Literature inspires interior design

Mining the details written by literary greats such as Henry James, F. Scott Fitzgerald — and other authors of more than 60 classic works of literature — Borgnes Giramonti offers up ways to bring those small touches to your home.

“It was dawn now on Long Island and we went about the house opening the rest of the windows downstairs, filling the house with grey-turning, gold-turning light,” wrote F. Scott Fitzgerald in “The Great Gatsby.”

Fitzgerald, for example, knew how to describe a room in all its glam splendor and in response to this passage, Borgnes Giramonti suggests that gold and silver can be mixed in a room. Metallics are now considered neutrals. In light rooms gold and silver shimmer, she says. In dark rooms, they are a source of illumination, casting an ethereal glow.

Using a collection of homes photographed by Ivan Terestchenko, Borgnes Giramonti identifies the literary references in each room and illustrates ways to make them your own.

The book also offers tips on various design challenges such as layering patterns or displaying flowers. You’ll also find tips on throwing parties, designing children’s rooms, and creating a stately home (hint: invest in house stationery and glass wine decanters).

With January home sales on the horizon, it is a good time to decide if your home needs an upgrade.

This book offers lots of inspiration, even if literature isn’t quite your thing.