Houses Inside and Out. By Mariette Himes Gomez, CollinsDesign, 244 pages, $39.95
PURPOSE: To help make a house a home.
AUTHOR'S CREDENTIALS: In 1975, interior designer, Mariette Himes Gomez, launched Gomez Associates in Manhattan. Her furniture line - the Mariette Himes Gomez Collection for the Hickory Chair Co. is available in stores throughout the country. Gomez, a resident of Manhattan and Long Island, is the author of "Rooms."
EXCERPT: "A house is an idea, a house is a thing, a house is you, a tangible embodiment of your dreams and desires and interests. Your house has its own personality and continuity and unity. Its parts come together as your home. My conviction that houses are wholes that express the spirit of the inhabitants forms the core of this book. It is the premise underlying my approach to designing a house."
EFFECTIVENESS: Gomez believes she was born with a gene for design. Couple this with fond childhood memories of her home - and you'll find a designer with heart.
She begins by reminiscing about gatherings at the homes of her family, including her grandmothers and aunts.
"The houses wrapped themselves around our lives and they had love in them," she writes. These experiences not only shaped Gomez's approach to design, which she clearly has a talent for, but also her appreciation for home - which can be contagious.
Almost poetic at times, this book - punctuated by an inviting cover and stunning photographs - focuses on the design process with an emphasis on creating a "home."
Obvious topics such as scale, color, furniture placement, accessories and continuity are covered.
Taking it step by step, Gomez, who pays close attention to architecture, imparts her knowledge - often sharing her thought process, which helps the reader to digest information.
Captions describing vibrant illustrations also help the cause.
Although the houses featured here - including some from Long Island - are spacious, the principals of design usually can be applied to any size home.
How well you absorb this information will depend on your own design gene. Either way, feel free to rest this attractive book on your coffee table.
-- Lisa Doll Bruno
