‘Stunning photography makes it the perfect coffee-table book to transport you from a gloomy day in the city straight to the seaside’ – Vogue

This book marries Stafford Cliff’s unerring eye with the remarkable photography of Gilles de Chabaneix to present a catalogue of opportunities for getting the best out of a life by and on the sea. Contains five chapters - Seaside Architecture surveys many types of building specifically associated with the sea, The Extended Aspect - a richly illustrated account on how seaside and seafront dwellers have approached the problem of linking habitations with the sea itself. Seaside Colours & Materials looks at the creative use of the colours, materials and textures we traditionally associate with the sea. Washed Up looks at opportunities to use the rich pickings of the seashore and coastal waters to practical and decorative effect. Life Afloat is a sequence of images of the ultimate experiences of living by the sea: from houses actually built out over the water to life aboard private boats. Hardback with jacket. 256pp. 250 colour illustrations. 23.5 x 22cm

Inspiring book by Jo Denbury. Far more than a showcase of aspirational get-aways, this book is about discovering your personal sanctuary - be it an Airstream camper in the desert or a treehouse at the bottom of the garden - somewhere to escape to that is all your own. Hardcover, 144 pages, 250 colour photographs. 235 x 228 mm.

Many people dream of living by water. Lakeside, riverside and seaside settings, be they rural or urban, can be soothing and energizing. This book is an evocative celebration of waterside homes – large and small, formal and funky, old and new – from around the world. Ranging from a houseboat on the Seine in Paris to a log cabin in Maine, the homes have features in common. They share an architecture and interior design that are in tune with the waterside setting, with a choice of colours, furniture and artefacts that brings the qualities of water indoors – whether it is a still life of pebbles and driftwood or a palette of blues, soft greens and greys. Waterside Living combines atmospheric images by Jan Baldwin with a perceptive text by Leslie Geddes-Brown to explain the allure of life by the water and all it offers – from cooking and eating in the open air to simply relaxing. Hardcover, 144 pages, 300 colour photographs. 254 x 216 mm

Glittering turquoise waters, palm trees swaying in the breeze... going barefoot in the sand is almost a primal urge. But after hours of planes, trains and automobiles, an amazing beach isn’t enough, we also want an amazing hotel – somewhere that captures the essence of its location in design, ambience and cuisine. On the shores of six continents, each of these Hip Hotels expresses the uniqueness of its setting – a hidden cove on the south coast of Cornwall – the volcanic island of Santorini – an ecological reserve on Mexico’s Pacific Coast – the new Hotel Hi in Nice...

Photographer and writer Herbert Ypma grew up on three continents, and misspent several years of his youth as a champion windsurfer and dedicated beach bum. HIP HOTELS: BEACH is the latest volume in his bestselling series. Paperback with flaps. 256pp. 511 illustrations, 396 in colour. 24x20cm

Barbecuing is one of our favourite ways to cook, the food tastes great and it's a sociable way to entertain. Sydney-based Louise Pickford provides delicious and easy recipes to help you make the most of your barbie. 64 pages. 19 x 19cm

From salads to breads and dips, and from meat and poultry to sweet things and drinks, these simple recipes will help you create the perfect alfresco feast. 64 pages. 19 x 19cm

'Profiles the rise of this swimwear staple with plenty of sumptuous pictures including iconic images of bikini-clad Marilyn Monroe, Ursula Andress and Brigitte Bardot' - Time Out

Sexy and scandalous, the bikini heralded a revolution in swimwear and the perception of the female form. This lavish volume lays bare the recent history of the bikini, from its first appearance on French beaches in 1946 to the vanishing small strings of today. Here are: Hollywood\'s pinups of the 1950s; Bond girls rising from the sea; Raquel Welch, Annette Funicello, Brigitte Bardot; the itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny styles of the 1960s; the monokini, tankini, bandini and V-kini. It may be strappy or sporty, sexy or slinky - but the bikini is always about beauty. Great coffee table book and one the men will enjoy too. Flexibound PLC (no jacket). 400pp. 286 illustrations, 175 in colour. 21x15cm