Smith Michael S.

Michael S. Smith’s first collection of new interiors work in seven years. ?Appearing at a seminal point in Michael Smith’s life and career, The Curated House is also his most personal book, tracing the origins and influences of his design philosophy in depth and presenting a substantial offering of new projects. In the first section of the book, illustrated with images of Smith’s own dramatic Los Angeles house, his spare desert retreat, and his ornate Manhattan apartment, Smith explores his California roots and explains how they still infuse so much of his work; the importance of California’s own deep traditions; and how his recent work in Spain has influenced him through its architecture, fabrics, and history. Smith reviews the constants of his interiors, what is integral to his style and why, and how they can work for the reader: from the forms that repeat themselves to the layering of fabrics and patterns, the use of subtle colors, and the idea of comfort in every room. The second part of the book offers case studies of Smith’s most recent interiors work, including a high-style Manhattan pied-à-terre, an airy London townhouse, a Montana mountain retreat, and a sophisticated Malibu beach house. Substantive and arresting, The Curated House will be Smith’s most comprehensive book to date, and essential to those aspiring to his refined, popular style.

The newest book from acclaimed designer Michael S. Smith showcases his exceptional take on kitchens and baths, the busiest yet most personal rooms in a home. Legendary designer Michael S. Smith has stories to tell about kitchens and bathrooms-those he has designed himself, and those that inspire him. In this fascinating and inspirational book, Smith, who has his own line of kitchen and bath fixtures for Kohler, explains how these rooms define a house. Kitchens and bathrooms are among the most expensive and labor-intensive rooms to design. But they are also opposites, the most public and private zones of a house. In three in-depth case studies and dozens of supporting examples, Smith discusses his design process for these rooms, from big-picture issues such as the social engineering of the kitchen’s layout to details large and small, including the importance of choosing the right cabinet, which can be a crystallization of the architecture of the house, as well as countertops, fixtures, floors, hardware, and more.Also including a sampling of dressing rooms and breakfast rooms, along with a comprehensive resource section, this is a uniquely sophisticated take on a subject of perennial interest.