Island Life: Inspirational Interiors

I simply love this book - it's a thing of beauty. I'm surprised by some of the negative reviews which found India Hicks' decorating style bland. The style of decorating at Hibiscus Hill privileges texture over colour, and far from being "all white", it layers shades of white, cream, latté and rich dark brown with hints of muted blues, greens and soft yellows in wall color and accessories to coordinate with the warmth and patina of hardwood floors, sisal, wicker, vintage photographs and brown paper books. This combination of colour and texture has a strong vintage feel and echoes the colonial style common to all the exotic and faraway places where the British Empire left its mark: Africa, India, and parts of the Caribbean. This style is epitomised by films such as "Out of Africa" and "A Passage to India" and characterised by open plan houses surrounded with lush tropical foliage, interiors in pale tones and furnished with natural materials, vintage maps, books, globes, sepia photos, vast steamer trunks, natural specimens and exotic objet's d'art. The images in 'Island Life' are really evocative of this timeless style - India's Grandfather was the last Viceroy of India, so she has a strong sense of the enduring aesthetic appeal of colonial heritage, characterised by a synthesis of ethnic and imperialist decorating styles and shaped by the demands of tropical weather.A couple of reviewers have objected to the fact that Hicks is clearly famous and aristocratic. She is both of those things, and pretty wealthy to boot. The foreword by Ralph Lauren attests to the fact that this is a book by, and about, the preppy elite and their inimitable lifestyles. This isn't a book about interior design per se, it's a book about "island life", specifically the island lives of the Hicks Family. There are close-up pictures of pineapples and plaster work. For me this adds to the appeal. Reading this book is like taking a holiday I can't afford. Nevertheless, I don't find the tone alienating. There are some lovely and down-to-earth suggestions like wrapping old or damaged books in brown paper, displaying shells in a vintage printer's tray and using varnished plywood for a counter-top. I love the repetition of Caribbean motifs in block-print fabrics, architectural details, and the casual, worn-in elegance of the interiors.One reviewer alleges that the predominantly white decor is not conducive to coastal living, but the interiors are actually very user-friendly. Wood floors are easily swept, white fabrics wash well, and sofas and armchairs are slip-covered in durable ticking-stripe and faded florals. The pictures of India and her family frolicking at the beach or lounging in the garden actually contextualise the interiors - this is island life, where the boundary between outdoors and in is not fixed. Her children (and probably guests) obviously do come inside covered in sand and salt-water, and the houses are designed to accommodate them.My only issue with this book, and it's a small one, is that 'Savannah', the home of India's father and renowned British decorator David Hicks, doesn't match the tone of the book. Both geographically and stylistically removed from the other three buildings covered (King's Treat, The Guest House and The Cricket Pavilion, all on Harbour Island) 'Savannah' is starkly modern, with concrete slab walls and pastel interiors. According to the website, it "alludes to the clean cubism of the temple of King Zoser," an Egyptian Pharaoh. Egyptian cubism is a pretty sudden break from the rest of the book, and somewhat anticlimactic. The style doesn't appeal to me at all.Nevertheless I highly recommend this book. I borrowed it from the library a few times before I realised I needed my own copy, and now that I have one, I know it will be dog-eared and bookmarked in no time. The images are simply beautiful, and I can't stop looking at them. I'm not likely to own a colonial home in the Caribbean anytime soon, but I like the idea of incorporating some of the casual exoticism of contemporary colonial style into my own decorating sensibility.

I don't usually review decorating books. Its my view that personal taste or opinion is never right or wrong. It is merely a reflection of that person. I am reviewing this book because the other reviews indicate that India Hicks has been misunderstood by the reviewers of this book.I will offer the following comments......India Hicks has been employed as a Ralph Lauren model. The forward included in this book is written by Ralph Lauren. Therefore, I was not surprised that India has chosen to utilize the sexual metaphor in the decoration of 4 cottages.......Hibiscus Hill, Plantation Style Guest Cottage, The Landing Hotel and Savannah. Each of those cottages are available for rent. I'll give you some examples of the sexual metaphor....Her preferred materials are wood, paper and straw which I think is a sensible choice if she intends to rent the cottages. She uses either clusters of pictures (pages 52, 93, 119, 123, 146 ) or a single artwork which is a mandala ( page 186 ) to adorn the walls. The bunk beds on page 187 and the bedroom tiles on page 80 are also mandalas. The staircase is a rosy red ( page 72 ) and there are 2 studies. His is red ( page 72 ) and hers is lavender ( get it! "love end er ") page 61. The picture of the garden on page 101 has an amazing Bismarckia palm. There are plastic ( get it! "play stick") inserts at selected intervals in the book which suggests that those sections of the book were particularly fruitful for her.All cottages have magnificent water views so she has adhered to the usual rules for interior design. Pastel walls with windows that capture the view. The view is the focal point. Harmony and symmetry throughout.This book shows us that you don't have to be rich in order to be sophisticated. You can create something beautiful with paper straw and wood.

I bought this book because my new year resolution is to take mental breaks. So my new mental vacations are taken while looking through the pages of great design and decor books. This did not disappoint. Even my brother in law wanted to take a peak at it after a wild Christmas with family.

Living on the beach on the north coast of Australia, this book is just what we wanted. Great ideas and easy to obtain items. India's house is what we would call a 'Queenslander" all fresh air and sunshine, ideal for our way of life. Its a hit on our coffee table, our guests cannot put it down. Thanks India.

a lot of very nice pictures in the kind of place most of us can only dream of and at a great price

I find myself reaching for this book over and over again. In it the authors generously give us a glimpse of the life they have made on a small island in the Bahamas. With a lot of hard work and no pretension, they have gotten it mostly just right. Their houses are neither overdone nor underdone, but pleasing to the eye, soothing and liveable. Highly recommended.

I'm an interior design student and am working on building up the library in my home studio. I purchased this book because of India Hicks' reputation and because I was looking for some inspiration for Colonial Island style for a home I'm working on. While the photos are beautiful, there are very few of actual home interiors. I would reccomend it as a good photography book that captures a beautiful Carribean spirit, but that's it.

I ordered this book after coming home from a wonderful Caribbean cruise. It did not disappoint. Savoring the simple yet elegant tastes of the gilded India Hicks and her talents helped get me through this bitter cold winter and think happy thoughts.

Wonderful book,that lets you dream of a simplier island life.Evocative photos and text,all beautifully styled;wether you want this book as a reference to home decorating or just to let yourself drift away in the imagery,it is a great book .....and a lot cheaper than booking a holiday to a tropical island !

great book

I love India Hicks. She has a spareness in her design, which I think is affordable for the average person. I own one of her bed comforter sets and really like it. In my comments I am referring to her space and home design. Her jewellery and cloths look very nice too, but I have not purchased any of these.

IL LIBRO E' INTERESSANTE, RICCO DI FOTO DI BUONA QUALITA' CHE SEMBRA TI PORTINO DIRETTAMENTE IN QUELLE CASE ARREDATE CON GUSTO PRETTAMENTE COLONIALE. DA ESSO POSSIAMO TRARRE SPUNTI PER ARREDARE LA NOSTRA CASA CON LA STESSA ARMONIA.

Ein neues Buch.