I love an interior design book that I want to read as much as to look at the beautiful photography. This gorgeous book is one of them. Written by Sandra Lucas and Sarah Eilers with contributions by Judith Nasatir, a lifestyle writer who has cowritten several interior books and photographed by Stephen Karlisch, a leading lifestyle photographer whose work as been published in many publications and books.

“At best, a home is so much more than just shelter. This is why we work so hard to create beautiful, workable interiors that provide the backdrops to happy, busy, and productive lives. Our goal is to make sure these homes become the single most important expression of their owners’ passions, preferences, and personal style.”—Sandra Lucas and Sarah Eilers

Sarah Eilers (left) and Sandra Lucas (right)

Here are some of my favorite spaces:

Photo by Julie Soefer

I love the elegant furniture mix in this bedroom with the pops of blue in the rug, pillows and glazed ceramic garden stool.

Photo by Stephen Karlisch

How interesting are these wing chairs with the contrasting fabric on the backs and inside seats? Excellent use of window treatments with layering the shades underneath drapery panels with a trim on the leading edge and the use of the contemporary light fixture. Brilliant!

Photo by Stephen Karlisch

Inspired by the ancient rock drawings found throughout Utah, a custom wallpaper by De Gournay wraps the dining room in this interesting pattern. A custom, hand made console was designed to fit the room’s proportions.

Photo by Julie Soefer

This marvelous bunk room was designed for a client’s grandchildren and friends. The use of an indoor/outdoor rug and a sectional slipcover was selected for easy maintenance.

Photo by Stephen Karlisch

The color palette of this living room depicts the hues of the sea, sky and sand. Exposed exterior rafters were stained a shade of weathered gray. Solid, textured upholstery and pillows keep the view of the Gulf of Mexico and the farther horizon unobstructed.

The next two photos are from the “Design Laboratory” section of the book. These pages show a few rooms in each of the designers personal homes. Kelly and I were lucky to spend a few days in Houston with Sarah Eilers, a most gracious hostess, when we went on a trip to Roundtop, Texas. Sarah’s home has so many beautiful touches, many handed down to her and many from her travels.

Photo by Stephen Karlisch

Sarah says “Like every room in my house, the breakfast room is full of memories. My mother’s silver rests on an Eastlake chest from my parent’s farm that all holds all of my table linens. The fern collection - two are prints, the others are pressed-bringing the outdoors in.”

Photo by Stephen Karlisch

Sandra says “The house’s original traditional bookshelves which had storage below and topped out at eight feet, felt confining. For my husband’s ever-growing library and to display mementos from our travels, I designed wrapped Sheetrock supports and floating shelves, which open up the room and give it a vertical emphasis. Newly introduced ceiling coffers help create interest overhead”.

You can check out Lucas/Eilers website to view the rest of their portfolio and their award winning designs. You can also find them on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

The book can be purchased here on Amazon!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Joann