Inspiration for Feathering One’s Nest

America’s nesting instinct rages on, and so does the publishing industry’s desire to cash in on it. But don’t get too cynical about all those home-design picture books that may seem to serve little purpose. We’ve just read a batch of them, and find ourselves feeling inspired and enlightened. In fact, someone on your holiday gift list might enjoy receiving one of the new selections.

“Flea Market Style: Decorating With a Creative Edge,” by Emelie Tolley and Chris Mead (Clarkson N. Potter Inc., $30)

Don’t confuse flea market finds with junk. Equate them with individuality and elegance, the authors say. A huge old iron urn from the lawn of a defunct hotel can be topped with a round of glass to become an eye-stopping indoor table. The creamy, type-filled pages of discarded books can lend pattern and texture when used as wallpaper in a hallway or nook. (Explicit “how-to” instructions are included.) An old metal gate becomes a fire screen. And family photos taken generations ago can be photocopied, with the copies framed in flea market finds to decorate a wall. A boring bathroom? Try painting the frame of a big, old wood mirror that used to top someone’s bedroom bureau. Hang it over your bathroom sink. This book is filled with good ideas for using objects that you might normally pass up because you didn’t realize their potential.

“Junk Style” by Melanie Molesworth (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $27.50)

The author’s principles of living with junk: “It doesn’t have to match. (Four different wooden chairs from the same era make an enchanting set.) Don’t get attached to an object’s original function. (Yesterday’s fruit crate is today’s herb planter.) White cures all ills. (Paint really junky items a soft white.)” We agree with that much. But some ideas in this book go beyond the pale. Only those with a real artist’s eye would risk furnishing in the manner shown here, with items that are chipped, cracked, rusting, peeling and flaking. Molesworth even suggests: “On walls, old layers of wallpaper and paint can be partially scraped back to reveal the decors chosen by generations of previous occupants.” Sorry, but even after studying the artful photo of such a wall, we don’t think so.

“Mexicolor: The Spirit of Mexican Design” by Melba Levick, Tony Cohan, Masako Takahashi (Chronicle Books, $24.95)

If you’ve been there, you know. Mexico dazzles; Mexico is color. “In Mexico, every color goes with every other color,” the authors say. It is this “adventure of disorder” that determines the vibrancy of almost everything one sees, from a striped serape to a Mexican kitchen. The photos reflect the joy of living amid such sizzle. Brilliantly painted interiors and exteriors, patios and fountains, ceramic tiles and glass--even the colors of handmade dolls and544499813at home.

“Classic Style” by Judith Miller (Simon & Schuster Editions, $35)

Miller writes that, even today, many of the world’s most beautiful homes are based on architecture and design that harken back to Classical principles of ancient Greece and Rome. And she ought to know. As author of the hugely successful “Miller’s International Antiques Price Guide” and many books on period style, she is an expert on elegance, both indoors and out. From the carved lion’s head gracing Bill Blass’ striped silk daybed in New York to the Regency chaise and Aubusson carpet in a North Wales living room, you can almost taste the essence of classic style. But you may never be able to afford it.

“Rustic Style” by Ralph Kylloe (Harry N. Abrams Inc. $39.95)

Got a yen for a cabin in the woods or a little house on the prairie? Then look into this book of surprisingly beautiful furniture made of twigs, bark, tree limbs, antique oars and all sorts of natural products of forest and field. Those who know about such things (i.e., the author--it’s his sixth book on the subject) understand the pure artistry involved. But even a casual reader who shuns the outdoors might applaud the warmth and charm of a home filled with nature’s discarded wonders utilized so magnificently by man.

“Deruta: A Tradition of Italian Ceramics.” Text by Elizabeth Helman Minchilli, photos by Susie Cushner and David Hamilton (Chronicle Books, $35)

Deruta is a small Italian hill town where for six centuries residents have made a certain kind of brilliantly painted and glazed ceramic. Earliest examples of this decorative work, called majolica, are in the world’s great museums. Contemporary pieces are sold worldwide, although most are exported to America. This well-written and beautifully illustrated book is a portrait of much more than the pottery. It is a fascinating tableau of timeless artistry and artisans, of continuous devotion to a single craft, and of nature itself. Although this looks like a typical coffee-table picture book, “Deruta” is actually an interesting slice of human creative life.

“Greene & Greene Masterworks” by Bruce Smith and Alexander Vertikoff (Chronicle Books, $40)

No words or pictures can adequately transmit the spirit of life in houses designed by Charles and Henry Greene. But this book tries valiantly. It surveys 25 masterpiece houses crafted by the brothers in the early 1900s, mostly in the Pasadena area, and it tells how each came to be built. With lush long shots and close-ups of woodwork, stonework, lighting fixtures, tiles, furniture and gardens designed by the pair, it attempts to show their brilliant use of natural texture, shape, space and light. Those who already admire the architects’ work will find this an interesting addition to the literature on these pioneers of the Arts and Crafts era. But we’re still waiting for the documentary film.

“Decorating Your Garden: Inspired Ways to Use Ornamental Objects and Furnishings Outdoors,” by Pat Ross (Time-Life Books, $34.95)

The title says it all. Even the birds and butterflies who visit your place will thank you for reading this book. It’s nothing more than lavish photos of various gardens, into which lovely man-made objects have been put. Found art, sculpture, statuary, rocks, fountains, mirrors and furniture are all lovingly and artistically placed in settings that soothe the eye and the soul. If there’s a gardener in your crowd who has everything, this might make the right gift.

“Modern Essentials” by Rozemarijn de Witte, photographs by Hotze Eisma (Soma Books, $35)

Selecting subtle colors and simple shapes, the author offers a refreshing definition of what modern means. Nothing contrived or jarring to the senses here--just an overview of some good furniture design and serene color palettes that seem to relax you as you look at them. Think how sweet they would be to come home to.