Contemporary Natural Book

A sculptor's Manhattan loft apartment in a former button factory, a Russian artist's Normandy barn conversion, a furniture designer's Paris apartment, a jewelry designer's Spanish house...the Norwegian photographer Solvi dos Santos has roamed the globe seeking out artists and designers who surround themselves with natural materials and organic forms. The result is a unique style book that will never go out of fashion: these interiors are in harmony with today's tastes and preoccupations but are as timeless as nature itself.

For anyone dedicated to the use of natural materials, the boundaries between art and everyday existence blur. Wood becomes a table, a chair, or a sculpture in celebration of the warmth and solidity of the material itself. Stone becomes an essay in subtle hues. Clay speaks of the earth and hand-worked forms, whether as decorative object or kitchen vessel.

There is something fascinating about the home of an artist. It is as though we feel that seeing his or her domestic space will bring us closer to the act of creation. We think again about our own homes and see how they can be revitalized through ideas from these pages, sparked not only by photographs but also by Phyllis Richardson's discerning commentaries. Here is a universal style book, drawing its examples from several continents, and revealing to the full how infinitely inspiring nature can be. 345 color photographs and illustrations.

Author Biography: Solvi dos Santos is a photographer whose previous publications include Living in New England and Living in Provence. Phyllis Richardson, a former research editor of Architectural Digest, is the author of XS: Big Ideas, Small Buildings.