Axel Vervoordt: Timeless Interiors

It's beautiful

A lovely look at classical interiors perfect for any interior designer or enthusiast

I could gaze at the illustrations forever. Vervoordt's designs are always imaginative, individual but somehow "right"- works of art in themselves such as most of us would neither be able to afford nor to fully appreciate if we could. Sigh.

Beautiful, inspiring book. Very pleased.

Superb interiors.

Inspirational and gorgeous. A beautiful book, in every sense.

Well done.

If you are interested in all sorts of interiors then there’s plenty to look at and I don’t agree with one reviewer here who says it’s all shabby chic…far from it, every interior is immaculate and the styles are varied. I’m happy enough to read and look at the pictures but sadly this book has big flaws. The designer’s clients have so much money they can do/have/buy anything they want. They can remodel a motel into a house, they can instal priceless artifacts and aged architectural features from elsewhere to transform it. So this book should be aiming to show much more than that, it needs to work harder to show the real skill and talent behind this designer’s work. There is obviously pleasure in looking at priceless and unreachable things arranged well and houses built or restored or remodelled with great success. However, if that is the aim then the descriptions and photographs need to be well thought out, otherwise it all begins to become an annoyance not a pleasure. I am 3/4 way through the book and I am beginning to be somewhat annoyed. The text has an irritating habit of leading you to a part of the said house, describing it and then not providing a photograph. So it will mention a particular mantelpiece but not show it, or a collection in a bathroom that cannot be seen…even whole rooms are referred to but not photographed. It happens frequently throughout the book, it’s very frustrating (I’d rather not know about what I’m missing) and I feel that it is very poor, lazy compilation. The writing style is also rather peculiar & flowery. Possibly that is due to a poor translation from French to English in my version…but in any event it is not good. The text is also repetitive. For example there are two chapters next to each other about different properties belonging to different owners that give some almost identical descriptions of different collections of objects forming a “cabinet of curiosities”. Small ivory death heads are linked to vanitas paintings in both houses. It gives the impression that the designer just goes from house to house installing similar collections of art objects in all of them…then the writer goes on to describe them all in exactly the same way! Many phrases are used repeatedly throughout the book. It’s hard to work out how the publisher could have allowed it. Finally, I would prefer to see more pictures of whole rooms or larger parts of rooms so I can see how the designer puts things together…that cannot be shown where there are several small pictures showing individual items like a ming vase or a first century BC bust. Or just a small corner of a large room. Surely the book is, or should be, about interior design not the individual works of art which are scattered liberally across all of these interiors. We should be looking at whole rooms and getting the impression of whole houses. Not seeing a collection of still life assemblies like stage sets. I’ve no doubt that Vervoordt is a very clever designer with far reaching skills and a flare for imagination and architectural concept. There is also clearly a fantastic family business undertaking this work. However to my mind the book does not show this properly. On reading it, one could be forgiven for thinking “well anyone can put a Japanese mask next to an 18th century painting over a rustic English oak table and make it look good…”. That’s always going to be true to a point , but Vervoordt clearly has a lot more skill and talent than that and this book is simply not capable of showing that adequately. Disappointing.

Ok

Inspiring and so beautiful !

Beautiful book

The photos in the book are beautiful and they provide inspiration for a classic, timeless interior. At first glance the interiors seemed too grand for me, living as I do in a condominium apartment in sub-tropical Miami, Florida. But on closer inspection, I saw elements that I could incorporate into my own home successfully that would stand the test of time and also wear well with my two dogs. Mr. Vervoordt understands comfort, practicality and elegance. It is also a lesson in investing in just a few good things, which can be acquired by almost anyone working with a limited budget if they will educate their eye and acquire things slowly, with discrimination. The beautiful interiors demonstrate that even a rustic, humble environment can look rich and that to be successful, the interior must have a "soul". Mr. Vervoordt recognizes what is important and eschews trendy looks that will date too soon and that one will tire of. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to take the time to make a beautiful, comfortable, soothing home. I like the picture of Mr. Vervoordt with his dog, too; it shows that he understands and appreciates living with dogs.

Stimo molto questo designer e il libro lo rappresenta molto bene, con bellissime foto e grafica