Howard Slatkin’s philosophy is that a home should be a deeply personal refuge that gives pleasure and comfort, and in this book he shows everyone how this is done.

In this gorgeously illustrated volume, Slatkin, an interior designer and founder of the iconic home-fragrance and lifestyle brand Slatkin & Co., opens the doors of his legendary Fifth Avenue apartment and invites readers to accompany him on an intimate tour. Along the way he shares his practical—and often ingenious—methods for creating unique, personal rooms, shows how to make them comfortable and functional as well as beautiful, and reveals his secrets to entertaining with ease and flair.

Photographer Tria Giovan’s exceptional photography reveals how Howard Slatkin’s apartment—and any home—can achieve a level of sophisticated calm through careful lighting and floor planning, clever arrangement of furniture, and decorative display of personal collections of family photographs and objects. Drawing upon twenty-five years as a leading designer and tastemaker, Slatkin shows how rooms should flow naturally, how to create an intimate feeling, and how to find imaginative solutions for turning awkward spaces and limitations into assets. In Slatkin’s hands, a simple length of rope is transformed into a decorative molding, a claustrophobic passageway becomes home to a collection of blue-and-white porcelains, a kitchen evolves into a room fit for a St. Petersburg palace, and a living room turns into an exotic aviary of multihued birds. Using decorative finishes, tile, and salvaged architectural elements, Slatkin has created a memorable home that is the perfect backdrop for entertaining.