Marcia Iwatate is one of the leading professionals in the Japanese design and food industry. She is the author of Eat.Work.Shop., and the co-author of Japan Houses and Shunju: New Japanese Cuisine, which won a James Beard Award in 2004.

Kim Unsoo was born in Korea and educated in the United States. She has worked in the contemporary art field in both New York and Seoul. She lives in Seoul with her husband and two children.

These books offer two different views of vernacular Asian style and its incorporation into modern residential dcor. Freelance writer Lim introduces Chinese furniture and accessories for amateur decorators rather than connoisseurs. In the first half, she defines Chinese style, describes products made for export, and identifies authentic antiques. In the latter half, she shows in color photographs homes that have successfully used Chinese decorative accessories and concludes with a resources section and a glossary.

Iwatate (Japan Houses ) and art exhibitor Unsoo show how vernacular Korean home design and decoration with its regard for "[s]implicity, moderation, constraint, and a deep respect for all things natural" has been incorporated into the 20-plus contemporary commercial and residential buildings visited here. An introduction chronicles Korean residential style and discusses how it evolved into the styles depicted in color photographs. Both books are recommended for large interior design collections and where there is an interest in Asian style; Lim's book is recommended for public libraries with its practical decorating advice.

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