We find that giving a book is one of the warmest hostess gift or holiday presents ever. We’ve taken the guesswork out of sharing with these recommendations for anyone on your list. So, what are you waiting for? Get one for yourself, too.
Fiona Barratt-Campbell: Elemental
(Rizzoli USA, $65)
Great design can be difficult. To ease the process, in the first book to showcase the award-winning work of interior designer and entrepreneur Fiona Barratt-Campbell, her interiors marry a sense of opulence with bold, material simplicity.
In her first book, Barratt-Campbell offers a wealth of experience and advice to readers to achieve signature style via in-depth looks at the homes profiled here, making this a definitive master class in interior design. Curated in close collaboration with Barratt-Campbell, this beautiful volume is a must-have for any decorator wanting to give his or her home a touch of Barratt-Campbell's distinctive style: the perfect blend of luxury and functionality.
Fiona Barratt-Campbell established Fiona Barratt Interiors in 2006 and is increasingly recognized as one of Britain's leading figures in interior design. Barratt-Campbell draws on the history of the rugged landscape of Northumberland, where she grew up. Her signature style combines sophisticated neutrals interlaced with bursts of accent color, and although more modern themes remain core to her interiors, she also integrates antiques, particularly twentieth-century pieces, into her designs.
Chocolate
By Ferrandi Paris
(Flammarion, $35)
Want the ultimate reference on cooking with chocolate from Ferrandi, the Parisian school of culinary arts that Le Monde dubbed the "Harvard of gastronomy"? Look no further. This book, a complete chocolate course for the home chef from the world-renowned professional culinary school Ferrandi Paris, presents comprehensive techniques for working with chocolate, from tempering and decorative flourishes to recipes such as the Opéra pastry or molten chocolate cake.
From rich chocolate ganache to melt-in-your mouth truffles, this book leads aspiring bakers through every step--from basic to special-occasion skills. Starting with advice on how to equip your kitchen, plus essential techniques, fillings, and decorations, the book covers everything from quick desserts to holiday specialties and from frozen ice creams and sorbets to candies. Ferrandi's experienced teaching team of master chefs adapted their recipes for the home cook. This fully illustrated intensive course in the art of baking with chocolate provides all of the fundamental techniques and recipes that are the building blocks of the illustrious French chocolate tradition, explained step-by-step in text and images. Practical information is presented in tables, diagrams, and sidebars for handy reference. Easy-to-follow recipes are graded for level of difficulty, allowing readers to develop their skills over time. This extensive reference provides everything an amateur home chef or experienced professional needs to master chocolate recipes for all occasions.
The Parisians: Tastemakers at Home: Parisian Interiors
Photographed by Guillaume de Laubier, Text by Catherine Synave
(Rizzoli USA, $75)
Chic is as chic does in this new book, as 25 world-class designers invite us inside their private French residences, providing intimate access to their creative universe and rich inspiration for home style.
Stepping inside the private residences of France's leading tastemakers provides unrivaled inspiration for interiors with a personal flair. In fact, there’s something for everyone. From a modernist retreat to an urban-pop apartment, and from an eclectic cabinet of curiosities to an 18th-century hôtel particulier, each ambiance demonstrates a perfect mastery of associations between color, pattern, volume, material, and decorative genius.
These private residences, each created by a world-class aesthete with a discerning eye, offer up a rich palette of inspired ideas for the home.
For more information, visit RizzoliUSA.com