Bookmarks – 1950s Fashion Print

Today’s Bookmarks book review is 1950s Fashion Print….

…one in a series written by Marnie Fogg and published by Anova Books.

The book’s arrival was perfectly timed as it appeared hot on the heels of our vintage fabric haul which we blogged about recently.

It’s very attractive visually.

Holding the book, with its tactile, textured cover is almost like handling a piece of barkcloth.

An initial flick through the enticing photos contained within persuades you to delve deeper.

There are endless examples of superb, period fabric designs to drool over…

…full-colour, detailed images of vintage prints on every page.

Some very recognisable patterns as well as ones you’ll probably not seen before.

It isn’t however, just a collection of pretty pictures…

…it’s extremely well researched – Fogg really knows her subject.

She used to be a lecturer in Visual Studies and the Culture of Fashion at the University of Nottingham.

In addition to details about the actual fabric designs, the book encompasses related topics such as interior design and social & historical influences.

Another strong point of the book is the photo captions – they’re full of additional information and incisive comments.

It’s a wonderful leisure read, but also a great resource…

… an inspiration for design projects or for identifying fabrics that you may be lucky enough to find!

There’s also a useful bibliography of where to go next if your appetite for 50s patterns has been whetted.

It’s a must for devotees of textile designers such as Lucienne Day, Marian Mahler, Robert Stewart, Jaqueline Groag, Sylvia Chambers & Tom Mellor to name but a few – along with manufacturers such as Heals, David Whitehead Ltd and Edinburgh Weavers…

…and for fans of Mid-century Modern design in general.

This book is going to be a permanent fixture on our shelves.

1950s Fashion Print can also be bought from Amazon, Abe Books and Hive.

We’ll be following up in the very near future with a review of Fogg’s 1960s Fashion Fabrics…

…we’re very much looking forward to it!

[Many thanks to Anova Books for supplying this review copy.]

Bookmarks – Homemade Home

Homemade Home by Sania Pell and published by Cico Books is the third in our new series of Bookmarks book reviews.

We’re often in awe of people who seem to find the time and have the creativity to make something out of nothing. In our case, we either don’t get round to doing it or don’t think we’ve got the skills.

Homemade Home will put paid to both – it will motivate you to make a start and it will give you the instructions in how to do it.

Recycling household materials was once common in most households.

There was a certain decline in during the latter half of the twentieth century, but that trend is now very much reversing again…

…whether in the guise of recycling, up-cycling or remodelling.

This could be for many reasons – a new awareness of conserving the world’s resources, saving money or creating an individual/distinctive look.

Whatever the project, this book’s a perfect companion.

The pages are divided into quick ideas and larger tasks.

There are easy to follow, step-by-step instructions – and some lovely photographs of the finished items in household settings.

There’s plenty of opportunity to adapt the ideas in terms of materials, design or finish.

The author’s objective is to inspire you to have a go… and it certainly works!

Before you know it you’ll be collecting buttons & scraps of material.

And, if you already have such a collection, it will offer some fun & interesting ways to use it all.

Homemade Home can also be bought from our vintage design bookshops: Amazon UK | Amazon US

[Many thanks to Cico Books for supplying this review copy]

Bookmarks – The Way We Live with the things we love

Those of you who have seen photos of our home know that we’re avid collectors of all manner of things.

Which brings us neatly to the second title in our Bookmarks review series, The Way We Live With the Things We Love by Stafford Cliff & Gilles de Chabaneix and published by Thames & Hudson.

The book celebrates the things with which we fill our houses – and how people express their personality through their homes and the objects they collect.

We’re always looking for imaginative ways to display…

…and this book is full of great ideas.

All the wonderful images, from houses all around the world, were taken by a single photographer, Gilles de Chabaneix, who spent over 40 years photographing domestic interiors.

The book doesn’t try to advise on what objects to collect, but offers inspiration for people who love to rummage at markets, bid at auction or have treasured heirlooms they want to put on show.

Objects ranging from fine art to humble beach-combed finds rub shoulders throughout the book.

From familiar groupings of mirrors and paintings, to much more idiosyncratic collections, such as a wall-full of vintage postcards of rock formations!

It’s a great lazy afternoon or bedtime read, with over 200 pages of inspiring, fascinating and intriguing rooms.

We’ve revisited the book a few times this week which is a good sign… and you do notice new things each time.

The book is one in the Way We Live: series and can also be bought from Amazon, Abe Books and Hive.

[Many thanks to Thames & Hudson for supplying this review copy]

Bookmarks: Comforts of Home

We’re very excited to introduce a brand new, regular blog series – Bookmarks – in which we review books & magazines that have caught our eye. Naturally, the books we choose to feature will be on subjects close to our hearts – such as vintage interior design.

Our first title is The Comforts of Home written by Caroline Clifton-Mogg and published by Ryland, Peters & Small.

Clifton-Mogg’s maxim – which runs throughout each chapter – is that making a home calm, cosy and comfortable isn’t hard, shouldn’t be daunting and doesn’t have to be.

A lot of what she recommends, such as de-cluttering and having a household cleaning routine, you think you already know and have heard it all before.

But the way in which she puts it makes so much sense, that you may find yourself suddenly whisking piles of stuff off your kitchen table or from your hallway that you’d been oblivious to for months!