When I think of the decorative styles “country” and “urban”, a tiny battle ensues between them in my mind. On the one hand, you have quilts, baskets, and weathered wood. On the other, grids, pipes, and white, lots of white. And not only are the objects battling each other but their owners, the sweet suburban mom or touch-minded farmer verses the dandyish art critic or the sullen musician. But a new book, Urban Country Style has found an interesting way to bring the two together, smartening up the country and warming the urban.

This richly photographed coffee table book follows a six-sided design hexagon called F.U.S.I.O.N (Functional, Unexpected, Simple, Integrated, Old, and New). Your not going to find anything about quilt-making here, but you will find New and Unexpected ways to Integrate, Simple, objects in Functional ways. How do you place that beautiful hand-me-down chair with your new cubed halogen-lights? Going beyond the design answer of “make it eclectic”, this book finds new approaches to modernize the old and bring character to the new. Think antique farm sinks with stainless steel shelving, or galvanized pipe and your mother’s antiques. One overall tip that is striking: for more country homes try adding commercial windows or doors rather than the residential varieties, while for more urban homes, elements from a farm supply store may add a new creative edge.  Lots of great, unconventional ideas in a beautifully photographed  hardcover edition.

Urban Country Style, Elizabeth Betts Hickman and Nancy Gent, Gibbs Smith, $29.95

It goes without saying that those of us without a massively huge budget know the importance of working with small spaces. Most of us live in apartments that many of our relatives think would be impossible to reside in. “You live in that tiny space and pay how much?” I have encountered this baffled statement so many times that I now have a series of ready-made responses. The overall gist is this, “It works perfectly well for me, I know how to work and live in smaller spaces.” This of course is a process learned over many struggles from the “how to fit that vacuum in my room sans closet,” to the “how to store anything and somehow make it accessible without needing to undo the entire intricately laid puzzle of things you have so achingly placed in their not-so perfect place.” “A process of give and take,” I say, “You give things away in order to take new things.”

Evergreen's 500 Ideas for Small Spaces is a brilliant collection of design principles, ideas, and photographs to help you attempt the creation of your perfect small space. Separated into a series of different categories, each with fifty or more tips, it is clear that today’s budding architects have not left the question of size behind. As the introduction states, “the big issue today is how to take the maximum advantage of space.”  This book achieves this through two different forms; either the use of commercial design ideas transplanted into the domestic setting or, if “altering the form of a home are limited, it is necessary to draw on a wide range of tactics derived from the art of decoration.” The startling and ingenious photographs showcase the transformation of the tiniest of spaces into marvelous sitting rooms or bedrooms, offices and kitchens.

The chapter headings lead insight into all that this book has to offer: wall coverings and ceilings, floors, dividing and unifying elements, lightening, colors, furniture (from corridors and shelves to mirrors and electrical equipment). In essence, everything is here, laid out in principles that can be applied to many a home. Here are a quick few for the New Yorker who may not have the expendable income to, for example, add a polished or marble floor to their apartment in order to increase the overall light:

332 A large mirror with a thick wooden frame standing on the floor in a spotlight is sufficient to make an entrance look bigger.

420 Shoe holders are narrow and therefore perfectly suited to storing papers without taking up much space.

304 Spaces entirely painted in warm colors tend to look small, so its important to leave one surface white.

290 Yellow or soft orange ceilings make spaces covered in wood appear larger.

Let it be known, I love design books, especially those that can bring exciting and innovative ideas to our New York apartments. Even more I love the challenge of turning a small room into a space with both auspicious function and as much comfort as possible. Those of us who have moved from apartment to apartment searching for raw materials in which to make this dream come true (i.e. the right lighting, layout, noise level) know this to be far from easy.

Yet books like the Small + Modern + Urban= Home (SMUH) can help us get that creative imagination moving and well…designing.  This book is perfect for the single person, couple, or small family looking to bring new design ideas to their small homes. Focused mostly on new construction of interiors rather than decoration, SMUH provides 28 examples of interior transformations from all over the world. What is so fascinating about the range of ideas and stunning photography presented in this book is how it speaks to the recent design emphasis on small spaces; and in these small spaces, we see design principles reflecting the changing of the family model.

As many parts of the world have increasing populations living or moving to the city, and in these cities, a greater number of people are having children later, the usual requirements for design have changed. Since fewer people respectively are living under the same roof, this has increased the demand for more but smaller homes. And this leaves cities with two options, increase its city limits or take advantage of its already existing spaces. So more and more we see the desire for lofts, studios, and one or two-bedroom apartments to accommodate all of one’s needs in a much smaller space.

But how to increase functionality without giving up aesthetics? This is the question that SMUH helps to respond to. Whether it’s clever distribution of space, increasing natural light flows, or creating new storage solutions, all of it is here as you work your way through beautifully photographed lofts in New York and apartments in Paris, Brussels, or Andora.

Small + Modern + Urban= Home, Collins Design and Loft publications, 2008, $29.95

MoMA Store
http://www.momastore.org

Did you know that the MoMA store regularly showcases new objects and gifts drawn from all different parts of the art world? Next time, you are wandering through the museum you may want to stop by and view the current MoMA store feature: Destination Seoul. This new product collection contains objects only to be found in the bustling and burgeoning South Korean design scene.

The MoMA describes the collection as “a selection that reflects Korea's cultural interest in color and nature and puts a modern spin on traditional Korean design and crafting.” Soft, gently curving lines and subtle features run through many of the products in this collection highlighted with bursting colors on stark white backgrounds. From the beautifully organic egg salt and pepper shakers to the gorgeous handle-less tea mug (containing a very tiny groove to place the string from your tea bag), there is bound to be something interesting to add a little flavor to your apartment.

Some highlights include the mini I.dear speakers, made of wood or faux-marble, the porcelain bird and cloud salt and pepper shakers, and the quirky Spooner bottle opener, inspired by the designer’s observation of the assortment of things people use to open bottles.

In addition the collection contains a good variety of precisely designed t-shirts, scarves, tote bags and other accessories that could make a perfect gift for you or a friend. Whatever you find that satisfies your fancy, you will walk away with the cultural exclusivity that comes from knowing these objects can be found nowhere but the MoMA…and well…South Korea.

Are you looking for more ways to bring life to your apartment? BoConcept
Urban Design offers a piece of simple yet efficient furniture just
perfect for the city dwellers. This black-stained oak veneer room
divider, also available in white, is 41 ½” tall, 67” wide, and 18 ¾” in
depth.