House by Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton’s new design book House is an original concept, unlike anything you may expect from the Oscar winning actress or in a decor book in general.

Focusing on the aesthetics of seemingly contemporary simplistic edifices, Keaton shares images captured of homes in Vermont, Seattle, California, New York, Illinois and Italy. Grand, yet sparse in material details, each space is full of vast openness that force the onlooker to appreciate the architecture and elements. Creative designers such as Annabelle Selldorf, Roy McMakin and Tom Kundig lend their talents to Keaton’s large 272 page coffee table book which draws its inspiration from farms and factories turning classic, often decaying, rustic structures into gems of artistic talent. 

~Firefly Grill in Effingham, Illinois~

To the untrained eye, the lesson to be gained by diving into House is to realize that an appreciation of the space, a respect for the space is something to heed when decorating and creating a sanctuary. As one would imagine, more is simply more, and by taking the time to look around, the most significant lesson is to realize that beauty speaks to us most directly and loudly when it is not suffocated by excess. As designer Annabelle Selldorf describes her style - “specific, precise, restrained and plausible”, her inclusion of the word “restrained” is something that resonates with me as it takes discipline, but based on the images shared in Keaton’s House offers the greatest reward.