Down To Earth

dwell

Nov 8

Relaxed, calming, welcoming. With these words, I’m talking of home. (You might have guessed.) For me, home is simple and timeless, with an ease and flow that speaks of rest and care. It’s made of natural materials, joined by exquisite workmanship, executed in a laid-back way. A structure that’s honest, approachable, good. Inside is a curated mix of high, low, and mostly in between. You’ll find the anchoring pieces of sofa and chairs, beds and nightstands, dining table and seating, with simple coverings at the windows. The curiosity, then, of the unexpected added in - kid art, folk art, an antique piece, a wild-way plant, a sleek stone sculpture (that maybe you found on the riverbank). And always, always, vases with fresh flowers or leafy branches. Always potted plants.

My fellow decorator, blogger, and friend, Lauren Liess, wrote a book about homes like this. I thought you’d like to know. Homes with a casual beauty and a relaxed mood. Down to earth. “These kinds of homes,” Lauren writes, “feel charming and loved but are far from ‘perfect.’” She explains how our homes are not only shelters or places of refuge, but they’re also opportunities for self expression. They’re extensions of us and our point of view. They’re filled with humble and handmade things rather than fancy, perfectly kept pieces. There’s a timelessness and an ease to them that transfers an unspoken message of comfort. This laid-back living is enhanced with a mix of old and new, nature included.

The book features six homes, with individual styles and tendencies, completed by Lauren in her signature down-to-earth way. Personally, I love it when a book follows this format, of showing one house per section, with lots of details about the way, why, and how. It lets you into the decorator’s mind and give you a chance to see through another’s skilled set of eyes.

I received my copy of the book earlier this month and promised myself that I’d savor it, page by page, and make it last as many days as I could. And I have to tell you that reading the book is as wonderful as I’d expected, but even more, the experience of reading this book is tactile and extraordinary. It’s small enough to not fatigue your wrists from holding it, yet large enough to lose yourself in the pages of its full-bleed photos. The thick matte paper is the perfect foundation for Helen Norman’s exquisite photography. I love how the end papers and section dividers are printed with fabrics from Lauren’s own line.

Down to Earth, Laid-Back Interiors for Modern Living, I’ve so enjoyed this one, a wonderful follow-up to her first book, Habitat.

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