This Is Home

Designer Marks's second book celebrates his relaxed and refined interiors inspired by the stylish ease and laid-back coastal feel of Southern California.

Since the launch of his first book and hit TV Show Million Dollar Decorators, Jeffrey Alan Marks has married and become a father. His growing family grounds his new book, a celebration of the idea of home as represented in ten houses, bookended by his own on the West and East Coasts. Marks believes a home must reflect the way its inhabitants want to live, their unique perspective, and how they approach their lives. Trained in England, Marks has long had a deep and profound architectural crush on the British vernacular, which creates a pleasing interplay with his Southern California roots. The result: homes that feel layered and dramatic, but always comfortable.

The homes explored in the book include his 1925 beach cottage in Montecito; a clean Bahamian compound open to the azure seas; a working Los Angeles horse farm; and Marks's new family home in Greenwich, Connecticut. Along the way Marks shares key bits of advice for creating the looks. Tailored yet comfortable is key, as Marks mixes antiques with contemporary pieces for a look that is entirely unique.