Prune Stacks: The 1979 design book obsessed with every last detail

Welcome to the first edition of PRUNE STACKS, a look inside a beloved book from the Prune library. Some full-page scans (previewed above) are included at the end of the article for paying Prune subscribers.

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Tyler Watamanuk on Herbert H. Wise’s Attention to Detail.

I’m not entirely sure when this book entered my collection, but I’m grateful that the dull, gray cover caught my eye enough to pick it up. Attention to Detail is as in-the-weeds an interiors book as they come. I’d place it squarely in the category of books meant for interior designers, stylists, art directors, my fellow Virgos, and anyone else inclined to sweat the small stuff.

To give a sense of its granular devotion, in the introduction alone, Wise dedicates no fewer than seven paragraphs to the story of selecting a kitchen sink for the remodel of a friend’s home. He carefully lays out the aesthetic and practical merits—and shortcomings—of porcelain versus stainless steel. Porcelain, he explains, comes in fixed designs, carries a higher price tag, and is not especially durable. Meanwhile, stainless steel is more affordable and customizable, but can quickly look messy if water spots aren’t meticulously wiped away. He goes on like this for some time. Eventually, once he and his friend select a countertop and sink, their attention shifts to the staggering array of faucets now in their crosshairs. Single lever or double valve? High spout or low? And what about an automatic soap dispenser? Wise concludes that remodeling—or even simple redesign—is nothing more than a series of endless questions, and sets out with Attention to Detail to “guide a homeowner’s thinking, to give it direction, definition, and focus so that the best personal choices might be found.”

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