Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

The new minimalist style of interior design is not about bare, white-walled rooms, starkly devoid of signs of human life; nor is it about massive expense and austere living. Many of today's designers - no longer content with hard-edged purity - adapt the minimalist vocabulary and imbue it with innovative, yet practical, twists.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Booklist Review

Toy, executive editor of Architectural Design magazine, writes that a much more livable version of minimalism has emerged from the 1990s style she describes as extremely expensive, exactingly detailed, stark, and marked by the near absence of human life. In this lavishly illustrated volume, Toy draws examples from international homes to present her view of an updated minimalism: a livable, often colorful style that leaves more room to express the personality and hobbies of a homeowner. In sections devoted to various areas of the home, Toy offers basic, practical ideas aimed at amateur designers working on their own houses: Start with walls and floors and add elements piece by piece. Toy's charge to seek tranquility and freedom from conventional distractions will strike a chord with many readers interested in creating more dynamic, simplified, clutter-free living spaces for themselves, while the beautifully reproduced interiors show a wide range of possibilities and styles. An extended resource section concludes this handsome, informative title for design enthusiasts. --Gillian Engberg Copyright 2003 Booklist