8In the work of interior designer Suzanne Tucker, art and artifact collections are displayed to best advantage for daily enjoyment by their owners, custom-mixed wall colors are set off by richly sensual textiles and forms, and inherited pieces are blended with newly found treasures to bestow a subtle aura of age and permanence. She uses her extensive knowledge of antiques and the decorative arts to create finely detailed, inviting rooms that perfectly complement both their architectural setting and their owners' personality.

Always looking to the "bones" of a structure first, Tucker works from the outside in to ensure that a house remains true to the conventions of its style while its functions suit a contemporary lifestyle and sensibility. Superb interior architecture, delicate finishes, and fine furnishings are introduced and layered to form spaces that are balanced, fluid, and comfortable, whether in historically significant properties or modern wine country estates. She brings her perceptive ability to create truly unique, tailored spaces--amassed over years as the protégé of the legendary Michael Taylor as well as from her own extensive travels and twenty-three years as a principal of her firm--to each project. She maintains that even the most exquisite pieces of furniture and art can, and should, be arranged throughout a space in an accessible way to serve the needs of the people who inhabit it.

This lavishly illustrated presentation showcases Tucker's diverse and site-specific styles in twenty projects, ranging from formal Mediterranean-style villas to sophisticated city apartments and airy Napa Valley retreats to rustic mountainside houses. Personal, engaging commentary reveals her spirited nature, many sources of inspiration, creative process, and valuable tips that can be applied to interiors of any age, style, or mood.