When the weather gets colder and the days shorter, there’s nothing more satisfying than being inside, snuggled in your favourite chair under a woolly blanket with candles flickering and a good book to read. While this may feel super cosy for those of us here in chilly Melbourne, on the other side of the world the heavy throw blankets are being boxed away, velvet cushion covers changed to lighter linen counterparts and fresh cut flowers popped into vases as the joy of Summer looms close.
It’s fun to change up your home a little each season and look to nature for inspiration for colours and textures and the occasional gem. Changes don’t have to be expensive or dramatic (so you can put down that paintbrush and roller), sometimes it’s just moving the furniture, a new fragrant candle or piece of art that can make a world of difference.
We’ve been devouring the latest books on interiors and have come up with a great list of our favourites. So make yourself a cup of tea/ glass of rose/mug of hot chocolate and settle in for some inspiration.
The Natural Home by Hans Blomquist
The Natural Home is a place where natural materials and motifs are the key elements of a decorating style that is a joy to live with and a joy to behold. Influential art director and stylist Hans Blomquist starts off by exploring the essence of his style. Firstly, Plants and Flowers celebrates the beauty of nature, botanical prints and pictures, and the cycles of the natural world. Display reveals Hans’ passion for creating vignettes that showcase treasured pieces, while Colour presents his favourite earthy palette, which provides the perfect muted backdrop for hits of brighter natural hues. In Texture, he revels in the textures and patinas of natural materials; scuffed wood, frayed rope, beaten metal and bare stone. Finally, Hans shows how to use Fabrics to bring warmth and softness to any interior. In the second part of the book, The Natural Homes, through a series of case studies, Hans explores houses and apartments that showcase the beautiful simplicity and elegance of the natural look.
It’s Beautiful Here by Megan Morton
Interior fulfilment can be fleeting. Linen cupboards crash from a ten to a two in a blink and couch cushions need to be eternally fluffed. It’s Beautiful Here attempts to capture the moments of domestic paradise without making the mistake of thinking they are permanent, but hoping hard they might be. With her trademark wit and enthusiasm Megan Morton let’s us peek into the abodes of the people who have by luck, chance or determination nailed that ever elusive interiors je ne sais quoi. From Paris to New York and even Adelaide, we meet a motley crew of renters, Barbie Dreamhouse owners and accidental interior heroes and learn that a beautiful home doesn’t rest on great design alone it’s shaped by the people who live there. One of our team attended Megan’s Styling masterclass and has all of her books on her coffee table so we know you’ll just love this title too.
The Foraged Home by Joanna Maclennan
Anyone can create a beautiful home by foraging, and salvaging what they find. Whether a box of rusty nails or a disused armchair missing a leg, discarded objects can be restored, recycled or repurposed to fill the home with personal style. Artful interiors are born from curiosity, creativity and imagination, yet many of us fail to see a potential curtain rail in a bamboo stick or a hidden kitchen worktop in an old carpenter’s bench – let alone knowing where to find such objects. Presenting the techniques and philosophies of a wide spectrum of experienced foraging homeowners, this book showcases unexpected and inspiring interiors from all over the world, from an upturned boat in France to an Australian beach house. Such diverse locations each demand a different approach to foraging and, as a result, each home has a distinct sense of style. In an era when self-sufficiency, living off grid and saving our planet have never been more important or appealing, The Foraged Home will provide guidance and inspiration for all those looking to go beyond the world of mass-produced flat-packs.
Homebody by Joanna Gaines
In Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave, Joanna Gaines walks you through how to create a home that reflects the personalities and stories of the people who live there. Using examples from her own farmhouse as well as a range of other homes, this comprehensive guide will help you assess your priorities and instincts, as well as your likes and dislikes, with practical steps for navigating and embracing your authentic design style. Room by room, Homebody gives you an in-depth look at how these styles are implemented as well as how to blend the looks you’re drawn to in order to create spaces that feel distinctly yours. A removable design template at the back of the book offers a step-by-step guide to planning and sketching out your own design plans. The insight shared in Homebody will instil in you the confidence to thoughtfully create spaces you never want to leave.
Cozy Minimalist Home by Myquillyn Smith
More Style, Less Stuff. Cozy Minimalism isn’t about going without or achieving a particular new, modern style. Nope. It’s simply a mindset that helps you get whatever style you love with the fewest possible items. You want a warm, cozy, inviting home, without using more resources, money, and stuff than needed. Why use more if you don’t have to. In Cozy Minimalist Home, accidental stylist and bestselling author Myquillyn Smith guides you step by step on making purposeful design decisions for your home. You’ll have the tools to transform your home starting with what you already have, and using just enough of the right furniture and decor to create a home you’re proud of in a way that honours your personal priorities, budget, and style. No more fretting when it comes to decorating your house! In Cozy Minimalist Home, Myquillyn Smith helps you realise your role as the curator of your home who makes smart, style-impacting design choices. A pretty home is nice, but a Cozy Minimalist home goes beyond pretty and sets the stage for connection, relationship, and rest.
Restoration House by Kennesha Buycks
Restore peace and joy to your home as you create a space that gives your loved ones a comfortable place to connect. In Restoration House, designer and lifestyle guide Kennesha Buycks shows you how to curate and decorate your home (even on a small budget!) and create mindful spaces that give life to all who enter. How many times have you felt discouraged as you scrolled through Instagram or Pinterest at impeccably styled home decor that your family would destroy in moments? Designer and decor aficionado Kennesha Buycks is here to help you love the home you have and design spaces to welcome others.“Home is more than a mere space to be filled with pretty pillows and beautifully ordained walls,” Kennesha says. Restoration House is about creating a home filled with places and spaces where people can feel secure, connected, revived, and renewed. Restoration has been a consistent theme and message throughout the lifespan of Kennesha’s blog, Restoration House Interiors. Now she guides you to create a more mindful, peaceful, restored home while finding joy in the process.
Three Birds Renovations by Bonnie Hindmarsh, Erin Cayless, and Lana Taylor
We love Three Birds. So much so we have completed their course, pre bought their book and watched every single one of their renovation videos (you can binge watch them here). When best friends Erin, Bonnie and Lana ditched their corporate careers to start Three Birds Renovations, they were rookie renovators with big ideas. Today, with many incredible house transformations under their toolbelt, they’re a power trio turning neighbourhood ugly ducklings into swans. If you lust over images of beautiful homes but feel stuck when it comes to your own space, these ‘birds’ have your back. The book is packed with gorgeous details from their projects, friendly words of encouragement and more than 400 reno tips to help you avoid budget blow-outs, manage trades and timelines, and style without stress. Whether you’re starting small or going all-in with a whole-home reno, this is destined to become one of the most useful books you own. Turn your reno dreams into reality!
Enjoy!