photo courtesy of Metropolitan Hom

Time for the book review on Michael Lassell‘s Metroplitan Home Glamour: Making it Modern. I LOVE it! I don’t think I’ll ever be “finished” this book. I’ll probably grab it every time I sit in my living room with a cup of coffee, and I’ll drool over the pages again and again.

photo courtesy of Metropolitan Home

Lassell does a wonderful job of discussing the concept of glamour and all the design elements that shape it. In my opinio, the most important point he makes it that price does not determine glamour–just because you spend $10,000 on a new couch doesn’t mean you’ll end up with a glamorous room (Betcha I could. Quick…somebody gimmee $10K!). He quotes many designers who share their ideas on glamour. I particularly liked Johnathan Adler‘s advice, “A room must have wit to be glamorous. Any design that seems over-considered or over-serious ain’t glamorous.”

photo courtesy of Metropolitan Home

This book made me open my mind to the possibilities of glamour. It’s not about designing rooms that are too-beautiful-to-sit-down-in. There are probably six billion ways to achieve glamour, but there seems to be a common thread in Lassell’s book…each room takes your breath away for a a second or two. As Adler says, there is “wit”,something unexpected in glamorous room.

A good example is the bathroom with an ebony-paneled bathtub and vanity combined with an upholstered chair, normally associated with living rooms. There’s a stunning ornate ruby-red Murano-glass chandelier and stylized words of inspiration painted on the putty-grey walls of a traditional Craftsman bungalow–unexpected. Or what about a massive mirrored four-poster bed with an orange laquered bedside table–catching my breath just thinking about it.

photo courtesy of Metropolitan Home

I give Glamour: Making it Modern a big thumbs up. Trust me, it might be dog-eared, but you’ll still enjoy it ten years from now.