Just goes to show that you should never say never…I said I would never buy another cookbook or another coffee table book. Last week I did both.
The first is a slim little “how to” by the editor of Judith Child’s cookbooks, Judith Jones, titled The Pleasures of Cooking for One. The second, a big, gorgeous book, Wallpaper, A History of Style and Trends, is written by Carolle Thibaut-Pomerantz who has developed a 20 year expertise in both vintage and contemporary papers. It covers everything from the origins to the contemporary revolution of wallpaper. I’ve been asked several times about how long wallpaper has been in existence and here is the answer: it began as early as the sixteenth century in England and is related to the inventions of paper and printing. Wallpaper transformed the world of interiors. Its precursor was decorative, single-sheet papers called dominos. However, these were small sheets, 20 by 14 inches, composed of repeat motifs printed in black from a single engraved block of wood, often pear wood. More elaborate designs developed using multiple blocks and colors of red, blue, brown, yellow, purple and green were added. The book is loaded with illustrations and heavy, as the grade of paper used is that of wallpaper!
Granted, paint and paper are the least expensive ways to achieve a desired design, but often difficult to get right. A book that simplifies that process is Paint and Paper: In Decoration by David Oliver, Design Director of the Paint and Paper Library in London. He combines an array of practical ideas and planning advice with actual examples. [We like practical wallpaper and interior design advice.] If you want some expert assistance in color selection, this may be the book for you. But wait, I said I’d never buy another coffee table book and yet, I did twice. Now, I’m saying, never say never!
–Lorre Lei
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