
I do love looking at home style books but they aren’t the sort of books that I would buy, they’re just eye candy and the library is ideal for searching them out.
I chose one called modernretro – living with mid-century modern style by Neil Bingham and Andrew Weaving. You can have a wee keek inside it here.
Despite it being a wee book it’s full of lovely photographs of furniture, soft furnishings, lighting, accessories, all sorts in fact – all beautifully designed, and no doubt horrendously expensive if you were ever able to track any of it down. Ah well – we can all dream!
Apart form the photographs there’s a lot of information on the designs and designers.

Another one I chose is modern PASTORAL Bring the tranquility of nature into your home by Niki Brantmark.
This one features homes in Scandinavia and the USA, mainly second homes, for people who want and can afford a weekend place when they are stuck working in a city during the week.
The author is a blogger, originally from London but now living in Sweden. Her blog is called My Scandinavian Home and has bucketloads of followers. It’s interesting but I think this is an English woman’s idea of a Scandinavian interior, I’m pretty sure that a Scandinavian woman would have a more colourful home. I’m not fond of all that white on white in the photos on the blog.
I enjoyed the book though and you can get a glimpse of some of the photos in it here.
It sounds like you live within reach of a large library, Katrina. I’ve yet to join the library here, and when I do I know it will be a very small one.
The Scandinavian blog has some stunning photos. Not sure I could live in a home like that though. Think of all the cleaning!
Sandra,
I borrowed those ones from the main library in Kirkcaldy which is bigger but since they refurbished it it doesn’t have nearly as many books as it did have. So many of the smaller libraries in Fife have been closed down completely to save money, it’s a tragedy.
I couldn’t stand all that white, I think it would be like being snow blind – until the dust settles! Otherwise the rooms are really stylish.
I really like home design and decor books and find them fun and inspiring. Our local library has a great selection that I have read for ideas for my home and those of a few people who have hired me to decorate their homes. I have not seen either of the 2 you mentioned, but I love learning about new ones.
Paula
Paula,
I must admit I’m a bit of a home decor book and magazine junky. It must be great to be hired to decorate homes for people, hard work I’m sure but fun at the same time I imagine.