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Live Beautiful
From celebrated design expert and interior designer Athena Calderone, a look into how creatives decorate their spaces
Beautiful design isn’t just pleasant to look at; it improves the quality of our lives. In Live Beautiful, the highly anticipated design book by Athena Calderone, the EyeSwoon creator taps into her international network of interior decorators, fashion designers, and tastemakers to reveal how carefully crafted interiors come together. She also opens the doors to two of her own residences.
With each homeowner, Calderone explores the initial spark of inspiration that incited their design journey. She then breaks down the details of the rooms—like layered textures and patterns, collected pieces, and customized vignettes—and offers helpful tips on how to bring these elevated elements into your own space. Filled with gorgeous photography by Nicole Franzen, Live Beautiful is both a showpiece of exquisite design and a guide to creating a home that’s thoughtfully put together.
Beautiful design isn’t just pleasant to look at; it improves the quality of our lives. In Live Beautiful, the highly anticipated design book by Athena Calderone, the EyeSwoon creator taps into her international network of interior decorators, fashion designers, and tastemakers to reveal how carefully crafted interiors come together. She also opens the doors to two of her own residences.
With each homeowner, Calderone explores the initial spark of inspiration that incited their design journey. She then breaks down the details of the rooms—like layered textures and patterns, collected pieces, and customized vignettes—and offers helpful tips on how to bring these elevated elements into your own space. Filled with gorgeous photography by Nicole Franzen, Live Beautiful is both a showpiece of exquisite design and a guide to creating a home that’s thoughtfully put together.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published March 3, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 2, 2021
I wanted to love this book. I very much like the spirit of the book, and the way the captions attempted to make the spaces relatable, and I respect that these are people's homes and that they love them. But whether or not I even think they are beautiful, they all looked so terribly uncomfortable and sterile to me. While some of the architecture in the spaces was stunning, everything was generally too stark and colorless for my tastes, and none of them felt like home to me.
May 24, 2022
This book mostly features lots of space in huge rooms with a few large pieces of furniture. I am quite sure,most people don't have homes that look like these pages. F.un to flip through
September 9, 2020
Some interesting houses, most belonging to the decorators/designers who live there. In two cases the houses were decorated for clients. There are few I could live with. I can't stand the all-too-common all-white walls. I need color. Art can live with color, as is shown in a few of these houses. I couldn't live in a house that looked too much like an art gallery. I don't like benches at the dining table; it's too hard to get into them, and if you need to get up before everybody else on the bench, it's even harder. There's also the idea that low furniture is comfortable. Until you have to struggle to get out of it with back, hip or knee problems. And as so often these days there's the mention of natural light and lots of windows. But what about at night? No natural light coming in then. Do they not have night? Do they go to bed with the sun?
I keep hoping somebody will decorate for people like me. Color. Natural wood. Curtains or good shades so I can take a nap in the daytime. Good light next to chairs and sofas so I can read. A bedside table with room for my glasses and book and not decorated/curated like an exhibit. Bookshelves with room for books and books not used to hold an art object. Not to mention books on subjects other than art, decorating and architecture.
Saying "Oliver holds hypnotic sway over you in a vividly sensorial, richly monochromatic, and tactile trance" doesn't tell me much about his decorating style. I don't want to be hypnotized and I certainly don't want to be monochromatic.
I like some of the houses. Others I wouldn't want to even visit. It's always interesting to see how others choose to live. A book is a good way to do this without having to actually experience it, though of course they don't show you everything.
The opening page for each gives the people who live there and their professions, if adult; the general location of the place, style, square footage, number of bedrooms & bathrooms and some other important rooms like office. Resources are given for antique dealer, designer or shop, favorite linens/bedding, tabletop ware, paint brand and color, online sources for decor if used (a couple of them don't do online); favorite gallery, flea market or auction house.
I keep hoping somebody will decorate for people like me. Color. Natural wood. Curtains or good shades so I can take a nap in the daytime. Good light next to chairs and sofas so I can read. A bedside table with room for my glasses and book and not decorated/curated like an exhibit. Bookshelves with room for books and books not used to hold an art object. Not to mention books on subjects other than art, decorating and architecture.
Saying "Oliver holds hypnotic sway over you in a vividly sensorial, richly monochromatic, and tactile trance" doesn't tell me much about his decorating style. I don't want to be hypnotized and I certainly don't want to be monochromatic.
I like some of the houses. Others I wouldn't want to even visit. It's always interesting to see how others choose to live. A book is a good way to do this without having to actually experience it, though of course they don't show you everything.
The opening page for each gives the people who live there and their professions, if adult; the general location of the place, style, square footage, number of bedrooms & bathrooms and some other important rooms like office. Resources are given for antique dealer, designer or shop, favorite linens/bedding, tabletop ware, paint brand and color, online sources for decor if used (a couple of them don't do online); favorite gallery, flea market or auction house.
August 28, 2020
Superficial in details
Good selection of diverse homes and styles. Goes low on details like flooring, furniture, lighting and rather focuses on the “spirit” of a house. Limited practicality if you are looking for ideas for a new house?
Good selection of diverse homes and styles. Goes low on details like flooring, furniture, lighting and rather focuses on the “spirit” of a house. Limited practicality if you are looking for ideas for a new house?
January 23, 2022
This should be the last of the interior design books to come from a batch of library requests I made a while back.
I dont know what I was looking for, but I didn't find it here.
I dont know what I was looking for, but I didn't find it here.
March 31, 2023
Lots of great eye candy here.
January 24, 2022
Definitely got some good inspiration, but god, so wholly unrelatable. Sorry, I'm just looking for inspo for a tiny home in the midwest and Laure's 19th century 4,400 sq. ft. townhouse in the east village isn't exactly helpful.
June 15, 2023
The rooms looked museum quality, like something you'd see out of Architectural Digest. I occasionally like looking at Architectural Digest, but nothing especially inspired me here. 2 "it was okay" stars.
May 31, 2022
Well, at least the name is honest: all the people depicted in this house do indeed live beautifully, and the book is an ode to living as a form of art. But whether it's practical or it has any useful implications for the rest of us is a different matter altogether.
Most of the houses belong to famous taste-makers in design and fashion, who, like Athena herself, cultivated their eye for design and aesthetics over many years of hard work. I'm sure the houses are as comfortable and practical as they are beautiful for them, because every detail has been fussed over.
As someone passionate about interior decorating and curious about the process, I hoped there would be more practical tips, but the ones sprinkled throughout weren't groundbreaking or new news.
Obsessing over every detail of your house and putting in the legwork to see suppliers, shops and antiques dealers as a full time job - as per one anecdote from Athena herself - will, indeed, enrich your house and life. It doesn't guarantee a beautiful home, but it might get you close.
Most of the houses belong to famous taste-makers in design and fashion, who, like Athena herself, cultivated their eye for design and aesthetics over many years of hard work. I'm sure the houses are as comfortable and practical as they are beautiful for them, because every detail has been fussed over.
As someone passionate about interior decorating and curious about the process, I hoped there would be more practical tips, but the ones sprinkled throughout weren't groundbreaking or new news.
Obsessing over every detail of your house and putting in the legwork to see suppliers, shops and antiques dealers as a full time job - as per one anecdote from Athena herself - will, indeed, enrich your house and life. It doesn't guarantee a beautiful home, but it might get you close.
May 15, 2021
My husband surprised me with this book, and I enjoyed it far more than I anticipated! I at first hesitated after hearing the author on a favorite podcast. Her interview didn't stick in a way that made me eager to read Live Beautiful. Coupled with countless observations of seeing Live Beautiful photographed in other shelter books and magazines - integrated into other authors' advice to decorate with books - I assumed this would be overplayed. I really was hooked though, in the same way house tours on interiors blogs can be a never-ending playground of ideas. (I listened to a few episodes of Athena's More than One Thing podcast so that the book's ethos could even more deeply sink in.)
My five star rating is perhaps a bit inflated, but I am assuming good in the overall message shared in Live Beautiful. I loved the premise to "amplify the quieter decisions," recognizing "the visual chemistry is hard to articulate." Sharing the "often invisible steps" that home-owners/designers take on is expressed as a noble pursuit here, and while there were a few "lightening rod moments" (the Giancarlo & Jane and Robin & Stephen chapters were the standouts to me) to directly apply in my own home or to encourage others to consider, this is a more painterly collection of coffee table photographs than a how-to practical guide. (Makes sense why it is a go-to book prop in other design books!) Design should always be optimistic, a genuine search to solve a problem in the constraints of a space or environment. Live Beautiful holds plenty of optimism for aspirational ways to, well, beautifully live by keeping a careful eye on the two most essential ingredients in interior design: the space & you :)
My five star rating is perhaps a bit inflated, but I am assuming good in the overall message shared in Live Beautiful. I loved the premise to "amplify the quieter decisions," recognizing "the visual chemistry is hard to articulate." Sharing the "often invisible steps" that home-owners/designers take on is expressed as a noble pursuit here, and while there were a few "lightening rod moments" (the Giancarlo & Jane and Robin & Stephen chapters were the standouts to me) to directly apply in my own home or to encourage others to consider, this is a more painterly collection of coffee table photographs than a how-to practical guide. (Makes sense why it is a go-to book prop in other design books!) Design should always be optimistic, a genuine search to solve a problem in the constraints of a space or environment. Live Beautiful holds plenty of optimism for aspirational ways to, well, beautifully live by keeping a careful eye on the two most essential ingredients in interior design: the space & you :)
June 9, 2021
felt a titch try-hard? kind of like the author was forcing poetry and ended up coming off pretentious. but there's no denying her eye for design.
August 16, 2023
I had hopes for this book as it was published fairly recently so the ideas should have somewhat of a contemporary feel--not in the style per se, but rather the overall effect of house locale, architecture and it's interior. I was disappointed. More of the same of what we see so much of now: high ceilings long tables and counters and a lot of stone, wood and glass. There were very few rooms I enjoyed, and she was using the tastes of a variety of moderner stylists. There was one couple, Robin Standerfer and Stephen Alesch who showing their home, had a very strong presence as to their individual tastes and layout. A beautiful tall window that covered a wall in their country bedroom, collectibles, both on tables and in cabinets, that showed a personal sense of style, knowledge of history and an appreciation of craftsmanship. The rest was same old same old.
I will admit that I had high hopes for this book. I have followed Ms. Calederone for years and pre-ordered her first (truly wonderful – I hope there is soon another) cookbook. I admire everything she has been able to build and have long admired her interiors. I fully expected to love this book. However .. I do not. Ms. Caledrone recently started a podcast called “More Than One Thing” and I feel like that phrase could be tweaked here to describe this book … “Not Quite Anything.”
What is Live Beautiful? I didn’t expect any kind of “how-to” book, and it's certainly not that. Nor is it an introduction to her design work. Yes, her own two homes are in it, but, at least for fans, this book does not provide any additional pictures of rooms we haven’t already seen. She is a cookbook author, and there isn’t even one full picture of her kitchen in her Hamptons home. Nor are there any other projects from her portfolio – I was frankly expecting at least one or two additional ones, especially as she has recently been describing herself first and foremost as an interior designer.
Instead, it’s a compilation of other people’s homes. However, as some of the other reviewers have commented, many of these properties have been extensively published elsewhere. They are all lovely, albeit mostly of a certain, very well-done style. Think Parisian/Euro apartments with herringbone floors and marble fireplaces which have been redone to include a lot of Serge Mouille lights and modern art, slab marble kitchen backsplashes, and simple platform beds dressed in unadorned linens. I think there is a very good chance that every one of these homes contains a bottle of Aesop hand soap. They are lovely, but rather monotonous, and even after repeated viewings I would be hard pressed to pick a page and be able to describe which property it belongs to – except for one property in the Hamptons that begins to come a little close to something featured on Hoarders.
And then, finally, there is her editorial voice. I’ve noticed this a bit in her cookbook and some of her Instagram posts. It can be a bit breathy and effusive, with a very slight tendency to wander into self-aggrandizement. Yet she still comes off as lovely and helpful (and I’m also aware here of how critical I am being … I shudder to think how someone listening to me speak might try to summarize my voice!) But here, the voice is just a bit too … much. It’s overdone and unnecessary. Ironically, because I think Ms. Calderone is a very talented designer, with a true ability to create simple, striking spaces, she cannot seem to convey ideas in simple or striking prose. A sample “Something about Copenhagen lights an incandescent fuse in me; the intersectionality of food, design, and lifestyle profoundly resonates, and I suppose it’s not surprising that several of my dearest friends hail from this sophisticated Nordic city.” Whew. All of this to introduce the home of a well-known Danish interior designer whom Ms. Calderone has not met, but rest assured “I have been in Signe’s orbit for years.” Ok then.
So what is this book? I think if you love this particular style, and you would like a coffee table book of homes in this style to flip through – this is your book. It’s very well done and wonderful to look at. But beyond that, I’m not too sure who exactly this book is for. Unfortunately, it’s not for me, but I hope that soon I am able to read another one of her cookbooks, or perhaps see some new projects that she has done.
There were some floral and oversized greenery displays I liked, but then I use those myself. What I could not understand is why she would decorate her city home and Long Island home exactly the same. How does that emphasize the locale, the light, the shape of the rooms? I was truly baffled, and that about sums up the book for me.
I will admit that I had high hopes for this book. I have followed Ms. Calederone for years and pre-ordered her first (truly wonderful – I hope there is soon another) cookbook. I admire everything she has been able to build and have long admired her interiors. I fully expected to love this book. However .. I do not. Ms. Caledrone recently started a podcast called “More Than One Thing” and I feel like that phrase could be tweaked here to describe this book … “Not Quite Anything.”
What is Live Beautiful? I didn’t expect any kind of “how-to” book, and it's certainly not that. Nor is it an introduction to her design work. Yes, her own two homes are in it, but, at least for fans, this book does not provide any additional pictures of rooms we haven’t already seen. She is a cookbook author, and there isn’t even one full picture of her kitchen in her Hamptons home. Nor are there any other projects from her portfolio – I was frankly expecting at least one or two additional ones, especially as she has recently been describing herself first and foremost as an interior designer.
Instead, it’s a compilation of other people’s homes. However, as some of the other reviewers have commented, many of these properties have been extensively published elsewhere. They are all lovely, albeit mostly of a certain, very well-done style. Think Parisian/Euro apartments with herringbone floors and marble fireplaces which have been redone to include a lot of Serge Mouille lights and modern art, slab marble kitchen backsplashes, and simple platform beds dressed in unadorned linens. I think there is a very good chance that every one of these homes contains a bottle of Aesop hand soap. They are lovely, but rather monotonous, and even after repeated viewings I would be hard pressed to pick a page and be able to describe which property it belongs to – except for one property in the Hamptons that begins to come a little close to something featured on Hoarders.
And then, finally, there is her editorial voice. I’ve noticed this a bit in her cookbook and some of her Instagram posts. It can be a bit breathy and effusive, with a very slight tendency to wander into self-aggrandizement. Yet she still comes off as lovely and helpful (and I’m also aware here of how critical I am being … I shudder to think how someone listening to me speak might try to summarize my voice!) But here, the voice is just a bit too … much. It’s overdone and unnecessary. Ironically, because I think Ms. Calderone is a very talented designer, with a true ability to create simple, striking spaces, she cannot seem to convey ideas in simple or striking prose. A sample “Something about Copenhagen lights an incandescent fuse in me; the intersectionality of food, design, and lifestyle profoundly resonates, and I suppose it’s not surprising that several of my dearest friends hail from this sophisticated Nordic city.” Whew. All of this to introduce the home of a well-known Danish interior designer whom Ms. Calderone has not met, but rest assured “I have been in Signe’s orbit for years.” Ok then.
So what is this book? I think if you love this particular style, and you would like a coffee table book of homes in this style to flip through – this is your book. It’s very well done and wonderful to look at. But beyond that, I’m not too sure who exactly this book is for. Unfortunately, it’s not for me, but I hope that soon I am able to read another one of her cookbooks, or perhaps see some new projects that she has done.
There were some floral and oversized greenery displays I liked, but then I use those myself. What I could not understand is why she would decorate her city home and Long Island home exactly the same. How does that emphasize the locale, the light, the shape of the rooms? I was truly baffled, and that about sums up the book for me.
August 3, 2023
This was a really nice time for me, as an uninitiated interior design amateur. You get to peek into many different homes (as they're not just houses). At first I was a bit taken aback by the amount of disclosure about the homeowners, as we get to see the families and we get to know their names, their kids names, their lifestyles and their jobs (mainly creative types). This is because there is a voyeuristic element to this endeavor, and I guess no peeping Tom really expects to be suddenly introduced to the object of their curiosity. That said, after awhile I started to appreciate that aspect of the book as it helped cement the idea of these being homes and it helped me visualize the kind of life that can take place in these homes. Very interesting pictures as well as text, as the author not only tells us about the family lives, but also drops a few tips here and there. That said, I wish there had been more diversity in the type of families she interviewed. A higher mix of cultures yes but also lifestyles. As those people were mostly creative (which I'm not), it seemed to my untrained palette to be a lot of two or three decorstyles being repeated throughout the books. Which is why I only give 4stars out of 5.
I recommend this to anyone who likes pretty pictures and/or interior design. I hope Ms Calderone makes more of this.
I recommend this to anyone who likes pretty pictures and/or interior design. I hope Ms Calderone makes more of this.
June 28, 2022
As far as inspirational design books go, this one is terrible. The author showcases fourteen of her wealthy friend's homes (and 2 of her own) but it's very un-relatable. As a picture book, since who doesn't like to have a peek into fancy homes, again, terrible. My sense is this works on the author's website because there's no limit to content she can upload, obviously not the case with a book. If you are still curious, strongly recommend you seek this out from your local library, would not recommend anyone purchase this book.
March 10, 2021
One of those books that is meant to be casually flipped through, rather than actually read. The writing is dull and reeks of class privilege, giving advice like “don’t settle” and “spare no expense”. If you want to look at pictures of beautiful houses owned by rich designers, where all the rooms look like an art gallery and every house has a pool, you might enjoy this. Personally, not for me.
July 15, 2023
I was hoping to be inspired, instead I was disappointed. Sure, beautiful interiors but if no one lives there, why? If a space has been styled to the point of sterility, what's the point? Who's actually living beautifully there? And SO. MUCH. TEXT. Why? (Although, I would love to see some fancy pants sit on the rebar chair on page 114.) This book annoyed me.
December 12, 2023
Excellent inspiration with many irreverent examples of how to put a room together, just don't bother reading any of it. This book has very little helpful design advice and is more a collection of the author's friends/ acquaintances and the cool stuff they look for and acquire.
This is only useful for those who already know how to design and are looking for unusual examples that work well.
This is only useful for those who already know how to design and are looking for unusual examples that work well.
August 4, 2020
Appealing interiors that are modern with an earthy twist fill this, yes, beautiful book. Although most of the homes are aspirational, Athena dissects the design themes and offers practical suggestions on how to create the vibe in your home.
January 18, 2023
Probably more suited to interior designers rather than average-joe me who was looking for inspiration. The houses are huge so unrelatable. Again, the language is more suited to someone with design knowledge. Beautiful photography
May 29, 2020
Beautiful book. But the author and me have so different styles.
April 20, 2021
Love
Loved the detail and designs featured by the author and how she explained how the styles all were put together
Loved the detail and designs featured by the author and how she explained how the styles all were put together
September 9, 2021
Beautiful and peaceful photos of a variety of houses. Unfortunately not one of the houses looks like someone actually lives there. No real accessible advice for creating a home.
January 4, 2022
Residential interiors of designers. A stunning collection with good variety of styles. Definitely not accessible for the everyday person, but a lovely collection of visuals and modern inspiration.
January 16, 2022
Superbly arranged. Perfect balance of technical and artistic commentary on some expertly executed spaces.
February 11, 2022
Absolutely beautiful and inspiring
March 20, 2022
Absolutely gorgeous interiors and lots of design tips. Definitely a book you can read over and over. Only thing missing were the gardens/exteriors.
June 19, 2022
Exquisite interiors, beautifully photographed. Calm, luxe and volupte
September 5, 2022
3.5
An inspiring look into some beautiful homes. Not sure how much I can replicate in mine, but the pictures were beautiful and the stories behind the designs were fun to read.
An inspiring look into some beautiful homes. Not sure how much I can replicate in mine, but the pictures were beautiful and the stories behind the designs were fun to read.
June 1, 2023
Lovely photos. Did not see any rooms that will inspire my next home.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews