  Since originals can range in price from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands, I often select oversized calendars to use as a calendar one year and keep to frame the next.  One of the best I've ever seen is "Shells" by d'Argenville.   In fact, I framed a set of twelve tropical 18th century botanicals for my Annapolis home.  And this past Christmas I gave gorgeous calendars from Cavallini & Co. as gifts to several people and kept one for myself!