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Near & Far: Interiors I Love―Lisa Fine invites us into her homes and shows us her greatest sources of inspiration
The vibrant colors and rich patterns of Scandinavia, India, Turkey, and the Near and Far East, as well as the homes of artists, interior designers, and collectors are all featured in textile designer Lisa Fine’s Near & Interiors I Love . The author shares the many sources of inspiration for her coveted hand-printed linens and her personal interior design aesthetic.
“Lisa Fine’s new book [is] a stunning compendium of interiors that inspire her work.” — Veranda
In Near & Far , Lisa Fine invites us into her homes in Dallas, New York, and Paris and then takes us along as she visits the places and people who have been her greatest sources of inspiration. Among her favored treasures are the Mughal palaces and gardens of India, the 18th-century home of Carl Linnaeus in Sweden, the whitewashed retreat of interior designer John Stefanidis on Patmos, the idyllic country house and garden of London-based designer Penny Morrison, and the storied house in the Tangier Casbah belonging to collectors Jamie Creel and Marco Scarani.
Evocatively photographed by Miguel Flores-Vianna and with a foreword by style editor Deborah Needleman, Near & Far not only provides a trove of design ideas, but also offers advice for anyone interested in giving full expression to their personal style.
“[Fine’s] book is filled with photos that represent her ideal of beautiful places.” — Houston Chronicle
Over 250 color illustrations
“Lisa Fine’s new book [is] a stunning compendium of interiors that inspire her work.” — Veranda
In Near & Far , Lisa Fine invites us into her homes in Dallas, New York, and Paris and then takes us along as she visits the places and people who have been her greatest sources of inspiration. Among her favored treasures are the Mughal palaces and gardens of India, the 18th-century home of Carl Linnaeus in Sweden, the whitewashed retreat of interior designer John Stefanidis on Patmos, the idyllic country house and garden of London-based designer Penny Morrison, and the storied house in the Tangier Casbah belonging to collectors Jamie Creel and Marco Scarani.
Evocatively photographed by Miguel Flores-Vianna and with a foreword by style editor Deborah Needleman, Near & Far not only provides a trove of design ideas, but also offers advice for anyone interested in giving full expression to their personal style.
“[Fine’s] book is filled with photos that represent her ideal of beautiful places.” — Houston Chronicle
Over 250 color illustrations
304 pages, Hardcover
Published September 24, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 2, 2020
Sigh. This is a GORGEOUS book. The publisher used high production values including beautifully printed covers, so if you ever remove the stunning dust jacket the book is still pretty. And photographer Miguel Flores Vianna is talented at not only photographing rooms as a whole, but also in picking out the details that matter to design enthusiasts.
I got a few ideas from this book, particularly for bedrooms, that I’ll refer to in future and that I think a lot of people could replicate without a ginormous budget. (Even though all 18 of the homes portrayed here are very much created by people of wealth, and inherited wealth at that.)
However, I docked one star for the feeling of sameness throughout this book. I understand it’s one woman’s taste, yet I expected to see spaces with clear differences especially as they are on four different continents. These rooms could have been the same house in terms of colors and style. They are all filled with antiques and object d’art that are manifestly not mass produced. The beds all have hangings. The flowers were remarkably similar in each, usually displays of one particular bloom type massed together. The textiles and art are often either of or inspired by India, or as the author call it “the Silk Road”.
And therein lies the problem for which I docked a second star. The author refers to India as “exotic”. Her perspective is rich white lady patting herself on the back for being a world traveler. I get the feeling she’d be the type of tourist who would plunder another culture as ‘appreciation’. She’s also a fan of Mother Theresa who has a worrying legacy of doing harm as a white savior. She also put quotes around ‘soul food’ as she brags about eating it.
As I read, I assumed she was 100 years old. That maybe I shouldn’t judge too much because past generation. Then I saw her dust jacket photo. Ok boomer.
I got a few ideas from this book, particularly for bedrooms, that I’ll refer to in future and that I think a lot of people could replicate without a ginormous budget. (Even though all 18 of the homes portrayed here are very much created by people of wealth, and inherited wealth at that.)
However, I docked one star for the feeling of sameness throughout this book. I understand it’s one woman’s taste, yet I expected to see spaces with clear differences especially as they are on four different continents. These rooms could have been the same house in terms of colors and style. They are all filled with antiques and object d’art that are manifestly not mass produced. The beds all have hangings. The flowers were remarkably similar in each, usually displays of one particular bloom type massed together. The textiles and art are often either of or inspired by India, or as the author call it “the Silk Road”.
And therein lies the problem for which I docked a second star. The author refers to India as “exotic”. Her perspective is rich white lady patting herself on the back for being a world traveler. I get the feeling she’d be the type of tourist who would plunder another culture as ‘appreciation’. She’s also a fan of Mother Theresa who has a worrying legacy of doing harm as a white savior. She also put quotes around ‘soul food’ as she brags about eating it.
As I read, I assumed she was 100 years old. That maybe I shouldn’t judge too much because past generation. Then I saw her dust jacket photo. Ok boomer.
October 11, 2020
Beautiful. An escape around the world to see some beautiful rooms and gardens.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews