Design by Nature: Creating Layered, Lived-In Spaces Inspired by the Natural World

In this highly original study of design and nature, Bay Area clothing designer Tanov describes her artistic process as bringing what Proust called “new eyes” to her familiar California surroundings. The book’s five sections—based on wood, weeds, water, dirt, and decay respectively—show readers how to find decorating inspiration right in their own backyards. Tanov follows her obsession with ferns and “their furry brown fronds and delicate green tendrils” through the creative process as her adulation transforms into fodder for textile designs of clothing, home furnishings, and wallpaper. Later in the book, the author pairs a photograph of a redwood forest floor strewn with pinecones with a picture of a daybed tossed with pillows in earth tones and graphic patterns. This creative juxtaposition, like many others within these pages, is a testament to nature’s hand and Tanov’s eye in creating relaxed, inviting rooms. The book combines personal musings, essays, and artist profiles with 100 full-color photographs by Minh Ngo. It will be treasured by a diverse readership whose tastes run from British cult interior designer Ilsa Crawford to American transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau. (Apr.)