"Close-up look at fashionable eighteenth-century society, in which ... dress was a symbol of social and political position. Seven American and British authorities on costume and textiles have written the book's ... essays on the elegant art of dress ... Fabrics and their manufacture are ... illustrated ... The book includes a catalogue of more than 400 objects from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art ... the glossary's 270 terms ... an illustrated appendix on conservation ... 268 illustrations, including 58 plates in full color"--Dustjacket.

Marshall Watson’s first book reveals how to make traditional interiors fresh. Known for his meticulously researched, European-inspired style, Marshall Watson creates interiors that are rich in texture, detail, and simple luxuries. In his first book, Watson shares his finest work, demonstrating that while each of these homes is as unique as its owner, they all adhere to principles that transform a mere series of spaces into a genuine, coherent home: warmth; light; peace; comfort; balance; proportion; livability; and last but not least, appropriateness. Whether in an Italianate villa in Los Cabos or a family idyll on a Swedish island, a Gramercy Park apartment that blends shimmer and restraint, or a Newport Beach cottage warmed by walls finished in egg-yolk yellow, Watson explains how he translated each family’s lifestyle and aspirations, the house’s history, and the surrounding environment into a highly original form of elegance—and how anyone can discover his or her own. Beautifully photographed with lavish images of Watson’s work, this inspiring book is a must-have for interior design lovers.

A designer who’s “turned pie crust decorating into an art form” shows how to embellish an ordinary crust—for a creation as beautiful as any cake (Martha Stewart). Everyone knows that serving a pie for dessert makes guests happy. And serving one with a beautifully designed crust that makes guests swoon is even better. Pies can be as stunningly attractive as the most decorative cakes with the use of some basic techniques and the appropriate care when working with pie dough. The recipes and techniques in this book give any home baker the tools to create breathtaking works of pie art. From preparation of the dough to the last moments of baking, all methods are clearly presented using step-by-step photographs. A flat surface, rolling pin, sharp knife, and cookie cutters of different sizes and shapes make embellishing an ordinary pie crust easy. The 25 designs in this book, arranged by three levels of difficulty, range from graphic art styles to seasonal-inspired florals—offering the first guide to creating these stunning works of edible art. “[A] gorgeous cookbook...As the book progresses, so do your skills.” —Taste of Home

The delightful tales and theatrical drawings of Edward Gorey (American, 1925-2000) reflect a special kind of genius for what is left unwritten and unseen. In Gorey's vaguely Victorian world of well-tended gardens and opulent estates, smoke-belching factories and fog-shrouded streets, nothing seems certain or quite as it should be. Chaos lurks just beneath life's tidy surface, occasionally erupting in surprising events with unexpected, often horrific consequences. But when tragedy befalls Gorey's quirky cast of characters-hapless waifs, dusty dowagers, scheming tycoons, and unhinged maidens-somehow we can't keep from laughing. Far from casting us into the abyss, Gorey reminds us to contemplate mortality with a smile. In Elegant Enigmas: The Art of Edward Gorey, more than 175 reproductions include samples from Gorey's books, illustrations produced for other writers, theatrical sets and costume designs, and a wealth of individual pieces, many never before published. Sketches, typewritten manuscripts, doodles, and musings join the generous selection of finished works. Published on the occasion of the first retrospective of Edward Gorey's work, at the Brandywine River Museum, Elegant Enigmas is a tribute to a master artist and writer, who with murderously dry humor created a body of work singular in its brilliance and charm.

Inspiring, unflinchingly honest, and even at times laugh out loud hilarious, THE ELEGANT ART OF FALLING APART shows us how, sometimes, we have to lose everything to understand that the moment is all we have - and living that moment with style, grace and a damn good lipstick is all that matters. Jessica Jones had a complicated life - booze, cocaine, bad boyfriends, a rollercoaster ride of what self help writers call ‘opportunities for growth’ - but she got way from all that. She rebuilt her career, became prosperous and, at last, found happiness in a wonderful, new relationship. Just when things were almost perfect she learned that she had breast cancer and so Jessica did what she’s always done, she got through it. After seven months of gruelling treatments she travelled from London to Sydney to begin a three-month holiday of a lifetime with her gorgeous man - only to find herself plunged into a different, and totally unexpected, life crisis. Jessica’s story of courage, friendship and laughter gives us all hope that, no matter what, we can always start again.

Exotic flowers, peacock feathers, dragonflies, and other floral and animal motifs take on the sinuous beauty associated with Art Nouveau in this stylish coloring book. Sixty-three full-page illustrations, based on classic designs.

La Vie est Belle is the perfect gift for Francophiles or those with a passion for the best things in life—elegant interiors, ageless beauty and tradition, and fine food and wine. “France has the only two things toward which we drift as we grow older—intelligence and good manners.” F. Scott Fitzgerald This celebration and distillation of the spirit of France provides a privileged glimpse inside 18 ravishing French homes, from chateaux to farmhouses, as well as the regions in which they are set, including Normandy, Brittany, the Ile de Ré, Paris, Provence, the Loire, and Bordeaux. The book also features insightful essays on the traditions and characteristics of French life, including pavement cafés, vineyards, classic French furniture and fabrics, regional food specialties, and more. Interspersed throughout the book are recipes for authentic French dishes and quotations from great writers and philosophers, designed to immerse you in the culture and ambience of the French way of life.