Synopses & Reviews
The approach of the millennium has heralded a renaissance in urban living that has seen the widespread conversion of former schools, factories, hospitals, warehouses, and commercial spaces to provide stylish accommodation in our increasingly overcrowded cities. Formerly a marginal residential option, favored mostly by artists whose oversized artworks required the big, open spaces offered by industrial or commercial buildings, lofts have now become the fashionable choice for those who want to break free from the restrictions of conventional apartments. Designed along the lines of classic New York lofts, these vast spaces offer urban dwellers inspirational space.
With stunning photographs of some of the world's most innovative conversions-- including the work of leading international architects and designers-- Lofts is the ultimate sourcebook for stylish, urban living. Combining the aspirational with the practical, it provides design solutions on a vast scale, whether you choose to commission an architect or interior designer or take on the work yourself. With creative ideas and key information for everything from space-planning and maximizing design characteristics to decorative schemes, fabrics, and furniture, Lofts illustrates how to create the definitive living space that complements your lifestyle and combines aesthetics with comfort.
About the Author
Orianna Fielding Banks is at the cutting edge of contemporary furniture and interior design. After graduating in fashion design from St. Martin's School of Art, London, Orianna designed large props for store-window displays before progressing to furniture design. Her showroom, Pure, in London's fashionable Shoreditch, exhibits her collection of large-scale contemporary furniture, lighting, screens, and rugs. Orianna has appeared on several television shows, including "GMTV," "Style World," "Fantasy Rooms," and "Better Homes," and her work is featured in international interiors and style publications, including
Elle Decoration,
Wallpaper,
World of Interiors,
L'Architecture d'aujourd'hui, and the
Style supplement of
The Sunday Times.
Rebecca Tanqueray was Deputy Editor of Elle Decoration for five years before becoming a full-time writer. She is now a highly regarded interiors journalist, who contributes to a number of leading design and style magazines and newspaper supplements, including Living etc, Ideal Home, and Homes & Gardens. She is also a regular contributor to the Style supplement of The Sunday Times.