The FLOWER magazine 2022 book list collects the home, garden, entertaining, and floral titles selected and reviewed by our editors in the past year. Get your your gift list and wish list!
The Draper Touch: The High Life and High Style of Dorothy Draper by Carleton Varney
In this fully revised edition of the 1988 Dorothy Draper biography, Carleton Varney delves even deeper into the life of the renowned designer and interior decorator. The late Varney, who owned and directed Dorothy Draper & Company, Inc., for almost 60 years, added updated text in every chapter of his original book, as well as a new foreword. This deluxe edition includes significant historical documents and photographs recently discovered from a private collection. Text is also based on interviews with Draper’s family and former staff, as well as Varney’s personal memories of working with the “Duchess of Decorating,” as Draper was often called.
Credited as one of the early founders of the interior design industry, Draper is best known for her commercial projects, including The Greenbrier hotel in West Virginia, The Carlyle hotel in New York, and Arrowhead Springs in California. She also became a household name in the 1930s and 40s because of her articles filled with decorating wisdom in Good Housekeeping magazine. In addition, Draper’s three books—365 Shortcuts to Home Decorating, Decorating Is Fun: How To Be Your Own Decorator, and Entertaining Is Fun: How To Be a Popular Hostess—are still in print today.
Editor’s Note: As this issue was being sent to press, we learned of Carleton Varney’s death. We will miss this icon of the design world.
The Draper Touch: The High Life and High Style of Dorothy Draper
by Carleton Varney (Shannongrove Press, June 2022), $100
Currently Classic by Jonathan Rachman with Dean Rhys-Morgan
One of America’s top designers, Jonathan Rachman teams up with noted interiors and fashion writer Dean Rhys-Morgan in his first book. The volume captures Rachman’s eclectic, bold, refined style through a variety of projects, four of which have never been published. Born on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia and based in San Francisco, Rachman is known for filling the homes of many prestigious clients with his signature lively color palettes and luxurious materials.
by Jonathan Rachman with Dean Rhys-Morgan (Flammarion, October 2022), $65
Beyond Bold: Inspiration/Collaboration/Evolution by Sheila Brady, Lisa Delplace, and Eric Groft
Principals Sheila Brady, Lisa Delplace, and Eric Groft offer a one-of-a-kind record of Oehme, van Sweden, a landscape architecture firm that has been creating extraordinary outdoor spaces for almost 50 years. Full of vibrant images and detailed project plans, the book features the firm’s work in private gardens and pools, as well as in public spaces such as the Tippet Rise Art Center in rural Montana, the Chicago Botanic Garden, and the New York Botanical Garden. Readers are treated to an interesting array of geographically and stylistically diverse landscape projects.
Beyond Bold: Inspiration/Collaboration/Evolution
by Sheila Brady, Lisa Delplace, and Eric Groft (Pointed Leaf Press, October 2022), $85
Richard Mishaan Design: Architecture and Interiors by Richard Mishaan and Jacqueline Terrebonne
Known for his eclectic, inventive style, Richard Mishaan offers an abundance of inspiration in his newest book, Richard Mishaan Design: Architecture and Interiors. The Colombia-born designer offers an armchair tour of some of his most recent projects, including a 400-year-old barn converted into a beautiful family home and a more hard-edged, modern New York apartment transformed into a comfortable, sophisticated dwelling. Readers also get a peek inside some of the custom rooms Mishaan has designed for such notable hotels as the Shelborne South Beach in Miami and the Tcherassi in Cartagena, Colombia.
Richard Mishaan Design: Architecture and Interiors
by Richard Mishaan and Jacqueline Terrebonne (Vendome, November 2022), $70
Parisian by Design: Interiors by David Jimenez
David Jimenez lives and works in Paris, where he is celebrated for his chic, French-influenced interiors. In his book, Parisian by Design: Interiors by David Jimenez, the designer offers ideas and inspiration to help readers create their own French-inspired spaces with a focus on comfort and style. He also includes a how-to section with tips for decorating, including how to layer with textures and colors and how to arrange art, books, and other collections. In addition, a source section lists the designer’s favorite flea markets, antiques dealers, and art galleries for finding French décor in both Paris and New York.
Parisian by Design: Interiors by David Jimenez
by Diane Dorrans Saeks (Rizzoli New York, October 2022), $55
At the Artisan’s Table by Jane Schulak and David Stark
If you’re looking to wow your dinner guests, this is the book for you. Designers and event producers Jane Schulak and David Stark take a unique approach to table settings by pairing historical table wares from the world’s finest design museums with pieces by international contemporary artisans who reinterpret traditional crafts and styles, such as chinoiserie, faux bois, blue-and-white Delft, and trompe l’oeil. Featured artisans include plaster artist Stephen Antonson, ceramicist Roberto Lugo, and quilter Loretta Pettway Bennett. Readers are treated to page after page of stunning tablescapes designed by Schulak and Stark that incorporate the artists’ handmade wares.
by Jane Schulak and David Stark (Vendome, November 2022), $65
Celebrating Home: A Time for Every Season by James T. Farmer
“Nothing is too insignificant to celebrate,” says beloved author and interior designer James Farmer. In his newest book, James shares his love of planning and hosting celebrations at his homes in Georgia and North Carolina. His signature style that combines classic design with today’s contemporary mindset is displayed in every perfectly curated fête. As James says, “I hope this book inspires readers to use the good linens, cut some camellias from the yard and pull out the heirloom serveware—because setting the table for life’s milestones, big and small, makes all the difference.”
Celebrating Home: A Time for Every Season
by James T. Farmer (Gibbs Smith, August 2022), $50
Romancing the Home: Stylish Interiors for Modern Living by Stewart Manger with Jacqueline Terrebonne
Since launching his design firm in 2016, Stewart Manger has quickly made a name for himself with his bespoke interiors. In his first book, he shares his process for creating designs that seamlessly blend old-world and contemporary elements. Featured projects include homes in Scotland, Mallorca, and the Hamptons. A foreword by design legend Bunny Williams offers an added treat for readers.
Romancing the Home: Stylish Interiors for Modern Living
by Stewart Manger with Jacqueline Terrebonne (Rizzoli, September 2022), $50
Cathy B. Graham: Full Bloom by Clinton Smith
The acclaimed artist, host, and gardener releases her second book with a new series of floral creations. Using her uniquely whimsical style, Cathy Graham designs a variety of table settings from casual to formal, each with an abundance of blooms. Along with the colorful images of her projects, Cathy offers helpful notes on selecting and arranging flowers. She even includes labeled photos with takeaways on flower species and techniques. Both novice and experienced flower enthusiasts will find tips and inspiration to make any home more colorful.
by Clinton Smith (Vendome Press, September 2022), $45
Vibrant Interiors: Living Large at Home by Andrea Monath Schumacher
In her first book, Andrea Monath Schumacher takes a unique approach to decorating with a more is more philosophy. Known for her fearless design sensibility, Andrea demonstrates how to maximize your life in every room. She also reveals her secrets to blending genres for the right amount of contrast, ultimately creating interest in each space and encouraging lively conversation among family and friends. The book includes more than 200 images, including some of Andrea’s best projects to date.
Vibrant Interiors: Living Large at Home
by Andrea Monath Schumacher (Gibbs Smith, May 2022), $45
Lilacs: Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden by Naomi Slade
What better way to celebrate the change of seasons than with the flower that seems to announce this transition from spring to summer? Lilacs have long been a beloved flower and a source of inspiration for artists such as Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet. In this seventh book in the Gibbs Smith flower series, Naomi Slade offers no-fuss gardening tips to demonstrate that anyone can grow these vibrant blooms. Exquisite photos by Georgianna Lane add plenty of visual inspiration as well.
Lilacs: Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden
by Naomi Slade (Gibbs Smith, April 2022), $23
At Home on the Water by Jaci Conry
Summer is almost here, which means many of us are eager for a seaside getaway. Jaci Conry offers inspiration for your next coastal escape by featuring 12 remarkable waterfront houses on both coasts and the Gulf. She not only focuses on the design of the homes, but also on the way the owners live in them. Whether you already have a home on the water or are dreaming of one day residing by the sea, you’ll find plenty of ideas for creating your own maritime retreat.
by Jaci Conry (Gibbs Smith, April 2022) $35
At Home with Designers and Tastemakers by Susanna Salk and Stacey Bewkes
Co-producers of the popular “At Home With” video series on their Quintessence YouTube channel, Susanna Salk and Stacey Bewkes team up to give readers an inside look at the homes of top designers and tastemakers. These interiors are not only full of inspirational ideas and creativity, but they also give us insights into the personal style and passions of the creatives behind them. Featured homes include those of designer John Robshaw, photographer Pieter Estersohn, and chef Lulu Powers.
At Home with Designers and Tastemakers
by Susanna Salk and Stacey Bewkes (Rizzoli, March 2022), $50
A Loving Table by Kimberly Schlegel Whitman and Shelley Johnstone Paschke
When it comes to how we entertain, many of us rely on the traditions and lessons we learned from watching our own mothers and grandmothers welcome guests into their homes. Lifestyle expert Kimberly Schlegel Whitman and designer Shelley Johnstone Paschke explore this theme by featuring 34 style-setters who share how they embrace their heritage for entertaining, whether it’s incorporating a recipe passed down through generations or blending inherited dinnerware into their modern tablescapes. Tip boxes throughout also help readers replicate the ideas and create their own family traditions.
by Kimberly Schlegel Whitman and Shelley Johnstone Paschke (Gibbs Smith, April 2022), $55
Entertaining in Style: Nancy Astor and Nancy Lancaster by Jane Churchill and Emily Astor
Cousins and socialites Nancy Astor and Nancy Lancaster were known as two of Britain’s most influential party-givers. A collaboration between descendants of both women, this book features original photography highlighting many of the sophisticated menus, interior décor, table settings, and flower arrangements that were hallmarks of the women’s English Country style. Readers are also treated to 75 of their classic recipes, along with a handful of previously unseen family photographs.
Entertaining in Style: Nancy Astor and Nancy Lancaster
by Jane Churchill and Emily Astor (Rizzoli, February 2022), $40
Beatrix Farrand: Garden Artist, Landscape Architect by Judith B. Tankard
As the only female founder of the American Society of Landscape Architects, Beatrix Farrand is remembered as one of the most significant landscape architects of the early 20th century. Throughout her career, she created grand gardens for some of the country’s most prominent families, including the Rockefellers, the Harknesses, and the Blisses. Farrand may be best know for her design of the landscape at Dumbarton Oaks, a once-private residence that now serves as a research center for Harvard University surrounded by a naturalistic park. To celebrate Farrand’s influence on succeeding generations of women in the field, landscape historian Judith B. Tankard highlights the designer’s finest works, many of which are currently being studied, restored, and opened to the public.
Beatrix Farrand: Garden Artist, Landscape Architect
by Judith B. Tankard (Monacelli, March 2022) $60
By Julie Gillis