Book excerpt: An elegant manifesto for Rose Tarlow’s approach of blending the personal with the aesthetic to create timeless, beautiful spaces. One of the most influential designers working in America, Rose Tarlow’s signature approach is as much an emotional matter as it is one of color, light, fabric, and furniture. This essential book encourages readers to decorate with elegance and personal style through simple principles of creative design that are appropriate to any home. Finely designed in a modest size, the book is powerful in its intimacy, offering insights into the mind of a master designer—as well as a glimpse into some of the extraordinary homes she has created. Long out of print, the book is republished in its entirety from the original edition of 2001—with photography from Oberto Gili, Derry Moore, and Tim Street-Porter, among others—and updated with new images and a new afterword by the author. The Private House is a classic of modern interior design and an inspiration to creative homeowners.