Tricia Guild founded Designers Guild in 1970 and has since designed many fabulous collections that adorn homes worldwide. These collections have included floral prints in many sizes, vibrant colour palettes through to shades of white and a mixture of plaids and stripes. Over the years Tricia has created designs that have become easily recognisable as Designers Guild collections and created a certain style, the perfect title for her latest book.
A Certain Style shows an eclectic mix of properties interspersing modern homes with decadent Parisian pied-a-terres or elegant English country manors. A mood is suggested in a single word before being greeted by each homes decor and design. Atmospheric, tranquillity, reflections and eccentric are just a few examples of the moods created by Tricia in this mixture of architecturally different homes.
From the moment that I took A Certain Style out of the packaging and saw the vibrant floral display on the front cover next to the monochrome striped spine, I knew this book would not disappoint. Tricia has used her own collections, with each of the fourteen homes being touched by the hand of the style queen and taking the reader on an international style journey. A Certain Style does not limit us to viewing just one room in each home but leads us through the rooms to help the reader understand how to effortlessly connect an interior space. Tricia shares little style secrets and advice throughout the book, teaching the reader to use pattern and print or a mix of bold plain textiles effectively in their home decor. In the 'Modern Country' location of an 18th century stone farmhouse Tricia explains that by limiting the palette to black and white makes it easier to layer florals with stripes, also offering a feeling of understated grandeur.
Whilst A Certain Style is full of fabulous printed textiles I was pleasantly surprised to find that Tricia had chosen bold blocks of plain colours in the modern decor choices, as seen in the 'Modern Coastal Retreat' and 'New York City Loft'. The 'English Manor House' lent itself perfectly to the fabulous jewel colours, however the dark wood proved a challenge as Tricia explains the use of light reflecting white and a sheen on the wallpaper to assist with making the room lighter and brighter. The 'French Chateau' requires decadence and of course Tricia does not disappoint, wonderful turquoise velvet sofas alongside raspberry pink silk damask floor to ceiling curtains, the opulence of gold printed on to bright bold colours, everything a stuffy manor house would avoid.
As a self confessed fabric addict and fan of Tricia Guild I am left in awe by A Certain Style and every time I open this book I am delighted by beautiful rooms and still see something new with every look. I am sure any fan of Designers Guild or anyone who has an interest in interior design will be equally delighted by A Certain Style.
My review was first featured on UK Handmade on 27 November 2010
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