Creative Living Country

Having read the other reviews of this book, I was in two minds about buying it. However I'm glad I did as I love it. I have many, many interior design books and a lot aren't good, but this one is. Really interesting and good photos. I also liked the paper. I honestly don't know what the other reviewers are talking about - I suspect they are being a bit snobbish!!!

This is a beautiful book with fabulous photography - lovely to have the opportunity it's to step in to others business lives and see how life progresses elsewhere. Presentation is 5star

Either Chloe Grimshaw doesn't believe gay men and women are creative, or she has managed to never get on speaking/photographing terms with them. The book itself is fine, but as the pages rolled by I became uneasy. And I seem to recall her Creative Living suffered from the same apparent lack of diversity. That's not to say that there aren't fun and flamboyant interiors, or the nicely tailored dwellings also associated with gay people. I'm writing this in the hope that Chloe reads it - hello Chloe - perhaps next time you can include the rest of the population, especially since the only people I know who buy interiors books are gay men.

Bought copy in USA. Why did almost ALL of the whiny critical reviews come from folks that got a FREE copy? ODD and SUSPICIOUS. Ms. Grimshaw achieved her goal of collecting various country homes for us to view. They were almost all creative. I found her book to be a success. I only advise those pondering a purchase--- to avoid the reviews of the whiners with FREE copies. I felt she delivered fresh views on homes that have not been seen repeatedly. Luckily- someone added a small amount of pics for you to get a glimpse. Kudos to Ms. Grimshaw.

It is rare indeed for me to leave a negative review about anything but I don't think I have ever been more disappointed in a book than I am in this one. As a country dweller and creative myself I was excited to read about others living similarly, seeing their homes, learning about their process. Pah! More than two thirds of the homes are in towns and of the remaining third almost all the homes are weekend only and by jove it shows. Precious, self conscious, artist escaped from London for the day decor and little concept of what living in the country actually means. I could go on (at length) but all I'll say is save your money, there are better, more inspiring homes and stories on the internet. The one star is A) because I couldn't give it none and B) it's nicely produced and the matte photographs are perfectly acceptable.

I was going to pass on the offer of this book for review, my interest in interior design having lapsed long ago, when I passed on my collection (from issue one) of the British "Interiors" magazine to my daughter-in-law. But then my eye caught the inexplicable "review" by one "London Film Lover" (which says everything about the reviewer and nothing whatsoever about the book); and that piqued my interest.By stark contrast, the other one-star reviewer, S J Williams, makes some perfectly valid points, to which one can take no exception; and which serve to underline the fact that at the end of the day it's all a matter of one's personal likes and dislikes.As it turns out, however, this is not so much a book about interior design per se; it's as much about the lifestyles and entrepreneurial spirit of a wide variety of creative folk, painters, potters, architects, boatbuilders, and the like, in both making their way in the world and in building their nests. We are shown not just the interiors of these nests, but their surroundings, their occupants' ouput and the occupants themselves.I found it absorbing; and ultimately regretted starting it as a bedtime read because it deprived me of some much-needed sleep.I do have a complaint, however, and that is about the paper on which it is printed. It's matte, and quite unsuited to the reproduction of photographic images, which it degrades, being unable to display the requisite depth of contrast across the range, but most notably as regards the darks, where the loss of detail is depressing. Being a generously sized book, the use of glossy paper throughout (it's 90% illustrations) would presumably have increased its cost significantly. But it would also have increased its value likewise to those who demand quality photographic reproduction - and this book is highly dependent on photography. This does the book's photographer, Luke White, a disservice - it is, after all, 90% his book.Nevertheless, I enjoyed it enough to award five stars for its entertainment value. For what it's worth, my favourite home in the entire book is Duncan Jackson's Martello tower conversion, for which the adjective "majestic" comes to mind - but it was a close-run thing.Of course, being a Thames and Hudson publication, they had to sneak in a teeny bit of porno somewhere (page 47), without which, it sometimes seems, no T&H publication on art matters can be considered quite complete... (None that have so far come my way for review anyway.)

This chunky hardback makes for an interesting coffee table book. Profiling a range of creatives (architects; designers; painters; potters) and the homes they live in, the book provides not only interior design and garden inspiration, but also introduces readers to a range of interesting people, whose products they may wish to go away and buy (a directory of all those people profiled appears at the back of the book). I particularly enjoyed the section on ceramicist Reiko Kaneko and wallpaper designer Louise Body.This is a great book for anyone interested in interior design, or who is currently seeking inspiration for redecorating.

Having read some of the reviews before my copy arrived I had mixed expectations about this book. The good part is definitely the photography. There are some nice ideas well captured on "film". But many homes (country or urban) could deliver such pictures with a skilful photographer on hand.The less good part is the text which does add a bit of biographical background, but felt ultimately a little bit lightweight. I had never heard of any of the people featured (which should be taken as a comment on my lack of knowledge rather than any observation about them). I was quite happy about that because it meant, for me at least, this was not a book about "celebrity homes".I enjoyed skimming through the pictures, but that's about it really.

Un viaje por las casas de muchos artistas. Casas con encanto, llenas de creatividad y personalidad.

good

THIS BOOK WAS VERY MUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT. IT IS NOT ABOUT ARTISTS WHO ARE WITHOUT MEANS. IT IS ABOUT ARTISTS WHO CAN AFFORD TO HAVE HOUSES AND PLACES LIKE THESE WITHIN THIS BOOK AND WHO HAVE MONEY TO PURCHASE THEM AND SURVIVE WITH SOMETIMES VERY LITTLE TALENT. I DID NOT FIND ANY INSPIRATION WITHIN THESE COVERS. I PURCHASED THE BOOK BELIEVING COUNTRY LIVING COULD BE SIMPLE LIVING FOR THE AVERAGE ARTIST. I WAS WRONG.

Not what I expected but well done.