Debra Prinzing is a Southern California-based writer and lecturer who specializes in interiors, architecture and landscapes.
Author of five books, including "Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways" (2008) and "The Abundant Garden" (2005), Debra's articles have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the San Diego Union-Tribune, Garden Design, Metropolitan Home, Sunset, Better Homes & Gardens, Pacific Horticulture, Seattle Homes & Lifestyles, Cottage Living, Fine Gardening and Romantic Homes magazines, among others.
Announcing GWA Silver Award of Achievement
for Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways
Garden Writers Association's 2009 Media Awards program has recently recognized Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways for achievement in three categories:
Debra Prinzing has received the Silver Award for Writing (Book);
William Wright has received the Silver Award for Photography (Book);
Clarkson Potter has received the Silver Award for Overall Product (Book).
According to an April 2009 announcement, "The Media Awards have been judged by industry experts and show significant distinction and merits that exemplify exceptional work," says Anne Marie Van Nest, president of GWA.
You can learn more about the 2009 GWA Media Awards at www.gardenwriters.org.
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Reviews, raves and recognition
for Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways
recent words of enthusiasm, from the reviewers:
Lexington (Kentucky) Herald-Leader (Ric McGee)
Author Debra Prinzing states at the beginning of her photograph-filled book that "Today's shed is a small structure designed and built for one's personal enjoyment."
She believes that we all need a place of our own where we can pursue our passions or just get away from the pressures of our primary living quarters.
The word "shed" normally conjures up images of old watering cans, grass-clipping-covered lawn mowers, and miscellaneous pest and fungicide bottles. Not so with the 28 outbuildings included in this volume, replete with more than 200 photographs by architectural and interior design photographer William Wright . . . these sheds will impress and delight.
A probable coffee table book, this one should also inspire readers to begin planning their own secluded backyard retreat.
Christian Science Monitor (Judy Lowe)
Debra Prinzing's book, Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways (Clarkson Potter, $30), showcases 28 little retreats that anyone with space and money can construct in the backyard.
As William Wright's photos show, these aren't prefab repositories of old shovels and mildewed garden gloves, but the stuff of dreams - stylish sheds and studios, and even pavilions for garden entertaining. . . . Because it's so well-written and beautifully photographed, this book has earned a permanent place on my bookshelves. I'll be leafing through (it) over and over, dreaming of the possibilities.
California Gardener Magazine
"For everyone who's dreamed of a tool shed getaway, Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways: Big Ideas for Small Backyard Destinations will provide ample inspiration. From ulta chic to down home, you'll find that it's not so much about the structure itself that makes a stylish shed as it is what you do with it. Each getaway is accompanied by a very helpful "program" that guides the reader on take-aways, creative solutions, initial inspiration and challenges. Author Debra Prinzing tells each hideaway's unique story in an engaging, readable style."
Houston Chronicle (Kathy Huber)
"Move over, shovels and mowers. The garden buildings in this handsome book are more than tool houses. They are architectural focal points and backyard sanctuaries for writing, entertaining or just taking in the view. The structures vary from an octagonal potting shed to a plant conservatory-pool house combo to a nostalgic playhouse with a grown-up point of view.
"Photographer William Wright captures 28 imaginative buildings in gardens across the country, each a personalized retreat. Several are in Texas, including a Japanese-influenced teahouse on stilts that separates people from insects."
The [Charleston] Post and Courier (Wevonneda Minis)
"If all the talk about vacationing at home has you thinking about recharging in your own backyard, there's a trend that might interest you.
"Homeowners are turning garden and tool sheds into personal spaces with big payoffs. They are looking at their old sheds while considering their potential, and they are taking their new sheds to the next level.
"These little outbuildings, typically 100-400 squrae feet, are being transformed into places to read a good book, dine with friends, create an artistic masterpiece or simply reflect on life. They are destinations that can be reached at a moment's notice without paying a dime for fuel or a dollar for baggage fees.
"The new book Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways: Big Ideas for Small Backyard Destinations, (Clarkson Potter) addresses the trend by highlighting 28 such shelters around the country. The sheds featured in the $30 book, written by Debra Prinzing and with photographs by William Wright, cover the spectrum from luxurious to modest and are found in urban, suburban and rural settings."
