Evelegh, Tessa

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Evelegh, Tessa

PERSONAL: Female.

ADDRESSES: Home—London, England. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Lorenz Publishing, Hermes House, 88-89 Blackfriars Rd., London SE1 8HA, England.

CAREER: Designer specializing in interiors, crafts, plants, and flowers; also an artist and photographic stylist.

WRITINGS:

Easter: A Spring Celebration of Traditional Crafts and Recipes, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1994.

The Easter Book: Celebration Recipes, Gifts, and Decorations, Conran Octopus (London, England), 1994.

(With Alison Jenkins) Creative Nature Crafts: Use Nature's Bounty to Make Beautiful Gifts and Decorations, Courage Books (Philadelphia, PA), 1995.

Essential Shaker Style, Sterling (New York, NY), 1995.

(With others) Glorious Country: Food Crafts Decorating, Lorenz Books (London, England), 1995.

(With Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell) The Pumpkin Carving Book: How to Create Glowing Lanterns and Seasonal Displays, Lorenz Books (London, England), 1996.

(With Debbie Patterson) Lavender: Practical Inspirations for Natural Gifts, Country Crafts, and Decorative Displays, Lorenz Books (London, England), 1996.

The Decorated Garden Room: Interior Design for Your Outside Living Space, Lorenz Books (London, England), 1996.

Country Crafts: Creative Ideas for Decorations, Displays, and Gifts on a Country Theme, Smithmark Publishers (New York, NY), 1996.

Colorful Hanging Baskets and Other Containers, Sterling (New York, NY), 1997.

Country Crafts and Cooking: Inspirational Ideas for Natural Gifts, Decorations, and Recipes, Lorenz Books (London, England), 1997.

Simple Home Style, Watson-Guptill (New York, NY), 1998.

Summer Wild Crafts: Inspirational Projects Harvested from Nature, Lorenz Books (London, England), 1998.

Winter Wildcrafts: Inspirational Projects Harvested from Nature, Lorenz Books (London, England), 1998.

A Year in the Country, Lorenz Books (London, England), 1999.

Easter: A Celebration: Beautiful Ideas for Springtime Festivities, Hermes House (London, England), 1999.

(With Peter McHoy) The Practical Encyclopedia of Garden Planning, Design, and Decoration, Lorenz Books (London, England), 2000.

Sheer Style, Laurel Glen (San Diego, CA), 2000.

Table Settings: 100 Inspirational Stylings, Themes, and Layouts, Lorenz Books (London, England), 2000.

The Garden Room: How to Design and Decorate Your Outside Living Space, Southwater Books (London, England), 2000.

Fresh Flower Displays, Lorenz Books (London, England), 2000.

The Garden Decorating Book, Lorenz Books (London, England), 2000.

Decorating Your Garden: Creative Ideas for Transforming Your Outdoor Living Space, Lorenz Books (London, England), 2000.

Table Stylings: Inspirational Settings and Decorative Themes for Your Table, Lorenz Books (London, England), 2000.

Bringing Nature In—Summer: Inspirational Projects That Celebrate Seasonal Abundance, Southwater Books (London, England), 2001.

Bringing Nature In—Winter: Inspirational Projects That Celebrate Nature's Seasonal Abundance, Southwater Books (London, England), 2001.

Spice Crafts: Inspirations for Gifts, Crafts and Displays, Lorenz Books (London, England), 2001.

Herbcrafts: Practical Inspirations for Natural Gifts, Country Crafts, and Decorative Displays, Lorenz Books (London, England), 2002.

Color in Your Home, North Light Books (Cincinnati, OH), 2002.

(With others) Country Inspirations: A Treasury of Creative Ideas, with Timeless Appeal, Southwater Books (London, England), 2002.

Decorations for the Garden: Simple Ways to Enhance Your Outdoor Space (Homecrafts), Lorenz Books (London, England), 2002.

A Walk in the Country: Natural Displays and Creations for Every Season, Lorenz Books (London, England), 2002.

The Perfect Garden: Finishing Touches and Fabulous Effects, Hermes House (London, England), 2002.

Table Chic: The Art of Table Dressing, Step by Step, Southwater Books (London, England), 2002.

The Outdoor Decorator: Inspirational Ideas for the Garden, Southwater Books (London, England), 2003.

Five Hundred Decorating Tips for the House & Garden, Lorenz Books (London, England), 2003.

Seasonal Celebrations: Inspirational Ideas to Mark the Changing Seasons, Lorenz Books (London, England), 2003.

Household Wisdom: Traditional Housekeeping for the Contemporary Home, Lorenz Books (London, England), 2003.

Six Hundred Decorating Tips and Finishing Touches, Hermes House (London, England), 2003.

Table Magic: How to Create Fabulous Table Settings, Aquamarine (London, England), 2004.

House Beautiful Window Workshop, Hearst Books (New York, NY), 2004.

House Beautiful Decorating School, Hearst Books (New York, NY), 2004.

House Beautiful Floors and Walls Workshop, Hearst Books (New York, NY), 2005.

House Beautiful Small-Space Decorating Workshop, Hearst Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Contributor to periodicals, including the London Sunday Times, Telegraph Magazine, Inspirations, and Period Living.

SIDELIGHTS: Tessa Evelegh is an artist, photographic stylist, and designer who specializes in home style, crafts, and garden ideas. As an author, she has written or contributed to more than forty books on home décor and gardening topics. Beginning with 1994's Easter: A Spring Celebration of Traditional Crafts and Recipes, Evelegh has produced books covering such diverse subjects as pumpkin carving, hanging baskets, lavender, table settings, and housekeeping. The decorator and author also has written a number of books on gardening, with a special emphasis on how to turn a garden area into an outdoor living space.

In 2004 Evelegh began writing a series of instructional style books in association with the magazine House Beautiful. The first, House Beautiful Window Workshop, discusses window treatment options, window architecture, fabric, hardware, and tiebacks. The text is augmented with large photographs, definitions, and tips on saving money. A number of critics lauded Evelegh's efforts, noting that the author educates readers without pushing a particular style or approach to décor. "Evelegh's clear, straightforward text does not attempt to convince readers there are any must-dos," wrote one reviewer for Publishers Weekly.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Flower & Garden, November 1999, Amy Engelhardt, review of Colorful Hanging Baskets and Other Containers, p. 10.

Library Journal, September 15, 2004, Gayle Williamson, review of House Beautiful Window Workshop, p. 56; January 1, 2005, Gayle Williamson, review of House Beautiful Decorating School, p. 106.

Publishers Weekly, May 31, 2004, review of House Beautiful Window Workshop, p. 70.