Two homes bring the approach into focus—his West Village apartment and his upstate New York place—because they show what happens when the client is also the designer. The rooms read as lived-in without feeling casual: sculptural lighting, furniture with strong silhouettes, custom pieces alongside vintage, and art that isn’t treated like an accessory.

The palette leans toward clean neutrals and deeper grays, warmed up by texture, finish, and the occasional crisp hit of color. Photographed by Stephen Kent Johnson, the spaces come through with depth and quiet confidence—the kind of interiors you can imagine inhabiting, not just looking at.

The book moves through a series of residences across cities like New York, Shanghai, São Paulo, Berlin, Paris, Antwerp, and Québec City. What connects them is not style, but position. At this height, views become structural elements, and interiors often respond by turning inward—through material choices, light control, and carefully defined zones.

Many of the spaces featured are the personal homes of architects and designers. That detail matters. These are not speculative showpieces, but places shaped by long-term living. You see how designers handle separation from the street, how they soften scale, and how they introduce intimacy into spaces surrounded by glass and skyline.

Projects range from the near-monastic calm of São Paulo apartments to highly specific interiors like the Tribeca penthouse with its dark, enclosed media room—nicknamed the “vampire speakeasy”—designed as a counterpoint to the openness outside. Elsewhere, unused roof volumes are turned into layered living spaces, or entire upper floors are given over to leisure and social life.

Rather than presenting penthouses as symbols of luxury, Penthouse Syndrome treats them as a distinct housing condition. The book focuses on how people actually inhabit these elevated spaces, and what vertical living reveals about comfort, control, and contemporary ideas of home.

Informative texts provide an in-depth analysis of each style, helping readers understand and easily recognize different traits of interior design through real-world examples, including homes in New York, Italy, and the tropics. Published by Phaidon, Defining Style: The Book of Interior Design is written by Joan Barzilay Freund and features an introduction by Asad Syrkett. Additionally, a visual directory allows readers to better understand each style and see the connecting threads that link different décor types.

Among the 250 images, readers can admire homes as different as traditional villas and historic palaces in Venice to rural houses in Sicily or sophisticated apartments in Milan. Examples include residences created by Carlo Scarpa, Alvisi Kirimoto, Serena Mignatti, Alessandro Mendini, and award-winning film director Luca Guadagnino. The 250 images capture the artistic flair and variety of Italian interior design, with homes ranging from minimalist to maximalist and from traditional to mid-century modern. Published by Phaidon, Italian Interiors: Rooms with a View is printed in an oversized format and comes with an elegant acetate jacket.

The book spotlights design powerhouses such as Hay, Ferm Living, and Frama, illustrating their role in infusing Danish design with new warmth and vitality while respecting classic Scandinavian aesthetics. It explores the fusion of art and décor in Finnish home textiles by Klaus Haapeniemi and Kustaa Saksi, and delves into the meticulous revival of forgotten furniture by Copenhagen’s Gubi. Oslo’s Kneip designers bring nature into the narrative through their sculptures, symbolizing the harmonious relationship between Nordic architecture and its environment.

The book is more than a showcase of beautiful transformations; it’s a practical guide, offering inspiring solutions and ideas. It demonstrates how altering floor plans, adding modern extensions, or undertaking smart refurbishments can unlock the hidden potential in any house, turning it into a sought-after residence. With captivating imagery and detailed floor plans, “Upgrade Your House” is an invaluable resource for architects, designers, and homeowners alike, filled with practical tips for those looking to revitalize their living spaces without overspending.