The Winner Of Cocoon's Reader Give Away Is:

Congratulations,  Kendra Collins, you are the winner!  Please email your address to debra@cocoonhome.com  and your copy of  Old House New Home will soon be in the mail!

Old House New Home: Reader Give Away

For today's reader giveaway I asked Natalia Szidon,  Cocoon's founder, mother-in-law and good friend to help me choose a book from publishers Ryland Peters & Small.  Take a look: 

When Debra asked for my help in selecting a book for her next Cocoon Home Design giveaway, I enthusiastically acceded for two reasons.  First of all, I’ve loved books all my life and, for the past decade, particularly the ones published by Ryland Peters & Small, the firm that graciously agreed to donate one for a lucky CHD blog reader.

The book we chose is titled “Old House New Home” by  renown  interiors writer Ros Byam Shaw, with photographs by Christopher Drake.   It is beautifully written and visually compelling.  It’s divided into five, very distinct parts:

Inhabiting, renovating and updating buildings and houses much older than we are can be challenging and costly, but if done well, can also be extremely fulfilling and rewarding.

As the author points out, older homes need not feel like museums, instead they should be reflective of the owners’ lifestyles and tastes, often showcasing stylish juxtapositions of the old with the current.

What I love most about this book is that the author’s respect for history and preservation is combined with an empowering philosophy that restorations need not shun modern concepts or ideas.

Hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.   All of Ryland Peters & Small books on design and architecture are highly recommended for they’re both beautiful AND useful, and you may not know, but a favorite saying of mine is:  “If it’s neither beautiful nor useful, why keep it around?”

For a chance to win a copy of Old House New Home comment below on what you love most about your home and join Ryland Peters & Small's Facebook page here.   All entries must be completed by Tuesday, November 1 at midnight.  Good luck!