Ahhh, the holidays! Here they come, are you ready? I’m sure that between basting the turkey, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and polishing silverware, you’ll be far too busy to take in some holiday reading. However, I bet that as soon as your cousin’s husband’s daughter from his first marriage starts running around the room on a sugar high, you’ll want nothing more than to retreat to a comfy guest bedroom with a glass of wine bottle of bourbon and a good book. Enter, moi. I’ve compiled a list of the best coffee-table books on the market today, all for you. Enjoy. Oh, and try not to slip into a tryptophan coma.
PS. Stay tuned at the end of this broadcast for a contest that is sure to rock your bookshelf-in-need-of-decor life!
Geometric: Graphic Art and Pattern; Nicole and Petra Kapitza; available at Kapitza; images via creative review
If a picture is worth a thousand words, here is a rough paraphrase of what each of the images in this book are screaming: ”I am insane hand-made patterns. I am beautiful. Put me on your walls. I will rock your world”
If, for some insane reason, sexy geometric patterns aren’t you’re thing, perhaps you’d rather see who’s on the other end of the line when you make your 1-900# calls:
phonesex by Phillip Toledano
Intimate portraits of phone sex operators in their homes. Be careful! One of them might be you!
Finished already? No? Need decor porn instead (that is what you’re here for, right)? Try these:
Japanese decor books (I have no idea what they’re called) available here: Yvestown Shop
The lovely thing about these books – yes, I’ve actually touched their goodness first hand – is that they profile wacky interiors and exteriors of REAL people. They are not always as glamorous as the shelter mag pictures we’ve become accustomed to, but, gosh dangit, those homes are in my budget.
Once you’re done reading Japanese decor trends, how about you make some Japanese clothes?
Guess what? I don’t know what this is called either, but I found it here: Clementine’s flickr
Ahhh, yes, the perfect coffee table book. It’s pretty, it looks like high-art, and your guests will never understand a word. Love love love.
Ready to get back to decor?
How they work by 010 Publishers (image via yatzer)
A perfect opportunity to watch people more talented and productive than you while lounging on your sofa. Bonus if you read this while eating a bag of chips.
If you need to feel better about yourself again, how about this little gem that profiles the interiors of brothels in Alemanha:
via Coisas de Maria
I know, I know, I could have done an entire post about this book alone. Seriously, how rad are those rooms? You bitches know that I would live in any one of them. Especially bottom left, swoon..
Ut-Oh, I smell a fascist regime coming through to break up all our fun-time:
Faces of Evil : Faces of a Terrifying Dictatorship via cyanatrendland
Artist Hans Weishaupul created the faces of dictators over the past 100 years by compiling countless tiny, specially shot portraits of the citizens of the country the dictator ruled over. Now, how’s that for Dictator Chic? This would be the perfect companion to my panther coffee table
And finally, because we are not living under a totalitarian regime, as promised, I give you, la contest:
In honor of her 35th birthday (she doesn’t look a day over 29!) My good friend, Vickie Howell, is hosting a contest on her site. Hooray! She’s giving away THIRTY FIVE BOOKS in honor of the big occasion. Does this beat the 80’s party she threw for her 30th? I don’t know, but I think it’s pretty darned awesome none-the-less. You cats have until the 25th to score big, then it’s light’s out.
PS. I call 500 chairs!
Related posts:
I took Japanese (in an accelerated summer course) and I think the name of the sewing book is ‘pataan majiiku’ aka Pattern Magic (Vol 2!)
I LOVE the phonesex book! And yes, bottom left brothel room is lustworthy (oooo). The dictator face portraits are quite interesting in their method of composition!
Man, where did you find your panther table? It is so freaking awesome.
I’m SO not ready for the holidays…ahhh! Great listing of ideas though!
I don’t know which book I want more — the dictators or the brothels. I am far too scared to have those phone sex operators just lying around… what if Hunny Bunny saw something he liked and ran away to meet his hillbilly soul mate?
And, WOW, I didn’t know Vicki was turning 35! She seriously doesn’t look it!!
I have oodles of those Japanese home decor books, they are super dreamy! Is it bad that I love all 4 of the brothels, kind of a lot.
WPZ: How rad that you know (even a little) Japanese? You’re totally making me want to go take a language course!!
Please Sir: Seriously! Are we ever ready for the holidays? I put a moratorium on holiday travel 2 years ago and keep the food / gifts to a minimum. I also have a no-trip-to-the-mall rule, it really does make life so much better. Oh, and you actually get to enjoy the holidays, go figure.
Erin: I am sure that Ben would be very tempted, keep that book away from his wandering eyes!
Jen: No way! I want to move into everyone of those brothels, they are the best!
K, I love the Geometric book and am seriously coveting some of those Japanese decor books!
Thanks for mentioning my contest, lady! And no, this contest doesn’t beat the 80’s party–but, getting to stay in my jammies while I celebrated this one, did rate a certain level of awesomeness.
I have spoken with a few designers over the years who were decorating brothels! It would be a fun gig (um – decorating it!!) You could go overboard and full on! FUN!!
I went to a brothels open day once!!!(yeah – it was a real thing & advertised all over the media!)you could take a tour of the southern hemispheres largest brothel! Wasn’t anything I imagined though, quite disappointing!!- the beds were all covered in Terri-toweling and a “menu” on each door! But at least i now know!!
Wow, Camilla!! That is insane! Life is quite different down under, I guess. I would give my left eye to decorate a brothel, how fun to be REQUIRED to go tacky and over-the-top. It’s a (design) job that has my name all over it.
If you ever get to do a brothel tour again, be sure to take pictures!!
the 900-### folks are truly darling!
Karly… holiday travel moratorium? Does this mean I cannot meet up with you in DC over Christmas? ***big, sad eyes with alligator tears***
OH SNAP, NerF!! That would have been awesome and totally worth putting up with holiday airports over! Let’s keep in touch on any upcoming trips to Virginia, maybe we can coordinate a hangout. Sadly, though, I’ll be in Austin for T-Giving and Christmas. You’re invited
sorry for the stupid emoticon
Karly- I am completely in LOVE with you now. Solely because you Mentioned Phillip. He is my Photographer crush! Not only is he awesome, But he is definitely EASY on the eyes. Read here– he is HOT.
Um ..yea!
We all know what book I liked from this selection.
Howdy thank you for the previous cool post. It was super refreshing.