READ THIS: Living Traditions Interiors By Matthew Patrick Smyth
This READ THIS critique is sponsored by Cosmopolitan Dental, official dentist of Whom You Know! Dr. Garo Nazarian is responsible for Peachy's pearly whites:
A book on style by an Irishman? Twist Peachy Deegan's arm! Check out the Irish Gothic chair on page 60. We also like the green goblet on page 131. No one is more stylish than the Irish, and Matthew Patrick Smyth proves that in Living Traditions Interiors, though he is influenced by the French...we were pleased to see Mover and Shaker Peter Pennoyer mentioned...here is Peter as a Mover and Shaker:
and we recommended Peter's book too:
We loved the clean lines of Matthew's decor, and above all we loved the chandelier selection. You know who is big on Chandeliers: http://www.whomyouknow.com/search/label/Chandelier%20Peachy
*page 168
*page 183 (thought Peachy is crying that some of the chandelier is chopped off in the photo)
*page 215
Our favorite room all put together is on page 136-137-the cool blue is so attractive and inviting. The lamps and flowers in particular are stunning. We like Matthew's philosophy: never invest in a trend (page 160). Pages 218-219 are the home of our second favorite room-clean and crisp! Take a look at this work and come up with your own creative ideas for your Chez Peachy.
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Classic style and impeccable attention to detail are hallmarks of the work of interior designer Matthew Patrick Smyth. In this lavishly illustrated volume, Smyth reveals his own design tips, rules, and approaches to meeting challenges offered by uniquely shaped spaces. He focuses on editing collections to better showcase individual works, the personal nature of color selection, adding—or restoring—historical references, and finishing a space off with glorious, often unexpected fabrics and trims. Over two hundred color photographs showcase a wide variety of styles, from a nature-infused Aspen vacation home to the quintessential Upper East Side apartment to a London flat that smoothly blends its owner’s inherited collection of Renaissance art with fine Indian pieces. His work is showcased for the first time in LIVING TRADITIONS: Interiors by Matthew Patrick Smyth (The Monacelli Press, on sale April 19, 2011).
Smyth’s comfortable, timeless rooms are tailored to fit his clients’ personalities and lifestyles, whether they are dynamic young couples with children or cultured art collectors. Smyth masterfully blends contemporary pieces with antiques to endow each space with a sense of solidity and history while maintaining a completely fresh, modern sensibility,
Smyth credits his mentor David Easton for teaching him how to see the intrinsic value of any given piece and to successfully mix furnishings with similar lines, materials, and forms even when they are products of different centuries. Easton also embedded in Smyth a love for travel—leading to the designer’s devotion to all things French that permeates his work. His designs—characterized by refined, flawless interior architecture—are seen in grand Shelter Island mansions, classically proportioned San Francisco townhouses, and demure Parisian pied-Ã -terres alike.
Matthew Patrick Smyth opened his own firm in New York in 1987 and now works with clients around the globe. He designs a collection of fabrics for F. Schumacher and a line of rugs for Patterson, Flynn & Martin. His work is featured regularly in Elle Decor, House Beautiful, House & Garden, Traditional Home, and the New York Times.
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Living Traditions
Interiors by Matthew Patrick Smyth
240 pages • 9 x 11 ½ inches • 200 illustrations
ISBN 978-1-58093-309-4 • $50 hardcover
4/19/2011
The Monacelli Press • 1745 Broadway • New York, New York 10019
