Playing Favorites.

We've been a little crazed the past few weekends either working or traveling. So when we had nothing really planned today, we took full advantage of it and had what we considered to be a perfect lazy Sunday full of favorites. We got up early and watched our favorite show, the always entertaining, informative and never-disappointing CBS Sunday Morning. Then we took our handsome "little" pooch Turbo (the only 100 pound canine we know who still considers himself a lap dog) on a stroll to one of our favorite New York City destinations - the Chelsea Flea Market. Then it was back home where we lit our latest candle obsession, Williams-Sonoma's Spiced Chestnut (perfect for the Fall), poured some hot orange tea and put on music by one of our favorite new artists, Norwegian singer Thomas Dybdahl, whom we first learned about from our friend Newell Turner over at one of our favorite magazines: House Beautiful (listen to some of Dybdahl's music after the post).

It was at this point in the day when we finally settled in and curled up with our newest design book entitled JACQUES GRANGE: Interiors, written by Pierre Passebon (above photos). We've always been huge admirers of Grange and his work. In fact, we've had our eye on this book for months back when it was only available in the French edition. We reluctantly decided to wait until the English version was published considering our French is only "Comme Ci, Comme Ça," but without a doubt, we can assure you it was well worth the wait.

In his introduction, Passenbon writes, "When it comes to interior decoration, two requirements leap to mind: good taste - a great deal of it - and a certain boldness." Grange obviously has an abundance of both and it's showcased beautifully in this artfully photographed book. Having been in the design industry for over 40 years, Grange has perfected his craft by working on projects for such notable clients as Yves Saint Laurent, Princess Caroline of Monaco, Valentino, and the recently overhauled Mark Hotel here in Manhattan. "All I do is work, work, work," he says, but then continues, "It is one of the great joys of my life. Interior Design is a great chance for me to do what I want, how I want." Clearly that passion is paying off, with Grange recently being recognized with the Legion d'Honneur, the highest award given by the French Republic for outstanding service to France. Tasteful, somewhat understated and incredibly stylish, Grange's work is definitely a bit idiosyncratic yet manages to be inspiring beyond measure. We couldn't be more thrilled with our latest book and highly recommend it to all those who consider themselves design enthusiasts. Available wherever fine books are sold, this handsome, oversized volume is definitely one of our new favorites and we look forward to referencing it often as we move ahead in the world of interior design (.... just for fun and until you can get your hands on a copy of this terrific book, click here for a great Q&A with Grange brought to you by another favorite, The Selby).

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