Insights • Inspirations • Destinations • Design

Friday, August 18, 2017

New Books, Beautiful Films, Floral Places, and Other Nice Projects





GARDENS OF STYLE

I am thrilled to post that after two years of planning, many, many photography shoots around the world, and a great deal of logistics involving 15 gardens and their delightful owners (who are not only some of the world's most admired designers but also the nicest), my new book for Rizzoli New York, GARDENS OF STYLE is now in the final stages of production.

We are still refining page designs, so these are works-in-progress, forgive me, but it's just a little glimpse. I'm so thrilled with it -- and a little exhausted from it too, especially straight off the back of the huge biography. But it's been such a pleasure to work with the most wonderful team, particularly my patient, kind book designer Alissa Dinallo.  (www.instagram.com/alissadinallo )

I will keep posting updates of the release date of GARDENS OF STYLE here and on my instagram, so follow along on Instagram if you're not already on Insta :

Rizzoli's publication date for GARDENS OF STYLE at this stage is April 2018 - if I can make the September deadline! 




NEW DESIGN BOOKS

I was recently chatting to a new friend, Kim, from Lily Pond Geelong (a beautiful store, do visit), and she was lamenting the dearth of design books at present. Here are a few that I think would be good for the Christmas Wish Lists.

THE ANATOMY OF COLOUR
Robert Bevan has been dubbed 'the paint detective' for his research uncovering hidden colors and paints and indeed the histories of great buildings. (He discovered the artist Whistler's original studio.) Baty's specialist paint business in Chelsea, Papers and Paints, is famous in design circles for finding rare and beautiful colours for interior designers and architects' requirements. (Ben Pentreath uses them.) This book, based on Bevan's research degree, is a fascinating look at colours over the centuries. The photos of gracious and grand old buildings are wonderful. Thames & Hudson, $120.

MAKING MAGNIFICENCE
Christine Casey has spent 10 years researching the travels, fortunes, and fame of an extraordinary group of plasterwork craftsmen who came to dominate the 'great rooms' (or their ceilings) of palatial houses in early eighteenth-century Europe. These stuccatori were masters of plasterwork, and their embellished rooms are some of the most beautiful in the world. Yale University Press.

GARDENS OF COURT AND COUNTRY
Charts the development of the English formal garden from 1630 to 1730. A beautiful book. The cover  alone is worth the price. Yale Books.


AND A NEW NOVEL EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT...

This novel has captivated everyone who's read it, and I'm about to start, although the cover pulled me in immediately. It's a novel of two stories by Booker-shortlisted writer Michèle Roberts. The first belongs to Madeleine, who loses her job as a lecturer and decides to leave her flat in cobbled Stew Lane and move to Apricot Place. There, she senses the past encroaching as strange noises begin to haunt her life. The second narrative starts in 1851 and belongs to Joseph Benson, a researcher who spends time in Apricot Place. As these entwined stories unfold, alive with the sensations of London past and present, the two eras brush against each other.  A haunting tale of desire, isolation and loss, and the search for human connection, it's winning over all the reviewers. I love a good ghost story! Bloomsbury.

Review here - Financial Times Review



BEYOND THE ROCK BIOGRAPHY - 
PUBLICITY EVENTS

My book designer for Gardens of Style, Alissa Dinallo, was actually the design talent behind the incredible jacket and page designs for the Joan Lindsay biography Beyond The Rock. This biography has just been entered into the prestigious Stella Prize, and I am about to do another round of publicity, so if you would like to hear about Joan Lindsay, the story behind the famous literary mystery Picnic at Hanging Rock, what is true and what isn't, and what we had to cut out at the very end, please come along to one of these events. I'd love to see you and say hello!

Many of the events for this book earlier this year - including the event with actress Helen Morse - were booked out, and many people missed out, so if you'd like to hear about this strange and beautiful story, do come along. It would be so nice to meet you!

FORTHCOMING EVENTS FOR BEYOND THE ROCK: THE LIFE OF JOAN LINDSAY AND THE MYSTERY OF PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK 


SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
Ballan Library,  near Ballarat, 10AM
143 Inglis Street, Ballan, Victoria.
Phone:  0419 519 650
Author talk
Bookings and details -- Ballan Library

TUESDAY OCTOBER 10 
Lilydale Library (Eastern Libraries), 10AM
Lilydale Lake Road, Lilydale 
Phone: (03) 9800 6457
Talk and afternoon tea, with book signing
Further details from Lilydale Library closer to date

OCTOBER 15 - 22 
Frankston Library, Frankston (Part of History Week)
60 Playne Street, Frankston
Phone:  (03) 9784 1020
Author talk
Details TBC, see this website or Frankston Library closer to date

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 25 
Nedlands Library, Perth
Day of Literary Feasting 
60 Stirling Hwy, Nedlands, Western Australia 
Phone: (08) 9273 3500. 
Email: E library@nedlands.wa.gov.au
Writing workshop and author talk
Details from Redlands Library in Perth closer to date

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17 
Stonnington Literary Festival, 6.30PM - 8PM
Malvern Library, 1255 High Street, Malvern
Author talk
Details released by Stonnuington Council and Malvern Library closer to time.




THE (LONG-AWAITED) DAY OF DIOR

The House of Dior is in the process of opening three major exhibitions around the world, one of which has opened in Paris at Musée des Arts Décoratifs, and the other is about to open next week, here in Melbourne at the NGV

The Melbourne exhibition is the first complete Dior collection to be shown outside of Paris and features 140 garments from Christian Dior Couture, including Dior's signature ballgowns and evening dresses and current contemporary designs from the House's first female head designer, Maria Grazia Chiuri. 

As well, it will show an archive of photographs, sketches and works from previous designers at the House of Dior, such as Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano and Raf Simons

Showing at the NGV Melbourne, from next week (27 August) until to 7 November, 2017. 
The Paris exhibition at Musée des Arts Décoratifs runs until 7 January, 2018.

Details and tickets here:  Dior NGV


TULIP FEVER: THE FILM

One of the most beautiful new movies to be released this year is this glorious new costume drama called Tulip Fever, which is based on Deborah Moggach’s bestselling novel. 

Set in 17th century Amsterdam, it centres on a beautiful young married woman (played by Alicia Vikander from The Danish Girl and The Light Between Oceans), who begins a passionate affair with an artist hired to paint her portrait. The lovers gamble on the booming market for tulip bulbs as a way to raise money to run away together. The trailer has just been banned in the US due to the 'racy' sex scene (which is about as racy as a tulip). 

As well as Alicia Vikander, the film also stars Judi Dench, Tom Hollander, model-of-the-moment Cara Delevingne, and Christoph Waltz (from Django Unchained). The script is by Tom Stoppard, so it should be good. 

Tulip Fever is slated for US release in September and Australian release on November 23. 

The (not-so-racy) trailer is here:  TULIP FEVER



THE NEW PETERSHAM NURSERIES,
COVENT GARDEN

If you're heading to London at any time (don't forget to take LONDON SECRETS, the new guide book! Badly disguised plug there...), one must-see stop is Petersham Nurseries' new restaurant, store, deli, and florist in Covent Garden.  

Most of the regulars to London know of Petersham in Richmond, one of the most beautiful destinations in the city. And its glamorous new 'sister' promises to be even more gorgeous. There is a huge retail space, a florist, a delicatessen, a florist, and not one but two restaurants to open soon, called The Petersham and La Goccia. 



OTHER PROJECTS

There are many other projects currently in the planning stage for my team, including two new garden books in the early research stages (mock-up above), a new biography (didn't really want to do many more books, but it's about a famous fashion designer so who can refuse such a beautiful subject?), ongoing mentoring of new authors with their exciting publishing projects (something I love doing),  a new luggage collection that is still in the R&D stage, using a wonderful pattern maker in Vermont and a bag maker in London, and all of the lovely things going on in our private lives too, which is a lot but I will keep those private for now.  

For now, I hope you'll stay in touch, either by Instagram, email, or good old letter, as some people still do! (NB The blog is problematic at time, so if you can't leave a message, don't worry.)

Follow along on Instagram for updates -- or just to say hello!

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