by Meghan Edwards
It’s no secret that women have been historically underrepresented in architecture and design. The following three books are dedicated to their powerful contributions in the industry – right here, right now.
A Room of One’s Own
From interior decorator and author Jennifer Duchene comes Le Chic Cocoon, a how-to guide that instructs women on creating a personal, self-designed sanctuary. With an intimate and approachable voice, Duchene identifies seven steps that enable women of any means to create what she calls a “selfish retreat” that will increase their own happiness and empower them throughout their daily lives. And, since ultimately it’s all about the power of design to transform our lives, she recognizes that men need sanctuaries too, and hopes to explore that topic in a separate book. West Coasters can look forward to a launch party on September 28 at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco (more info at http://bestsellerparty.eventbrite.com). $16.95; Bush Street Press available through Amazon.
No Wall Flower
Eve Blossom is a trained architect and the founder and CEO of Lulan Artisans, a for-profit social venture that designs and sells textiles made by over 800 weavers, dyers, and spinners in Cambodia, India, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. Her first book, Material Change: Design Thinking and the Social Entrepreneurship Movement, reveals how she built her business by merging design, profit, and social and ecological responsibility. Including a forward by Yves Behar, Blossom shares her travels to remote villages across Southeast Asia devoted to farming, weaving, and handmade textiles, and how those experiences resulted in her business mission: “to preserve artisanal traditions; to give workers ample wages, benefits, and a safe workplace; to bring stability to communities by creating jobs; and to provide economic alternatives to human trafficking.” Also included are the stories of equally ambitious entrepreneurs who share in this new movement toward the socially conscious business of design. $29.95; Metropolis Books available through Amazon.
Loud and Clear
Vibrantly personalized spaces define the work of Amy Lau, who founded her eponymous interior design firm in 2001 after serving as design director for the Lin/Weinberg Gallery in New York City. She channels her love of art and nature into unique installations, fabrics, and textures paired with exquisitely curated mid-century furniture. Expressive Modern: The Interiors of Amy Lau showcases 13 residential interiors interspersed with profiles on some of her favorite artists and designers and with Lau’s product, including fabric for S. Harris, tile for Kohler Co., and wallpaper for Maya Romanoff. Also look for commissions for Elie Tahari, Bergdorf Goodman, and the Dexter dining room of the Metropolitan Home Showtime House, all narrated by Lau’s grounded insight into transplanting her tenets of design into your own reality. $50; Monacelli Press available through Amazon.
