From Booklist
In the modern world, style devours everything, even the spirit. In this peculiar combination of interior-design picture book and spiritual primer, author Cerwinske (In the Romantic Style, 1990) shows the reader how to transform that drab extra room into a Hindu shrine--or perhaps a goddess temple, or maybe a bedroom evoking the spirit of Aphrodite. Wherever your spiritual yearnings take you, traditional or New Age, there's wallpaper to match. Once one overcomes a certain revulsion at the trivialization implied by the phrase spiritual style, it is possible to appreciate this collection of photographs and accompanying text for what it really is: a rather nice interior-design book that happens to employ art and artifacts that possess an often vague religious connotation. (Less spiritual readers will be surprised to note that an artful arrangement of family photos classifies as an ancestral shrine.) Interior design lives on trendiness, and spiritual matters have certainly become trendy. This book is the inevitable result, and as such, it is sure to attract curious browsers. Ilene Cooper
Philadelphia Enquirer
Unusual and visually striking examples.
New Age
A wealth of ideas for creating your own sacred space.
Yoga Journal
Insightful commentary and lavish photography make [it] that rarest of volumes: a coffee-table book with soul.
New Age Journal, November/December 1998
A wealth of ideas for creating your own sacred space....you'll find plenty of ways to express your spirituality.
Phoenix Arizona Republic, Steve Rabey, 5 December 1998
Suggestions for transforming one's house into a haven fill "In a Spiritual Style," which shows that art, objects, and decorative touches ("meditative light, exalted imagery, soothing color or reflective finishes") can not only make your place look good, but make you feel good in it.
Book Description
As more and more people seek meaning in new forms of spiritual practice or renew their commitments to traditional religions, they are creating homes that reflect and enhance the spiritual component of their daily lives. This book provides an inspiring testament to the influence of spiritual practice on contemporary design. Here are Buddhist meditation rooms, personal shrines to Catholic saints, and altars to Santeria deities and the Virgin of Guadeloupe. Here are exquisitely decorated Sabbath tables as well as tables whose settings reflect the procession of the seasons. Here are private temples to creativity, memorials to beloved friends and family members, and offerings to Hindu gods. And here are shrines and sanctuaries enriched with the symbolism of many religions past and present. Imbued with personal content, all of these rooms offer comfort, accommodate ritual activity, and embrace the elements of nature. From collections of masks and icons to meditation gardens, from Chanukah Menorahs to Haitian drapos, the spiritual impulse in design draws from the world's religions and the history of art. Chapters on the "Evolution of Sacred Design" and "The Meaning of Sanctuary" provide a foundation for understanding the content of the home sanctuary. Chapters on "Rooms and Shrines," "Altars," and "Art and Artifacts" illustrate specific interpretations and applications. Whether abundantly decorated or austerely refined, the rooms pictured here lift up and enrich the soul. They are filled with meditative light, exalted imagery, soothing color, and symbolic meaning. 120 color photographs and illustrations.
About the Author
Laura Cerwinske has written many books and articles on interior design including In the Romantic Style and In Your Own Style (both with Linda Chase). Matthew Fuller's photographs have appeared in numerous magazines, including Architecture and Art and Antiques.
In a Spiritual Style: The Home as Sanctuary FROM THE PUBLISHER
As more and more people seek meaning in new forms of spiritual practice or renew their commitments to traditional religions, they are creating homes that reflect and enhance the spiritual component of their daily lives. This book provides an inspiring testament to the influence of spiritual practice on contemporary design. Here are Buddhist meditation rooms, personal shrines to Catholic saints, and altars to Santeria deities and the Virgin of Guadeloupe. Here are exquisitely decorated Sabbath tables as well as tables whose settings reflect the procession of the seasons. Here are private temples to creativity, memorials to beloved friends and family members, and offerings to Hindu gods. And here are shrines and sanctuaries enriched with the symbolism of many religions past and present. Imbued with personal content, all of these rooms offer comfort, accommodate ritual activity, and embrace the elements of nature. From collections of masks and icons to meditation gardens, from Chanukah Menorahs to Haitian drapos, the spiritual impulse in design draws from the world's religions and the history of art. Chapters on the "Evolution of Sacred Design" and "The Meaning of Sanctuary" provide a foundation for understanding the content of the home sanctuary. Chapters on "Rooms and Shrines," "Altars," and "Art and Artifacts" illustrate specific interpretations and applications. Whether abundantly decorated or austerely refined, the rooms pictured here lift up and enrich the soul. They are filled with meditative light, exalted imagery, soothing color, and symbolic meaning. 120 color photographs and illustrations.
Art & Photography
Book Info
