Timeless Elegance, The Houses of David Easton

The great Fall design books just keep coming, and one of my favorites so far has been Timeless Elegance: The Houses of David Easton. Easton has been in the interior design business for decades now, and what makes this book interesting is seeing how his style has changed over the years. Of course, Easton is a classicist at heart, but he has also kept up with the times, something which I'm sure has contributed to his longevity. Easton has such a solid design footing (perhaps thanks to his early years working with Edward Wormley and Parish-Hadley) that reading this book is like taking a master class in interior design. At least, that's the way it seemed to me when I was reading it.

For those of you who will be in Atlanta next Wednesday, October 27, you should consider attending David Easton's booksigning at Mrs. Howard (425 Peachtree Hills Ave) from 4 to 6pm. I'm so disappointed that I can't attend as I'll be out of town. If you go, send my greetings to Mr. Easton.

What a great way to start the day- with breakfast (with Lizzie) at Balthazar.




A dining room in Lake Forest, Illinois. Easton wanted to imbue the room with a sense of fantasy but keep it true to the Georgian look of the house. The door pediments, crown molding, and ceiling are truly unique.




A vignette in the former Upper East Side apartment of Easton. Easton noted that this home became his "homage to Regency style." He also wrote that this apartment was evocative of the 1980s and the era's "lavish, textured interiors."




An Upper East Side apartment. The entry floor (amazing!) was inspired by a design from Ostankino Palace, near Moscow.




A Nassau, Bahamas home. A sunburst motif, a favorite of Easton, graces the marble floor, while the unique lantern was based on one that Easton saw in Italy.




Another stunning dining room by Easton, this one located at Albemarle, the Kluge estate in Charlottesville, Virginia. The wall murals and mid-18th c. English mirror and fireplace surround were added in the mid-1990s.

(All images courtesy of Timeless Elegance: The Houses of David Easton by David Easton, Stewart, Tabori, & Chang publishers.)