Terrain: Ideas and Inspiration for Decorating the Home and Garden

by Greg Lehmkuhl

Named one of the  Wall Street Journal ’s Best Interior-Design Books to Give as Holiday Presents

Founded in a historic nursery in southeast Pennsylvania, Terrain is a nationally renowned garden, home, and lifestyle brand with an entirely fresh approach to living with nature. It’s an approach that bridges the gap between home and garden, the indoors and the outdoors. An approach that embraces decorating with plants and inviting the garden into every living space.

Terrain , the book, not only captures the brand’s unique and lushly appealing sensibility in over 450 beautiful photographs but also shows, in project after project, tip after tip, how to live with nature at home. Here are ideas for flower arranging beyond the expected bouquet, using branches and wild blooms, seed heads and bulbs. Ten colorful container gardens inspired by painterly palettes. Dozens of ideas for making wreaths out of vines, dried stems, evergreens, and fresh leaves and fern fronds (which you learn to preserve in glycerin). Here are secrets for forcing branches to bloom in the middle of winter. Decorating with heirloom pumpkins, including turning them into tabletop planters. Simple touches—like massing high-summer hydrangeas into weathered baskets and scattering them around the patio—and more involved projects, including taking inspiration from Scandinavia and Britain to create a truly natural Christmas.

With inspiration for every season, Terrain blurs the indoors and out to bring the subtle and surprising joys of nature into our lives every day.

Genres: Nonfiction, Gardening, Nature, Coffee Table Books, How To, Art, Design

400 pages, Hardcover

Published October 23, 2018

Reviews

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Terrain: Ideas and Inspiration for Decorating the Home and Garden” by Greg Lehmkuhl is a beautifully designed book with more than 450 photos of gorgeous projects that elegantly bring nature indoors.

In project after project, tip after tip, “Terrain” shows an array of nature-inspired ideas ... for flower arranging beyond the typical bouquet using branches and wild blooms, seed heads and bulbs ... colorful container gardens inspired by painterly palettes ... wreath ideas using vines, dried stems, evergreens, and fresh leaves and fern fronds ... secrets for forcing branches to bloom in the middle of winter ... decorating with heirloom pumpkins, including turning them into tabletop planters ... simple touches such as massing high-summer hydrangeas into weathered baskets and scattering them around the patio ... taking inspiration from Scandinavia and Britain to create a truly natural Christmas.

Based on the same-named historic nursery in southeast Pennsylvania, Terrain is a nationally renowned garden, home, and lifestyle brand with an entirely fresh approach to living with nature. “Terrain” the book captures the brand’s unique and appealing sensibility with inspiration for every season that brings the joys of nature into our lives every day. 5/5

Pub Date 16 Oct 2018

Thanks to Artisan Books and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are truly mine.

#Terrain #NetGalley

[Lisa Filipczak · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a helpful reference on plants, decor and landscapes. I am working on some landscaping and home decorating projects and there were many inspirational ideas in this book. Some of the sections are pretty specific such as wreaths, holiday decor, etc., but it is a helpful guide.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My main takeaway: I do want to plant some allium schubertii. They look exactly like fiery sparklers on a stick, and they look adorable dried, too.

This is another eye candy book. ☺️ It’s not phenomenal, but definitely pleasant.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great ideas and gorgeous photos make this read both relaxing and exhilerating.i can't wait to pot up triple blooming planters and bring inside all manner of curly twigs and boughs to sweeten the indoors:)

[Paul Sutter · Rating 3 out of 5]

LEHMKUHL (Artisan-$53.00) 370 pages
TERRAIN is a most colorful book that will give readers a multitude of ideas for decorating their homes inside and out. Terrain is a group of stores offering inspiration to really make their homes and gardens stand out from the crowd.
The first store opened was John Franklin Styler’s Nursery. It can be traced back to 1875 in Concord Pennsylvania. From there, stores and ideas have bloomed and blossomed in so many ways.
Some might say the book is one big advertisement for the store. It is more an advertisement for taking ideas and implementing them in your own homes and gardens. They supply the basis for change, and your imagination can take it from that point.
The book covers every season. Even if there is snow on the ground, there are plenty of ideas for inside the home, to make it seem as if nature is breaking out in there. Ideas for baskets, wreaths, centerpieces, light and leaf garlands, dried stems, glowing garden chandeliers, and a host of others give readers more suggest-ions than they can handle. Your imagination will be your ultimate guidepost.
TERRAIN will become a handy reference guide, that you will open often. No matter what season or what the weather is like outside, dozens of plans will germinate inside.

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I saw this book I knew I had to read it, and it was just as captivating as the Terrain store I love to visit when I am in Palo Alto, CA at the Stanford Shopping Center. (There are 7 stores in the US). The book contains many great ideas that provide inspiration for indoor and outdoor decorating. Terrain's philosophy is "a willingness to be adaptable and consider the wider possibilities of materials from the natural world." Their design concept is built on using items found in nature (branches, leaves, flowers, pine cones, rocks, berries, etc.) and supplementing with twinkly lights, metal items, ceramics, statuary, rustic pieces, and more). The photos alone are enough to inspire, but don't neglect to read the text. I found it poetic and dreamy, and a perfect match for the color images on every page.

In addition, the book contains a calendar of US flower shows, a list of resources including favorite gardens and arboretums in the US, and favorite international plant destinations.

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved their site for years and have made many purchases so I was super excited to get this book. It did not disappoint! I have been disappointed in so many books by people I have followed online because I had already seen everything in their book on their site. A decorating book should never have previously seen photos. Ever.

There are no long winded overblown stories. Each is a single page or less and yet gives you the information you need. There are so many ideas, descriptions and instructions that go with the beautiful photos. I poured over it this afternoon and will probably pick it up tomorrow after I have told all my friends about it. That is if I don’t just give them one for Christmas!

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is lushly presented with beautifully photographed tableau. While it's pages are truly lovely to look at, I can see it costing a fortune to try to recreate. Maybe it'd be more useful to take tidbits and small ideas from each? A bit overwhelming for me, but hopefully inspiring for others. Definitely worth escaping into for while.

#NetGalley #Terrain

[Book Grocer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Purchase Terrain at Home here for just $20!

This book is chock full of ideas, tips and beautiful photography to decorate your home. Wonderful for any gardener or decorator who love to create natural decorative arrangements. A fantastic reference book.

Alicia, The Book Grocer

[Meg Mirza · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice coffee table book featuring full color photos of various plant displays. There is a whole chapter on seasonal wreath arrangements. There's a lot of emphasis on creating unusual juxtapositions of flowers and other materials. A short section on ikebana (spare, Japanese arrangements) Many of the photos are of grand installations that I don't think most entry level gardeners would attempt. The book is - obviously - a commercial for the Pennsylvania-based gardening store of the same name.

[Katy Moustakeas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really beautiful learning guide for any level gardener. I have about 6 full grown plants right now, but with the help of some tools in this book I've started a whole propagation station in my bedroom window! Even if you don't use this book as an actual gardening book, it makes a lovely coffee table book. The photography and arrangement of this book alone is worth the money!

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

This absolutely lovely book is full of garden decorating ideas. I don’t buy many books but this one is a definite purchase option. It has directions for creating these looks at home. Inspirational. I hope it creates a resurgence in gardening instead of just lawn maintenance that happens in my part of the US.

[Stacie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird but beautiful book about decorating with natural elements. Kinda seemed like a slide show of someone’s pictures from botanical centered mixed in with scientific illustrations of plants with DIY projects thrown in. Sorta followed the seasons but then not really. Perhaps just trying to please too many people at once. I mostly looked at the pictures though. 🌸

[Mary Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keywords-ideas and inspiration. Lots of lovely photos. Geared toward gardeners and decorators in the northeast USA and Canada. 4 stars for photos, 3 stars for ideas and text. Slightly feels like an advertisement for the store in PA but they got me interested in visiting so it worked!

[Labibliotecaria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is gorgeous. It is full of inspiration and practical advice. And even though I got to review it for free, and I've checked it out from my library several times, it is very high on my purchase list. Highly recommended.

[Ariste Egan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 367 page bible of beautiful and inspiring ideas!

[Juli Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous. Tons of wonderful ideas for floral design and bringing natural materials in to the house. Excellent.

[Katherine Kutnick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Came away with so many design principles that have upped by gardening game! So happy I read this book.

[Shar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quickly skimmed. Beautiful book; may be good to have as a reference item or coffee table book.

[Patreesha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A reference book with pretty pictures.

[Peg Albrets · Rating 4 out of 5]

lovely photos and lots of great ideas

[Stephanie Harv · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full of pretty pictures, devoid of any tangible tips or realistic projects. Glad this was a library borrow and not a purchase. A nice coffee table book for a garden lover.

[Jackie Cesanek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I use this book as reference guide. So chock full of ideas for floral design. I always find it inspiring.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Camille Summers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly a coffee table book but beautiful is illustrations and some information about household plants a personal hobby.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful for gardeners and decorators. Perfect amount of text to go along with inspirational photos.