England has been operating in a form of lockdown since March 23rd 2020, which has resulted in an awful lot of time spent at home. If you’re anything like me and my girlfriend, you will have also spent a lot of time looking at your decorating choices and wanting to completely change them, from knocking walls down to tidying up the garden. It’s not only the big things that need discussing, it’s also the small things, the details that bring a room together. Accessories do that job beautifully.
Instagram can be a great source of inspiration if you look in the right places. There’s no end of interior accounts offering decorative wisdom, for which I’m eternally grateful. Becoming aware of what I put on my coffee table has not only been incredibly fun, but also allowed me to discover brands that I had never heard of and objects I never knew I needed. Books are a brilliant place to start, as not only will they be the biggest thing on the table, but with so many fantastic stories to be told, they help to finish off the look and feel for the vibe you’re trying to create in your home. They work as fantastic conversation starters, too.
Allow me to tell you a few of my favourites that I’ve discovered over the last few months.
Stan Smith – Some People Think I’m A Shoe
Not only is Stan Smith a shoe adored by the masses, but he’s also pretty nifty with a tennis racquet. Within its 336 pages, Smith reflects on the legacy he inspired.
Surf Shack – Laid-Back Living by the Water
For anyone who is a lover of coastal living, Nina Freudenberger and Heather Summerville have created a book that spans the entire globe in search of beautiful seaside houses, accompanied by beautiful photography by Brittany Ambridge.
Samuel Ryde – Hand Dryers
We’ve all used them: some fancy, some grubby, yet all unique. A wonderful collection of one of the most forgettable objects, collated in the most unforgettable way.
Stephen Shore – American Surfaces
Stephen Shore’s American Surfaces beautifully showcases his American road trip during 1972-1973. Shining a light on the everyday and the banal in such a way that almost forces you to consider how you view your daily life.
Clarks In Jamaica – Revised Second Edition
Updated with new interviews, photographs and previously unseen archival material. Clarks In Jamaica dives deep into Jamaica’s love affair with a British favourite, Clarks.
Yves Peyré – Francis Bacon or the Measure of Excess
Written by Yves Peyré, a close friend of Francis Bacon, this book offers an intimate insight into the life and work of the artist. Beginning with a biography before diving into a deep analysis of Bacon’s work, this monographic book leads you on a detailed and philosophical journey.
Written by Tom Loughran
