Elle Decor: The Height of Style: Inspiring Ideas from the World's Chicest Rooms

by Ingrid Abramovitch, Michael Boodro (Editor)

This book showcases more than 220 stunning rooms selected by the editors of ELLE DECOR, the magazine that is the last word on exciting, cutting-edge, and eclectic style from around the world. A must for any decorating and design buff, it shows readers how to bring the flair, glamour, and individuality of the world’s chicest spaces into their own homes. The rooms, which range from extravagant living spaces to sleek, state-of-the-art kitchens, baths, and dressing rooms, are organized into distinctive yet reader-friendly categories: “Classical,” “Fanciful,” “Functional,” and “Personal.” “What the Pros Know,” which occurs throughout the pages, presents insights, ideas, and practical advice from top interior designers, architects, and homeowners. Every chapter also incorporates “Anatomy of a Room”—in which the magazine’s editors explain how to make the inspiring ideas a reality.
Packed with beautiful color images by today’s top interiors photographers, straightforward tips, and ingenious pointers from top design talents Steven Gambrel, Kelly Wearstler, and a host of others, The Height of Style brings the magazine’s distinctive, of-the-moment mix of culture, design, and fashion right into your living room.

Genres: Design, Interior Design, Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published September 16, 2014

About the author

Ingrid Abramovitch is a design journalist based in New York. She is the author of Restoring a House in the City. A former magazine editor at House & Garden and Martha Stewart Living, she now writes for the New York Times, Elle Decor, and Cookie, among other publications. Born in Montreal, Ingrid lives in Brooklyn, New York. "

Reviews

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with most decorating books, there's a lot of money involved in most of the rooms depicted. Some ideas could be adapted for those with lower budgets. I do like quite a few of the rooms shown, especially those with actual color, not just stark white or black & white, both of which color schemes look perfectly cold to me. As often these days they praise the amount of natural light coming in through large windows, apparently forgetting that this light is not available at night. Many of the rooms need more light available at night, or for anybody who wants to read. But that's a complaint for almost all decorating books. Also the lack of curtains in bedrooms, if you happen to want to take a nap during the day.
The rooms are organized as: Classical (mostly symmetrical), Fanciful, Practical (kitchens, bathrooms, foyers, offices), Personal.
Finances aside, there are quite a few rooms I would gladly move into.

[Goldenrod · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Variety! Texture! Layers! Color!

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used to love Elle Decor books, but now they just feel sort of factual, as if the neutrals of the U.S. East Coast clients represent what we are supposed aspire to. On a more positive note: this book does, in an admittedly lopsided way, include wonderful examples of design commissions throughout Europe, including a few very ornate, without being ostentatious, 18th century chateaus around France. I'm afraid my biases at the moment, such as they are, are showing. No apologies.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

a few nice decorating ideas

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

great style but a little more "opulent" than would work for us