Merrell Publishers

With its perfect combination of new and old, romance, nostalgia and comfort, country style has universal appeal. From a converted barn in the English Cotswolds to a Mallorcan finca, and from a Russian dacha to a grand Swiss villa, the100 fabulous interiors featured in this book will provide endless inspiration for city dwellers seeking to escape the fast pace of urban living, and committed countryside lovers contemplating the restoration or refurbishment of their rural idyll. Johanna Thornycroft describes how colour, pattern and the sympathetic use of traditional materials and finishes have been employed in each project to create a confident and relaxed style, while beautiful images by leading interiors photographer Andreas von Einsiedel bring to life the charm and character of every house.

Few nations have had such an enduring love affair with the automobile as the United States. American Auto Legends presents more than 50 of the most remarkable American cars ever produced, from the horseless carriages of the early 1900s to the sleek and ultra-efficient machines of the early twenty-first century. Following a brief introduction to the history of the US automotive industry, the selected models are arranged chronologically. Concise descriptions highlight the key features of each vehicle, while stunning images by one of America's leading car photographers provide the reader with an unparalleled visual record. Featuring all the major US manufacturers including Buick, Chevrolet, Ford, Lincoln and Studebaker this book is an essential and authoritative guide to the many legends of the American highway.

Wine is a product of the land, made by dedicated producers in intriguing places all over the world. This stylish new book invites the reader to explore those regions and thus understand how a particular wine evolves from where and when it is created. Experienced wine writer Rosalind Cooper reveals how the vine grows through the year, and for each month, she focuses on a particular aspect of wine: for example, how it is made; vintages and vats; or how to choose the ultimate selection for your home cellar. There are mouth-watering menus to match to wine choices, and atmospheric accounts of where to travel to experience at first hand the most significant parts of the world of wine. Fairs and festivals where the wine lover can celebrate in style are also featured, and each chapter concludes with a fascinating profile of a key wine producer, from Stéphane Tsassis of Champagne Laurent- Perrier to Peter Gago, Chief Winemaker of Penfolds, Australia.

This text presents a selection of the most exciting building projects in London since the year 2000. With more than 600 photographs, drawings and renderings, and critical texts by well-known architecture writer Kenneth Powell, this is a detailed and authoritative portrait of a world city avid to embrace the best of the new.

This is a guide to the minimalism fashion movement, from its origins in the early 20th century to its current revival by cutting-edge designers and on the high street.

Since the early days of the graffiti movement in late 1970s New York, street art has transformed cities around the world. Today it is a hugely popular, yet still highly controversial art form. In Abstract Graffiti, Cedar Lewisohn provides a vibrant account of the outer limits of street art and graffiti that are being explored by artists in cities as diverse as London, Prague, Philadelphia and São Paulo. The work of these artists is abstract not necessarily in the sense that it is non-figurative; rather, it may embrace a fresh, abstract approach to art. Lewisohn interviews both established graffiti artists and new practitioners of avant-garde forms of art in public spaces - such as Knit Graffiti and Street Training - and traces the art-historical lineage of these abstract trends. Addressing such issues as street art as a form of protest, graffiti as a crime, the place of street art in museums, and the evolution of materials, this book offers unrivalled insight into some of the most exciting and challenging work on the contemporary art scene.

This title is a thought-provoking exploration of the radical directions that the creative industries are taking. The book reveals how a new generation of products, materials and surfaces will align design with such areas as artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology.

A raw fusion of rhythm and blues with country and western, rockabilly heralded the start of teenage rebellion in America in the early 1950s. Featuring a history of the subculture, this book evokes passion and intensity of a scene that is as exciting today as it was more than 50 years ago.

The English landscape is steeped in ruins. Markers of the nation's rich and often turbulent history, ruins represent not only the passing of time but also the constant presence of the past. Here, Musson explores some of England's most evocative derel ict and abandoned buildings.

This is a guide to mixing furniture and accessories from different periods in your home. The book combines inspirational ideas with practical advice, helping anyone to create a stylish, comfortable and functional home.

A sumptuously colourful garden has the extraordinary power to lift the spirits no matter the time of year. Yet many people struggle to create their own colour combinations that are suitable to site and soil, and which take their gardens through the s easons. This new book provides inspiration and practical advice for gardeners wishing to improve their plantings, both in appearance and in use. Val Bourne shows how varied and vibrant plantings can enhance the look of beds and borders, and how - wit h a little planning - they can be beautiful features for much longer than one season. Colour in the Garden is par ticularly useful for those with small gardens, where every inch of space must work hard for as long as possible. Written by a true plant swoman and experienced gardener, with an in-depth knowledge of plants and how they behave, as well as a strong and creative sense of colour, this guide will revolutionize the way we think about colour in our gardens and ensure that no gardener will e ver feel at a loss again.

A unique, sumptuously illustrated book, offering fascinating insights into the prominence of the cat in art in cultures worldwide. Sumptuously illustrated and featuring artists such as Freud, Gauguin, Hogarth, Kuniyoshi, Leonardo, Picasso and Renoir, this book follows Merrell's successful books The Horse and The Dog.The cat's reputation and place in society have been subject to twists and turns of fate that are all reflected in art. While cats were deified by the ancient Egyptians, they were vil ified by the medieval Church, before the Renaissance and Baroque periods saw their gradual rehabilitation. By the eighteenth century cats had become popular household pets worldwide. Generations of artists have treasured their contrariness and beauty , and while the cat does not always occupy centre stage in paintings, it always adds an extra symbolic dimension to a picture, or illuminates its meaning in an unexpected way. This sumptuously illustrated book examines the relationship between cats a nd humans from ancient times to the present, offering fascinating insights into the prominence of the cat in art in cultures worldwide. Thematic chapters explore in detail a rich and rewarding collection of paintings, prints, drawings and sculptures, creating a book that will have enduring appeal among art lovers and cat lovers alike.

Selecting a pair of glasses can be a tricky business. With so many styles and labels available, the choice is as much about making a fashion statement as gaining perfect vision. Cult Eyewear is the first book to give an account of the world's top eye wear brands, from Ray-Ban to J.F. Rey, Persol to Polaroid, and from the 1780s to the present day. Neil Handley, an authority on the history of eyewear, selects more than 30 famous names that have enduring appeal and command a dedicated following, and discusses the history of each brand and its most iconic spectacles or sunglasses. The book also includes a concise illustrated introduction to the evolution of eyewear; innovative designs and historically important inventions; films and key personal ities associated with particular designs or brands through the years; and other fascinating aspects of this global industry.

A companion and successor to Merrell's hugely successful Dream Homes (more than 50,000 copies in print), this book presents 100 exceptional interiors of all styles from around the globe. From sumptuous, state-of-the-art city apartments created by professional designers to quirky holiday retreats transformed by their dedicated owners, More Dream Homes is an exciting kaleidoscope of locations and decoration ideas. Each project is fully illustrated with beautiful photographs by celebrated interiors photographer Andreas von Einsiedel, while Johanna Thornycroft describes concisely the key characteristics of each home and how these have been achieved, providing insights into the work of leading designers. More Dream Homes contains a wealth of inspiration for lovers of interior design or anyone seeking to make their dream home a reality.

Flowers have long been a favorite subject among artists, and the development of many well-known horticultural varieties may be traced through their depiction on paper or canvas over the centuries. Painterly Plants explores this fascinating relationship between horticulture and art through 14 of the most exquisitely beautiful flowers that nature and hybridization can produce. Some are the subjects of history's most famous botanical masterpieces, while others look as if they themselves have been daubed with paint. Each chapter focuses on an enduringly popular plant and its most spectacular varieties, providing a history - including its artistic history - with plenty of lively anecdotal information, and a key botanical illustration that is discussed in the text. In addition, gardens expert Clare Foster provides succinct practical information on cultivation and recommended varieties. The jewel-like colours and sculptural shapes of the flowers are captured in a series of superb close-up photographs by Sabina Ruber.

Today fashion is moving forward at a faster pace than ever before, with advancing technologies and new materials reinventing clothing as we know it. Futuristic garment designs are often inspired by surprising sources: biological science, climate change, space suits, artificial intelligence, genetic engineering and nanotechnology. Fashion Futures offers a fascinating survey of these new directions, charting the transformational products, design processes, maverick materials, and groundbreaking practitioners that are revolutionizing fashion. Design expert Bradley Quinn also explores radical retail operations, fashion forecasting, and the relationship between fashion and other disciplines. Featuring inspirational interviews with international trend forecasters and designers, and packed with illustrations of extreme designs and prototypes , Fashion Futures is a thought-provoking overview of how fashion will look, perform and be manufactured and purchased in the twenty-first century.