Etcetera: Creating Beautiful Interiors with the Things You Love

by Sibella Court

A master interior stylist and designer for Anthropologie provides unique inspiration for becoming the curator of your own style and creating evocative rooms full of texture, color, and imagination  Packed with tips of the interior stylist's trade, this is a lavishly photographed interiors book in which every image demonstrates a clear and easily replicable principle that will help transform a room without the need for expensive and permanent renovation. Sibella Court's style is very global, combining contemporary elements with antiques and junk-shop finds, textile fragments, wallpapers, collectibles, and ephemera. This beautiful guide draws on five of Sibella's favorite color themes as a framework for the display of her impeccable eye for detail. Each section will draw the reader into Sibella's world of color and texture, through inspirational room settings to the most intimate of details.

Genres: Design, Nonfiction, Interior Design, Art, Lifestyle, Photography, Reference

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Sibella Court is an interior stylist & creative director: from vision & concept through to direction & creation. Her most recent spaces for private clients & the Merivale Group include El Loco, 30 Knots, Upstairs at The Beresford, MsG’s, York 75, Bistrode CBD and Private Dining at Ivy.

She returned home to Sydney to launch her brand and shop, The Society inc., after 15 years living & working in New York. Her store is home to hardware & haberdashery & treasures collected globetrotting & adventuring into terrains less trodden.

In New York she was styling in demand for retail giants Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s, Saks on Fifth Ave, Pottery Barn, Target and West Elm as well as publications Gourmet, Marie Claire and Vogue Living. Sibella travels between her two homes regularly for jobs & inspiration. Her projects have been vast including concept, design and styling for commercial and residential interiors, magazine & advertising shoots, catalogues and product design with a nail polish, hardware and 110-colour paint range under The Society inc.

Her wanderlust has seen her accumulate over twenty years of global inspiration from trips frequenting South East Asia, India, Europe, the Middle East, the States, Central America and Australia (and that’s just in the last year). She travels alone, with the Anthropologie inspiration team & because she is a nomad.

Sibella is a best-selling author: award-winning, ‘Etcetera etc: creating beautiful interiors with the things you love’, ‘The Stylist’s Guide to NYC’ and ‘Nomad: bringing your travels home’ due for release globally in November. She has written extensively for publications such as CountryStyle, Grazia, Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue Living as a feature writer & contributing editor.

A history degree allows Sibella a unique foundation on which to combine research, travel & inspiration into projects that are unique, magical & unexampled.

Reviews

[Melanie Rippon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully atmospheric book showcasing Sibella’s theatrical, globally/naturally-inspired magpie/collector style. Arranged around colour palettes - Foundation; Indigo Blues; Travellers & Magicians; Paperwhites; Tradewinds. I dip into it time & time again just to browse the pictures & travel in my imagination. My one criticism is that the text itself is NOT always easy to read, depending on the font & background. Which is why, despite the fact I’ve had it on my bookshelf for a decade with no plans to get rid of it any time soon, it gets 3 stars not 4....

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a gorgeous book. The texture of the paper, the beautiful photos...even the smell of it (brown paper scent makes me think of school) creates a very sensual book reading experience. I absolutely love it.

[Frances Coe · Rating 5 out of 5]

My fave book in the world that I am forever dipping in and out of. Love this tactile book of deliciousness

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The photos are beautiful and there's some great ideas for decorating.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite stylists. A beautiful composition of photographs and styles.

[Linda Carraro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Da fogliare, da riempirsi gli occhi di bellezza, da prendere ispirazione

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decorating is, or should be, such a personal thing so reviewing a decorating book often is about whether the book speaks to your soul. I like this book, but I don't love it, I don't think it is gorgeous or even think it is a work of art. Positively, Sibella Court encourages individuality, which is so lacking in our society today. She encourages collections, finding and displaying the beauty of simple every day items. I do love that. The major item I will take from the book is displaying the beauty of clothes. Using clothes to create a mood. That is a great idea.

The negatives are probably more for the publisher than Court, I just hate books with difficult to read fonts, words placed on odd color papers. It just makes the book hard to read for people with visual difficulties. Practicality is important, concern for the reader trumps artistic effect. If you are a true artist you should be able to provide an easily read book! Please Sibella Court consider your readers in your future books!

[Relyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have this growing frugal streak. So, one of my frugal living rules is that I don't buy any book that I haven't read before and loved. It should be noted that our home is already full to bursting with over 2,400 books at last count. As you can see, this is not an unreasonable rule. Anyway. I have to have loved it, thought about it repeatedly, and be sure I will read it again.

I own it. Does it tell you anything when I say that I bought her second book, The Life of a Bowerbird WITHOUT reading it?

[Nicoll Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

if i had a bible this would be it!!!!!!!!! Sibella Court, fellow bowerbird has a style that unique as any person who loves clutter of historical and social interest........... I want a home of brimming with inspiration and a reflection of my personality not a magazine house

[Jennifer Sowle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a lot of meaty text, and much of it hard to read because of the font and layout, but what a beautiful book! It has given me several decorating ideas, and has made me look at objects, especially textiles, with a new eye.

[Alla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully made book. Even if it's content is not quite your thing, hold it, look at it, spend some time with it. It's a work of art. From the style of the pictures to the smell of the paper and the sound the signatures make when you try to open it flat.

[Jade17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most beautiful book I've ever read & will continue to read & peruse in the coming years. I love Court's insight into interiors - her use of colours & her very interesting collections.

[Aubrey]

This was a beautiful cozy book to flip through over a cup of tea. I like the affordable ideas I've gotten from it too.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is SUCH a beautiful book - the feel of it, it's construction (like a handmade book), the photos... *sigh*
a constant source of inspiration!

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only design book I will ever need. Love it.

[Lorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goodness what a book. Finally someone who likes what I like, looking wonderful so far.

[Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Graphically stunning book. Beautiful! Chocked with great ideas to inspire and borrow.

[Sass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stunningly illustrated and laid out, an inspirational creative book

[Gervy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning.

[Simona Ferrero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible idea.. the book is unbelievable.. so rich of life and ideas.. the coposition it's so brilliant.. the materials, the photo.. the suggestions.. i adored it!!!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous and inspiring.

[Debgal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great ideas of a funky nature - I found some new inspiration for my art.