Read any good (decorating) books lately?

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press • August 2020

If you’re like me, some days you just want to curl up in your favorite spot with a good book (preferably with pretty pictures) and escape from the stress and nonstop news.

As a Southwest Florida interior decorator working with clients virtually and in their homes, I find a lot of solace and inspiration in design books. Here are a few of my favorites and if you would like to share some of yours, please do so on my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Spectacular.Spaces

Sophisticated Simplicity by Suzanne Kasler

Serene but far from boring, this book offers what we’re seeking right now. Easy, calm suggestions and beautiful photos to inspire us. Maybe encouragement to try something a little different in our homes. Or to just enjoy the pretty vignettes and color palettes.

One of my favorite designers, award-winning Kasler, combines American and European touches with eclectic design to create comfortable living spaces. Her timeless sophistication and use of color combine to make the most of architectural details. And her books are a joy with suggestions for room arranging and finishing touches. This one is especially so.

Note: 10 years ago, Kasler partnered with Ballard Designs and developed a signature collection. In celebration, the company is highlighting her designs. Check them out at to be found at www.ballarddesigns.com/furniture/design/suzanne-kasler-collection

Key West: A Tropical Lifestyle by Leslie Linsley

This book has been around a while but it remains one of my favorite “escape” books. If you’ve ever walked the streets of Key West, you know that feeling that makes you wish you could take a quick peek in so many of the beautiful homes in this island paradise.

Although some homeowners are fairly laid back about curious tourists trying to sneak a look inside their abodes, a better way is Linsley’s beautifully photographed book that explores 22 residences along with interviews with owners, architects and designers.

And like every trip to Key West, you’ll come away with something that you want to incorporate into your own Southwest Florida tropical oasis.

Soul of the Home: Designing with Antiques by Tara Shaw

Warning: make sure you have some time because you will not want to leave these beautiful rooms. Each page is a treat. Hot off the press this spring, Shaw’s book is a feast for the eyes as the past meets the present as she mixes antiques and modern design. I could not get to my computer fast enough to order this book. And it is among my favorites.

With decades of collecting in Europe, she is a supplier of antiques to Elle Décor A-listers. And she offers her tips for selecting the perfect pieces to display in contemporary interiors. You will come away with a renewed love for vintage and antique pieces and new ideas for incorporating them. I like what she says:

“Antiques bestow an incomparable sense of history…their flaws, scrapes and bumps are hard-earned and make your interiors (and maybe even you) more forgiving.”

Shaw even shares her favorite antiquing spots throughout Europe. We can dream a little from our homes, right?

India Hicks Island Style

She’s the British-born daughter of famed interior decorator David Hicks and Lady Pamela Hicks and the granddaughter of Lord Mountbatten. Prince Charles is her godfather and he wrote the foreword to this book. She was a bridesmaid at his wedding to Lady Diana. Having said all of this, let’s add one more: she’s very cool.

Hicks takes us on a journey through Hibiscus Hill, her family’s Bahama enclave. And teaches us the importance of shoestring decorating, repurposing and leaving room for spaces that offer sanctuary.

It’s a beautiful and fun trip that in its 10 chapters, shows us the basics of capturing the look of timeless and under-decorated rooms. It’s a perfect escape for these times and there’s a lot of royal glitz thrown in.

Happy readying and stay safe.

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She helps homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and solves decorating problems. Her articles appear the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 949-1808 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog