Prominent Italian-born interior designer Alessandra Branca explores her design sense and provides invaluable guidance to anyone who wants a home that is beautiful, original and livable. For Alessandra Branca, living means living comfortably. She learned early on that beauty is meant to intermingle with everyday life and to this day her interior designs, while abiding by classical principles, comfortably accommodate her clients' lifestyles. 'You can't just do something that looks pretty', she says, 'it has to work'. In this book, the designer - based in Chicago - generously reveals her step-by-step creative process, offering invaluable guidance to anyone who wants a home that is both gorgeous and livable. Beginning with her own Chicago townhouse and interweaving insights drawn from several other prominent projects, she shows how she assesses each space's form and function, selects foundation elements, chooses furniture and lighting and finally, incorporates decorative elements that reflect the resident's personality.