COFFEE TABLE BOOK OF THE WEEK: BELUGA

A curated set of coffee table books makes a great statement. Art books can bring a drab coffee table to life, double as accent furniture when properly stacked, and entertain those restless guests of yours. Coffee Table Book of the Week is our weekly selection of stylish books to spruce up your home. – FM

This week’s pick is a gorgeous book of photography by Jan Van Cleemput. It’s loaded with scantily clad women, but the porn factor is juxtaposed with creepy aquatic life. Beluga is also a sexy and weird tribute to old-school restaurant design.

Beluga

From Amazon: “A ravishing mixture of exquisite photography with tastebud-dazzling recipes shot in Antwerp’s oldest, kitschiest Chinese restaurant. This unique setting provides the perfect decor for a multicultural range of beautiful models. And chef Wouter Keersmaekers’ Michelin-starred kitchen offers up his stylish Belgian international culinary creations to top off this exotic combination of savory faire. Bon appetit.”

(More NSFW images from this book here!)

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COFFEE TABLE BOOK OF THE WEEK: MUTTER MUSEUM HISTORICAL MEDICAL PHOTOGRAPHS

A curated set of coffee table books makes a great statement. Art books can bring a drab coffee table to life, double as accent furniture when properly stacked, and entertain those restless guests of yours. Coffee Table Book of the Week is our weekly selection of stylish books to spruce up your home. – FM

In light of last week’s Halloween festivities, the coffee table selection this week is this massive collection of medical oddities meticulously archived by the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia.

Mutter Museum Historic Medical Photographs

 

From Amazon, “Featured are poignant, aesthetically accomplished works ranging from Civil War photographs showing injury and recovery, to the ravages of diseases not yet conquered in the 19th century, to pathological anomalies, to psychological disorders…As visual documents of what humans endured in the face of limited medical knowledge, these extraordinary and haunting photographs demonstrate how far medicine has advanced.”

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GET THE LOOK: THE NEOVERSAILLES HOME OF HERVE PIERRE (PART 2)

The rest of Herve Pierre’s rather large living room focuses on simple furniture and stacks upon stacks of books,  magazines, and framed pictures and prints.

The look can be recreated with simple choices from Overstock – a cozy couch in natural brown, a kilim rug, and an oak stained ladder bookshelf. Then, drape any old table with canvas fabric and go crazy with the drapes for the “neoversailles” touch. Our Hervé is not embarrassed to offset a brilliant red settee with Minnie and Mickey Mouse plushies, and you shouldn’t be either.

Overstock Uptown Collection Mocha Sofa, $417.99

Kilim Hand-woven Silk Rug 6'x 9', $129.99

Oak Leaning Ladder Shelf, $82.99

These well constructed red steel chairs add a New Yorker bare bones pop of color to the decor…

Premium Steel Red Folding Chair, $73.99 Set of Four

GET THE LOOK: THE NEOVERSAILLES HOME OF HERVE PIERRE (PART 1)

Hervé Pierre is the creative director for Carolina Herrera. A Parisian transplant living in a 1700 square foot Flatiron 2-bedroom for the past 15 years, he has crafted a home that screams “Paris in New York”.

Below, a look at a section of the living room and how to create it.

Purple Chaise Lounge from Modiish, $699 and free ship

I love how knickknacks are tucked away into stacks of colorful shoe and hatboxes, the clever options for hiding clutter are endless! Try these ikea storage boxes or display your favorite shoeboxes as storage:

Ikea Box with Lid, Assorted Colors, $5.99

Pakistani Hand-knotted Rust/ Ivory Bokhara Wool Rug (2' x 3'), $49.99

Layer this Shakespeare Portrait with a lilac tinted vellum paper (18×24 sheets for under $20) and your frame shop will do the rest.

William Shakespeare Portrait Poster Giclee Print, 18x24, $49.99

Click here for the story and slideshow in New York Magazine’s Home Design 2010 Issue.

DESIGNER HOUSEWARES AT HSN AND TARGET

Home Designers John Derian and Jonathan Adler have both recently released accessories through affordable outlets. Jonathan Adler launched a Happy Chic line at Home Shopping Network, and you can find John Derian accessories at Target. Here are my picks.

John Derian® for Target Melamine Flatware Decal Appetizer Plate Set of 8, $15.99

John Derian® for Target Melamine Insect Appetizer Plate Set of 8, $15.99

Happy Chic By Jonathan Adler Set of 2 Pop Canisters - Carbs and Caffeine, $34.95

Happy Chic By Jonathan Adler Set of 3 Striped Bud Vases, $39.95

Happy Chic By Jonathan set of 2 Tea Towels - Orange and Pink, $19.95

Liven up your kitchen cabinets using the tea towels above and one or two of these:

Bamboo Over the Door Towel Bar, $7.99

GET THE LOOK (A QUICKIE)

Another great example of arranging picture frames is this hallway in legendary Robert Evans’ hollywood regency home, producer most famous for his work on Rosemary’s Baby, Chinatown, The Godfather, and Love Story, and subject of the documentary The Kid Stays in the Picture. A space that would normally be overlooked becomes a grand entrance and an homage to one’s family, friends and personal achievements.

See the rest of the house tour @ New York Times T Magazine

See my coverage of The Shining for more photo arranging ideas!