Design by nature Creating layered, lived-in spaces inspired by the natural world

In this highly original study of design and nature, Bay Area clothing designer Tanov describes her artistic process as bringing what Proust called "new eyes" to her familiar California surroundings. The book's five sections-based on wood, weeds, water, dirt, and decay respectively-show readers how to find decorating inspiration right in their own backyards. Tanov follows her obsession with ferns and "their furry brown fronds and delicate green tendrils" through the creative process as her adulation transforms into fodder for textile designs of clothing, home furnishings, and wallpaper. Later in the book, the author pairs a photograph of a redwood forest floor strewn with pinecones with a picture of a daybed tossed with pillows in earth tones and graphic patterns. This creative juxtaposition, like many others within these pages, is a testament to nature's hand and Tanov's eye in creating relaxed, inviting rooms. The book combines personal musings, essays, and artist profiles with 100 full-color photographs by Minh Ngo. It will be treasured by a diverse readership whose tastes run from British cult interior designer Ilsa Crawford to American transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Inspired by the natural beauty of her home state of California, Tanov created a successful clothing and home goods line featured in her boutiques and online store. Here, she shares her ideas on using the patterns and colors found in nature-such as wood, water, and soil-as the basis for creating one's own home interiors. Throughout, Tanov spotlights textile and visual artists whose work she has featured in her stores and designs. Filled with more than 200 color photographs, primarily of details of nature, the bulk of this volume contains Tanov's ruminative essays but unfortunately lacks much practical advice. VERDICT Recommended for those who already possess a design sense and are looking for -additional ideas. © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Introduction: A Way of Seeing  *** A writer once described me as an "imperfectionist," and it rings true. I steer away from anything too perfect or manicured and prefer to create beautiful, relaxed spaces by embracing objects with their imperfections. I'm basically a refined hippie--attracted to the loose, natural, and raw and things in disrepair--yet am also drawn to pieces with a hint of glamour and opulence. I believe in buying high-quality goods although the name of the maker or designer is not important. I buy lasting things that I love.  Everything I do, from designing clothing or wallpaper to arranging a room, aspires to reflect the effortless beauty of the natural world. My designs are often inspired by simple sights: the trees in my backyard, the fallen leaves and blooming flowers I see on my walks, or a single fern casting its shadow on my porch. I love the flawed beauty inherent in nature. Perfectly imperfect. I want everything I design and make to have that same relaxed sensibility.  My wish is for you to find inspiration in your own surroundings. It isn't about traveling far and wide to beautiful landscapes (although that never hurts), but, rather, it's about discovering beauty right outside your door. It can be something as grand as an old tree with wide-reaching limbs or something as small as a tiny leaf or acorn. You can find inspiration in a weed blowing gracefully on the freeway or the pattern of the craggy bark of an oak tree. You can be moved by the intense ochre colors of lichen growing on a branch or fallen twig or the damp fertile smell after a rain. Everything is source material.  *** Excerpted from Design by Nature: Creating Layered, Lived-In Spaces by Erica Tanov All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.