cover image At Home with the Makers of Style

At Home with the Makers of Style

Grant Scott, Samantha Scott-Jeffries. Thames & Hudson, $45 (256pp) ISBN 978-0-500-51234-0

This luxurious and artfully photographed collection of 24 of the world's top designers' homes offers an intimate look at their living spaces and how their attitudes toward style and life are expressed in their designs. Opening with Alberto Alessi's dilapidated Italian villa that is very much a work-in-progress, Scott and Scott-Jeffries travel to New York, Paris, Sao Paulo and all points between to offer glimpses of how the designers work and relax. Each profile opens with a short resume and a quote from the designer before Scott walks the reader through the home. To-the-point captions and commentary offer historical information on key pieces or their significance to the owner. The photographs are not meant to show the entirety of the home, rather, they showcase key areas such as Joseph Holtzman's cozy and artfully arranged bedroom and Matali Crasset's cluttered workspace, giving a glimpse into the designers' personalities. There are a few shots of conversation pieces such as the Campana brothers' chair composed of teddy bears and Piero Busnelli's stunning collection of over 200 animals he's hunted, but the book's strength is the way it enables the reader to get a feel for the featured homes. It concludes with a pointed Q&A section with each designer, allowing them to expound on matters of style and design.