Speaking of Book Covers

On Monday, I posted about these gorgeous book covers, and then last night I spotted this inventive display of books by Boden.

Doesn't this rainbow of book covers look amazing? I could not resist sharing these images with you! Boden did a really beautiful job styling this Press Day, an event held to show off their latest collection.

Check out some other images that not only showcase their fantastic clothing line, but also their very imaginative styling choices.

Ooh and one more Boden photo, from a different Press Day, but I like it so much that I wanted to include it here.

So many great things to admire and inspire here!

P. S. We've been inspired by Boden before...if you haven't seen these posts before, be sure to take a look here, here, and here.

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images 1, 2, and 4 via The Window Shopper
image 3 via Style Guile
images 5, 6, 7, and 8 via Life.Style.Fashion.
image 9 via Angel Eden

Everything is Going to be OK

Everything is Going to be OK is a wondrous little book. Chock full of inspiration, it is a collection of some of the best typographic art from around the web. Simply delightful!

Here is just a sampling of the design-goodness featured:

This book is not just a pick-me-up for when you are down, but rather something that can be appreciated anytime. In fact, this sweet book is sitting on my coffee table now. It's like having a portfolio of all of my favorite artists!

A special thanks to our dear friend and loyal Pink Chalkboard reader, Becca, for giving me this book. Thank you so much for the inspiration!

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Everything is Going to be OK from Chronicle Books


first two images via ModCloth
following five images via Graphic ART news

Inspiration from Books -- Virginia Johnson

I did something different this year.  For the first time in a long time, I told my husband a few gifts that I wanted for the holidays.  They were things that I had been looking at for a while but just never picked up for myself.  Things that aren't "need to have" but rather "nice to have".  What are they?

Books.

I got three: Design*Sponge at Home, The Perfectly Imperfect Home: How to Decorate and Live Well, and Domino: Book of Decorating: A Room-by-Room Guide to Creating a Home That Makes You Happy.

I have only perused a few pages of each so far but I am struck by the amount of inspiration I have already received by them.  Many, many posts will stem from these books, I'm sure!

And here is one to start -- The Perfectly Imperfect Home: How to Decorate and Live Well is unique in that all images in the book (furnishings, rooms, even patterns) are watercolors. Illustrated by the talented Virginia Johnson, these depictions of popular fabrics are my favorites:

The watercolor illustrations turn these fabric patterns into more fabulous works of art. The last one shown with its inspirational quote is my favorite...and someday soon will be framed and placed on my future gallery wall.

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Virigina Johnson's watercolors are from these existing fabrics (shown from top to bottom):

John Stefanidis's Zanzibar fabric / stefanidisfabrics.com

Bells by John Stefanidis from his Passepartout Collection / stefanidisfabrics.com

Petite Zig Zag by Alan Campbell / quadrillefabrics.com

Fanfare by John Stefanidis / stefanidisfabrics.com

A Great Gift

We've all been told to never judge a book by it's cover. But what if the cover looked like this?

So stunningly beautiful, Anthropologie's Embroidered Penguin Classics would make great holiday gifts. They are a perfect way to introduce great stories to a new audience or they would make a truly special gift for someone who has long been a fan. (My personal favorite of those shown below? Definitely The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Loved it as a kid.)

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all images via anthropologie.com

Fashionable Reads

I spotted this ad for Macy's that features their latest designer collaboration--Karl Lagerfeld for Impulse. 

I just love that this rich, vibrant background is composed entirely of books. I find myself carefully studying the image over and over to see if I recognize any of the titles. Do you see any of your favorites? 

I think this ad is so beautifully styled!

Oh, and I'll take a pair of those shoes too, please...

Novel Inspiration

I recently stumbled upon this cute water bottle from the publisher Penguin Books.

image via Quirk Gallery

A water bottle from a book publisher? I know...it's kind of unusual. But given the iconic Penguin brand, I think it's delightful and would be a nice gift for the book lover in your life.

It got me thinking about other literary inspired products and I remembered these stunning clutches from Kate Spade. See below. They are not actual books--they are clutches! Absolutely brilliant! Great Expectations is my favorite.

And here are two more from Kate Spade.

images via Kate Spade

In the most recent issue of Elle Decor magazine, Courtney Cox's Malibu home is featured. And look at this photo of Courtney with a piece from her amazing collection of artwork.

photo by Simon Upton via Elle Decor

Artist Harland Miller creates larger-than-life-size paintings of quirky book covers inspired by Penguin Books. Isn't this image incredible? You can see more of Harland Miller's captivating work here.

Whether you like to read books or just want to accessorize with them(or both!), there is so much out there to choose from. Read on!

Inspiration...children's books

Since my son was born, I have become well versed in children's books.  His favorite book changes from week to week but one series that has become a regular in our reading rotation are the Spot books by Eric Hill.  They are lift-the-flap illustrated books featuring a dog named Spot.  My favorite in the series is Where's Spot? since it shows Spot playing hide and seek in his colorful house.  Take a look at some of these images:

Spot's house is so fun and cheery that I would want to live there.  And then I realized that to some degree, I kind of do.  Check out this console from Ikea:

The curvy shape on the bottom looks like it was drawn by Eric Hill.  And the yellow color is so very Spot.  The one in my house is black, but still.

I don't have a bright green bureau, but I did purchase this punchy little number after reading about it on Jenny's blog.

The "grand" piano in my house is of the miniature variety and not the huge statement piece that it is in the book.  My son's is black, but look -- it also comes in pink!

And finally, a coincidence for sure, but the staircase in my house is nearly identical to Spot's -- complete with the little cubby door under the steps!  My staircase is white, but perhaps yellow is something to consider in the future....

Have you ever been inspired to decorate based on a children's book?

Miami Contemporary Artists

I often walk past The Fabric Museum and Workshop during my lunch break and I have been a longtime admirer of its window displays. For the past month or two, I have been struck by this book that is displayed in the window:

by Paul Clemence and Julie Davidow, image via Amazon

I think the cover design is absolutely gorgeous! It is so happy, colorful, and eye catching. The intense color reminds me of some of Jillian's earlier posts too, seen here and here.

This book really makes me want to visit Miami!