Jacqueline deMontravel

Escape from Bridezilla by Jacqueline deMontravel is the sequel to The Fabulous Emily Briggs. Emily, it seems, has gotten herself engaged and she doesn't want to be one of those brides — the ones who do nothing but obsess over the ceremony, dress and reception at the cost of all other things.

That's the premise anyway. Except that books set among the upper crust, privileged New York set invariably seem to end up being about perfection through the consumption of high end, expensive, brands. Toss in Emily's own dissatisfaction with her fiance and all that is left is the naming of names, the topping one brand or designer with another.

A third of the way in, Emily meets an off brand man. He doesn't fit in with her tidy view of things. Oh! Look it's a modern day Philadelphia Story without the good actors or witty writing.

I read this book mostly for the promised wedding planning humor. My grandmother was a wedding planner for about a decade and came out of retirement to plan my own wedding. I suppose I was looking for nostalgia for those hours spent with her in her office sharpening candles, tying bows and cleaning wax off candelabra. This book had none of that — just shallow consumerism.… (más)

Gorgeously, fully realized photos of feminine style in decor harkens back to the essence of being a woman without censure in this lush and liberating book.

Sensuous shapes and styles, delicate to firey colorings and a notable eye for art and accessories give life and light to this book. You may think you've read and seen all there is to know about decorating and design, but you'll be surprised!

There is so much to this book that it's difficult to summarize the best of it, but I'm going to try by giving you a highlight I loved best:

The Boudoir:

The French called it...boudoir meaning "to sulk" which in our day-and-age could easily mean our "meltdown" parlor! Our place to escape from the stresses of the world that call on our resources, sometimes more than we have to give.
Virginia Wolff called it "A Room of One's Own," and Jacqueline deMontravel calls it "a state-of-mind" place; one that should be inviting and reflective of who we are at our feminine core, and full of those things that we take particular pleasure in and gain peace from.
After studying this beautiful book, I designed my own perfect place and these are a few of the features:
A huge, ornate mirror framed in mirror pieces and resting on the floor; a button-tufted, large ottoman in blue and champagne silk; a 1700's reproduction chaise, down-filled cushions in washed linen decorated with winter white, blue and pink silk pillows; Louis XVI side chairs in a scrubbed finish; a silver vase of blue hydrangeas and roses...etc...
Does this tell you anything?

In addition to helping find our feminine center in decorating for our "boudoirs," this beautiful book leads us to rethink such other places in our homes as the living room, garden spaces, bar (even stocking and recipes) and entertainment areas, office and collection displays...including book cases.

I highly recommend this gorgeous book. The pictures alone make it very desirable, of course, as a coffee table book, or for your interior design library collection. But, more than that, it holds a trip back into the vast history of where we've come from and where we're headed as women in design.

Deborah/TheBookishDame… (más)

Moving into your first apartment? Leaving a huge home to go to a small retirement apartment? Designing your own home for your family of five? HERS: Design with a Feminine Touch, is an illustrated guide to empower women to create a beautiful female sanctuary out of even the smallest cubby in their homes. Pages of photographs, sidebars and explanations guide amateur decorators to create fresh, sophisticated and inviting feminine décor. Just as each woman needs a “go-to” dress, each is entitled to a personal, glamorous space where she can relax and express her individuality. Yours may be a reading nook, bedroom nightstand home office, or garden path.

Author Jacqueline deMontravel, editorial director of Beckett Media’s lifestyle group, edits Romantic Homes magazine. She has two decades of experience in magazine publishing. Her other books include Vintage Vavoom, The Vintage Table and 21st Century Etiquette. Marisa Crawford, Jacqueline deMontravel, Bret Gum, Jaimee Itagaki and Mark Tanner provided the photographs for a feast-for-the-eyes book.

The book abounds with practical suggestions, such as adjusting the layout of your room and colorizing without scaring off the opposite sex. Suggestions are given for thoughtfully displaying important mementos and adding interesting accents. Also discussed is how to choose the era and locale that fits your unique style. Editing is encouraged. In other words, throw away the clutter so that you can enjoy the treasures you’ve decided to highlight.

The suggestions are refreshingly not all about lace and pearls, but cater to those with busy lives who require a relaxing space—a “just for me” alcove. The photographs are a major player in this illustrated book. The reader can daydream as she takes in the detail in each shot. Ideas abound. So many different styles are presented that each woman will find something just for her within the pages of HERS: Design with a Feminine Touch.

Crown Publishing Group via NetGalley graciously supplied the advance review copy for my unbiased opinion.

Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont
http://www.hollyweiss.com… (más)