Live Beautiful

Live Beautiful takes readers into the homes of notable designers, artists, and tastemakers while exploring their processes for creating compelling interiors. Through photography and in-depth conversations, Athena Calderone examines how creatives approach the design of their personal spaces. The book showcases residences across multiple countries and design styles, breaking down specific elements like color, texture, and architectural details. Each featured home includes practical tips and insights that readers can apply to their own spaces. This design guide goes beyond surface-level aesthetics to uncover how spaces can reflect identity and personal history. Through its exploration of interiors and creative processes, Live Beautiful illuminates the connection between physical surroundings and meaningful living.

Readers appreciate the book's photography and styling tips, with many noting it provides practical ideas for creating layered, lived-in spaces. Multiple reviewers mention the detailed breakdowns of design elements and Calderone's explanations of why certain choices work. Likes: - Clear explanation of design principles - Mix of attainable and aspirational spaces - Quality of photography - Behind-the-scenes insights into featured homes Dislikes: - Too focused on luxury spaces - Some find the text repetitive - Limited range of design styles (mostly modern/minimal) - Several note it works better as a coffee table book than a practical guide Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (500+ ratings) "The photography is stunning but I wished for more affordable inspiration," notes one Amazon reviewer. A Goodreads reader comments: "Great for understanding design fundamentals, though the spaces shown are out of reach for most budgets."

Elements of Style by Stephen Calloway A collection of homes across different design periods demonstrates how to blend antiques with modern pieces while establishing personal style.

Home by Ellen DeGeneres The book takes readers through seven properties to illustrate design concepts of mixing vintage finds, art collections, and comfortable furnishings.

Homebody by Joanna Gaines This design guide breaks down six distinct styles and provides a framework for mixing design elements to create spaces that reflect personal history.

The Perfect Room by Barbara Sallick The co-founder of Waterworks presents a master class in crafting balanced, timeless interiors through careful selection of materials and finishes.

For the Love of White by Chrissie Rucker The founder of The White Company demonstrates how to layer textures, materials, and tones to create serene, sophisticated spaces.

🌟 Athena Calderone is a self-taught interior designer who began her career by documenting her own home renovation journey on social media 🏠 The book features intimate tours of 12 distinctly different homes belonging to designers, artists, and tastemakers across the globe 📸 Before pursuing design, Calderone was an aspiring actress and studied at The Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City ✨ Each home featured in the book includes a "Design Decode" section that breaks down specific design elements and explains how readers can recreate them 🎨 The author's design philosophy centers on the concept of "thoughtful curation" - mixing vintage finds with modern pieces and balancing high and low-end items