I spent today’s rainy afternoon with a cup of hot tea and Jan Showers’s new book called Glamorous Rooms. After devouring all 206 pages of design ideas and beautiful photography (you can see all of my bookmarks below) I can safely say that Glamorous Rooms will be a forerunner in my design library that I am starting to build. The book is divided into 6 “rooms” covering entry halls, living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, private spaces, and outdoor living. Showers shares her portfolio of timeless interior spaces as well as ideas on how to achieve a touch of glamour in your own home. And these ideas are cleverly drawn from her 25 years of experience designing rooms of understated elegance. Below is a small sample of the plethora of refined rooms and Showers’s suggestions:
The foreword is written by Michael Kors where he explains the parallels between exceptional design in the fashion and interior design worlds…
“I think it’s Jan’s great eye for fashion that makes her such an incredible decorator. She always says that people shold look great in their rooms, and I love that. Because Jan isn’t creating environments that exist only to be looked at; she’s creating rooms where people want to spend their days and nights. She’s orchestrating someone’s favorite place in the world — not just because of how it looked with that person in it. It’s the same as great fashion design.”
The symmetry of this room is concurrently classic and calming. With just the right touches of glamour, including a mirrored coffee table, Murano glass lamps, and zebra hide, it feels polished yet approachable. These qualities are seemingly present in every room that Showers designs.
I particularly enjoyed her suggestion about keeping personal objects, particularly books, close by:
“Even when used in the most modest of private spaces, such as by a simple chaise lounge in the corner of a bedroom, books arranged in an interesting stack on the floor or on a nearby table create visual interest and a source of pleasure for whomever sits there. Obviously, in no room are books more at home than in libraries, where a wall of books becomes a wall of art.”
Perhaps this is a reason why even the cloth cover of Glamorous Rooms is, well, glamorous. As seen above, Showers pays homage to Hinson & Co.’s Snow Leopard fabric.
Stay tuned, my dear readers, for a special surprise from Jan Showers soon…
Image credits: Jan Showers
14 responses so far ↓
1 Tamstyles : Sep 28, 2009 at 8:51 pm
I ordered this book yesterday. I cant wait to get it.
2 Marianne : Sep 29, 2009 at 3:42 pm
I must get this book ASAP!!!!
3 bandelle : Sep 29, 2009 at 4:07 pm
It’s honestly a great resource for ideas for your own home or even as you are working on projects for others. Jan’s work is simply beautiful!
4 Kellie Collis : Sep 30, 2009 at 2:00 am
Love that first living space ! Just divine xx
5 karen@strictlysimplestyle : Sep 30, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Gorgeous images. Glamorous without being too formal. I love casual elegance in a room.
6 rebecca : Oct 3, 2009 at 12:27 pm
what a fab book! thanks for sharing!
7 Colette : Oct 6, 2009 at 6:12 am
Love this post- the rooms are glamorous without being ostentatious. I’ll have to look for the book- who can’t use a little more glamour in their life?
8 Chelsea : Oct 7, 2009 at 5:50 pm
These are absolutely DRIPPING with chic!!!
9 Twitter Trackbacks for Glamorous Rooms by Jan Showers [bandelle.com] on Topsy.com : Oct 12, 2009 at 11:46 am
[…] Glamorous Rooms by Jan Showers www.bandelle.com/blog/2009/09/28/glamorous-rooms-by-jan-showers – view page – cached Check out our Double Take series — inspiration from the silver screen. * Finds * Categories + Beauty + Books + Double Take + Entertaining + Fashion + Fashionable Films + Featured + For The Home +… (Read more)Check out our Double Take series — inspiration from the silver screen. * Finds * Categories + Beauty + Books + Double Take + Entertaining + Fashion + Fashionable Films + Featured + For The Home + Good Days + Interior designer + Travel + Uncategorized * Friends (Read less) — From the page […]
10 Ruthie's Renewed Treasures : Oct 18, 2009 at 3:54 pm
I’ll be ordering this book. Thanks.
11 Giveaway: Glamorous Rooms : Oct 18, 2009 at 6:33 pm
[…] I mentioned earlier, we have an exciting surprise for you! Jan has graciously offered all Bandelle readers the chance […]
12 Margrethe : Nov 28, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Hi.
I have no idea how famous she is abroad, but there is a Norwegian interior designer that I really like. Her name is Helene (Forbes) Hennie. She has won several awards and is very talented.
She has a book called Helene interiør. I don’t think it comes in English, but it is packed with great pictures. Just a tip:)
13 Margrethe : Nov 28, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Correction: The book is called Hennie interiør:)
14 Maserati Middle East : Jan 27, 2010 at 1:58 am
Awesome docor! Keep posting such a wonderful collection!
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