'This is a love story about the home.
It celebrates what we have.
And reminds us to nurture the space that helps make our lives possible'
I can think of no better book to launch my book club. Justine @harpcottage and I set up an Interiors Book Club as an extension to an Instagram hashtag we launched last year - #myconsideredhome. It's a hashtag to represent a simple, less commercial interior style. A style which appreciates less consumerism and a more natural, organic and considered home. Natalie Walton totally sums up the values behind #myconsideredhome in her book.
This is Home was released in April 2018 by Australian, Natalie Walton. It's Natalie's first book and celebrates the art of simple living by exploring how to focus our own personal values to create individual authentic homes with meaning and personal joy. Natalie takes us into 15 homes across the globe and asks a set of similar questions to discover common factors which makes our homes a place of happiness, beauty, harmony and love.
Natalie Walton's career as a writer and stylist for leading interiors and lifestyles magazine is clearly visible in this well written and beautifully curated book. Each of the carefully selected 15 homes have unique characters but all have an underlying pared back, pale and understated style. Chris Warnes photography capture each home in it's best light. Chris is a leading Australian interiors and lifestyle photographer and working together their work has received worldwide recognition. Their work in this publication is the perfect pairing.
It didn't take long for me to feel fully immersed in this book. Every word resonating with my own personal beliefs and emotions. Unlike many interior books Natalie manages to identify the emotional investment of building and maintaining a home, whatever the budget. These emotions go far beyond bricks and mortar and shop bought paraphernalia.
'Objects that tell stories or evolve memories can create and enhance important emotional connection is out home...........
When we embrace handmade and artisan wares, craftsmanship, and vintage pieces we connect to a human story and weave it with out own'
This book has a grounding quality. Each case study, no matter where in the world echoed the same story - a home is not made of expensive decisions it is made up of personal rituals and layers of personal values and belief. A house has a history and by turning it into a home we are part of that history too.
'When we create a home we should consider the former life of the building or site. When we elevate connections to the past, we enrich the story of our own place.'
It also appears as we grow older we all appreciate quality, comfort and natural materials - throughout the book the images show pale, pared back interior images or wood, steel, concrete, wool, plain cotton and linen. Something I too can relate to.
If I had to name my top five favourite interior books this would definitely be in that top five. It's beautifully written and the homes are beautifully styled. I truly believe a home comprises of layers of emotional investment. It is something which may not be tangible but Natalie Walton and Chris Warnes have gone a long way to capture that investment in words and pictures.
My final words - a fabulous read and a coffee table keeper.
Buy - This is Home by Natalie Walton
In March 2019 I will be reviewing Selina Lake's latest book - Natural Living Style
