Handcrafted Modern.

Every now and then something comes along to reaffirm your passion and remind you what it was that caused you to pursue a particular path in the first place. That's what happened to us recently when we got our hands on a new book entitled HANDCRAFTED MODERN-At Home with Mid-Century Designers by Leslie Williamson for Rizzoli New York, 2010. Bottom line-This book is simply superb!

Granted full access to photograph as she desired, Williamson's book showcases with beautifully intimate photographs, the homes and work spaces of fourteen design legends including: Wharton Esherick, George Nakashima, Harry Bertoia, Russel Wright, Jens Risom, Eva Zeilsel, Vladimir Kagan, Irving Harper, Walter Gropius, Jerome & Evelyn Ackerman, Charles & Ray Eames, J.B. Blunk, John Kapel, and Albert Frey – some line-up don't you think?

By photographing homes exactly as they were lived in, Williamson shows how each designers' creativity and talent is expressed within their own living spaces. Saying that ".... every house had it's own secrets to discover," Williamson's intent was to capture the personal elements often overlooked – work areas brimming with supplies and tools, handwritten notes on mirrors, stacks of firewood by the door, collections of shells piled on ledges – thus illuminating the "life" behind their inspired creations.

We haven't been this wound up for a new book in a long time. And trust us when we tell you this is a must have for any design enthusiast, especially anyone who appreciates the handcrafted. Available where fine books are sold, we promise you this publication will not disappoint. For an added bonus be sure and click here for Leslie's blog to see unpublished images and outtakes from the book. Enjoy!