We posted a blog a few days ago here that talked about how we love the idea of design books as gifts. We wrote up a list of new and new-ish books that we highly recommend, but in hindsight, we didn’t really say why we love them!

Why We Love The Allure of Style

Let’s just start by saying that Mary McDonald’s book The Allure of Style is absolutely gorgeous. The full color two-page design spreads are our favorites, but we have to be honest; its hard not to fall in love with Mary McDonald’s sharp wit (we interviewed her back in October at the High Point Furniture Market and just love her!). The explanatory interludes that accompany her designs provide a splash of humor, a sprinkle of diva, and wonderful insight into her thought processes.

We really love the chapter and section introduction pages that provide fun, often sassy quotes that really get us excited about certain rooms, ideas, or styles. Here are a few of our favorite quotes:

“Design is like theatre, the better the sets, the better the play. As in life, if the play isn’t good, you might as well like the set.” (page 220)

“Intense. It takes courage to mix things up and conviction to push a look to its limit. When you do, the reward is rooms that exude passion, personality, and flair.” (page 146)

“There is no formula for glamour. It combines shimmer and charisma. It’s elusive, but you know it when you see it.” (page 114)

“Dressy. I don’t insist that everyone live glamourously, but once you try it, there’s no turning back.” (page 44)

The Allure of Style can be found at a variety of online retailers, including:

Amazon – Starting (new) at $34.65
Barnes and Noble – Starting (new) at $38.73 (also available in select stores)
BooksAMillion – Starting (online) for $41.66 (also available in select stores)