New Book- Extraordinary Interiors: Decorating with Architectural Salvage & Antiques

Furniture World Magazine

Architectural salvage is all about saving and reusing unique bits and pieces of the past and preserving them as beautiful reminders of the talent and artistry of yesteryear. With a special beauty all its own, architectural salvage inspires imaginative uses for items that many people would simply pass by. In Extraordinary Interiors: Decorating with Architectural Salvage & Antiques (Gibbs Smith, $39.95, Hardcover, 1-58685-435-6, 10 x 10 in., 160 pp.; June 2005), author Brian Coleman and photographer Dan Mayers delve into the artistry of architectural reinvention, and show how old things take on new life in homes across the country.This title is available through the Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library (www.furniturelibrary.com) In today’s world of disposable goods and planned obsolescence, the permanence and sense of history that salvage and antiques impart carry much attraction. Objects meant to last a lifetime were once lovingly constructed as testaments to a craftsman’s abilities. Modern construction frequently lacks the detail and warmth that personalize a house and make it a home; Extraordinary Interiors shows how the willingness to take a risk and be imaginative with old items can make a major difference in the look of a room. Doors, mantels, windows, sinks, hardware, and lighting can be blended into new environments to impart character and individuality to an otherwise lifeless space. Author Brian Coleman shares dozens of creative possibilities, and explains that even small touches can have a big impact—installing an oversize transom window from a nineteenth-century mansion in an otherwise nondescript bedroom addition gives the room presence, while recycling an old wrought-iron fence into a fire screen adds history and charm. From a Manhattan brownstone to a Marin county barn-turned-cottage, Coleman has documented an exquisite array of homes in locations across the country. See how a large Arts & Crafts apartment is restored to its original 1916 décor, and a tranquil, Vermont retreat is enlivened with nineteenth-century architecture, in this beautifully photographed new book. The extensive resource section makes it easy for avid collectors and salvage junkies across the country to experience the joy of rummaging. Extraordinary Interiors demonstrates how fragments of our architectural past make unique and inspired living spaces, and how architectural salvage is a legacy, something of beauty to be proud of and to pass on to future generations. Brian D. Coleman, M.D., is a practicing psychiatrist in Seattle, Washington, and a graduate of Stanford University and Chicago Medical School. He is West Coast editor of Old House Interiors magazine. He is the author of Scalamandre: Luxurious Home Interiors, Classic Cottages, and Vintage Victorian Textiles. He divides his time between New York and Seattle. Dan Mayers is a New York-based photographer whose work appears regularly in Country Decorating, Country Collectibles, and Country Victorian as well as Old House Interiors. His work has been included in such books as Scalamandre: Luxurious Home Interiors and The Ultimate Kitchen and he has been exhibited both nationally and internationally. Founded in 1969, Gibbs Smith, Publisher specializes in beautifully illustrated lifestyle books, with topics including design and architecture, cooking, business, holiday, sports, and children’s. Our mission is to produce books that enrich and inspire humankind the world over. In addition to Extraordinary Interiors, Gibbs Smith offers a line of French style and design books including Charles Faudree’s French Country Signature by Charles Faudree and Villa Décor by Betty Lou Phillips, ASID.