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| Couldn't you just spend hours here? Photo by Francois Halard |
Michael S. Smith.....the name alone conjures thoughts of design mastery....top designer lists....high style and designer brands. Michael S. Smith has "It"! Mr. Smith is the subject of previous interior design books bearing his name: Michael S. Smith Elements of Style with Diane Dorrans Saeks and Michael S. Smith Houses with Christine Pittel, both for Rizzoli. Both are in my library.
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| Photo by Michael Mundy |
I was thrilled to receive an advance copy of his latest book: Michael S. Smith Kitchens and Baths! One of the largest segments of my own design business is the remodeling of Kitchen and Baths. I am always on the lookout for inspiration. Michael provides it in spades with this new book! Page after page of beautiful photography, stylish and functional spaces, and lots of resource information.
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| Beautifully done kitchen...Pendant lights by Alison Berger, hood, La Cornue Range, and I love the large marble "cutting board" on the island! Photo by Thomas Loof |
The book is organized by house project into chapters based on location rather than style. Because, as Michael says, "....it turns out that most rooms are rather hard to define in a word or two...just like most people." And so it is.
There is a section for the Beach, Town, and Country, as well as a section for Resources. It is a great way to see how different styles can take on a sense of place. How a modern kitchen or a traditional one feels "right" at the beach or in the city.
Michael gives really in depth descriptions of the spaces and information about all of the finishes, and why they were chosen. He describes how the layouts were changed and why. The Kitchen and Bath are functional spaces first and foremost, but Michael also believes that they should provide comfort.
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| Fun, casual kitchen in Hawaii for a young family. Love the turquoise concrete floors, and the glass embedded terrazzo counters. The cabinet hardware is green and right out of the 30's. Photo by Grey Crawford |
Not only are there scads of fabulously designed kitchens and baths in this book, but also breakfast and dining spaces that often times are part of what has become one of the most used entertaining spaces in the home. Kitchens have become a place where people congregate and share in the preparation of meals or share a glass of wine while the hosts set out nibbles for guests and get things ready.
Michael S. Smith understands this and Kitchens have become one of his most favorite rooms in the house to design.
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| The combination of Carrara marble, Venetian Glass mirror, mirrored furniture, white flowers and fresh blue pale paint is restful and very glamorous. Lovely! I do wonder who might peek over the stair railing while one is dozing in the tub though! Photo by Michele Arnaud |
And what about Bathrooms? They are a place to relax and rejuvenate. A private space that should be a pleasure. This means it must function properly and also be easy on the eyes. There are loads of beautiful examples here, from stunning Master Bathrooms to jewelry box Powder Rooms.
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| A more masculine Guest Bath with "pinstripe" Turkish Marble, "Asher" from Ann Sacks. As Michael Smith describes it..." you feel as if you're in a Napoleonic campaign tent made of marble instead of cloth." I love that description! Photo by Michael Mundy |
There is huge variety in Michael S. Smith designs which is what I like to see in any design book. Many designers are masters in a particular style, but Michael S. Smith shows us here, he has mastered them all. What runs through his work is design excellence through his unique use of materials and details, and an adherence to timeless beauty rather than trends. I think his work will be just as appealing and fresh 20 years from now as they are today.
This will be a book that I will be referencing for years to come.
GIVE AWAY ALERT!
AND....one of YOU will get to have
Michael S. Smith Kitchens and Baths
for your very own!
The publisher, Rizzoli has generously offered a copy to one lucky winner.
Here is the scoop:
1) Hop on over to the Rizzoli and take a moment to look around. See the facebook link? Go ahead and "friend" them.
2) Become a follower on the katiedid blog by clicking the google friend connect button on the right.
3) Click on the "comment" link at the bottom of this post and leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts about Kitchens and Baths, this book and what you would do if you could have any kitchen or bath you wanted!
4) Make sure I can contact you by including an email address, or make sure your username has a link to a contact email.
5) The Cut Off date to enter is October 2nd, this Sunday at 5:00PM PST. I will announce the winner the next day, October 3rd!
5) The Cut Off date to enter is October 2nd, this Sunday at 5:00PM PST. I will announce the winner the next day, October 3rd!
Good Luck and Happy Reading!
