Mary Randolph Carter

In my early twenties, I visited a friend in Eastern Washington who was renting a two story farmhouse. There was no TV. There were sleeping cubbies. The walls were bright white, but there were bright pillows and a closet full of costumes to play in. Books were stacked on the floor, on the stairs, and in the bathroom. One wall was reserved for all visitors to write a note of greeting. Years later I visited a friend's vacation home in the mountains. She was a tile artist and her husband a metal show more smith. Every handle and knob was custom made. Tattered persian rugs were scattered. There were feeding troughs attached to the outside of each window and they were filled with birdseed. They were visited by fat chipmunks and lots of birds. It was dog-friendly and mud-friendly. The guest cottage nearby was lined with books and had a sleeping nook.

Neither of these homes would be featured in Vogue Living or Elle Decor or House Beautiful or Architectural Digest for those magazines are for homes that are sparkly and sleek and without any SOUL.

Once I saw photographs of the London home frequented by Virginia Woolf which is eclectic,bohemian, and decorated by her friend/artists, I knew this Bohemian (I will not say 'boho') style was me. It was lived-in and soulful and had a patina.

This book is filled with muzzy photographs of delightfully cluttered (I say 'personalized') homes. Creams, pastels, sepias. Nothing sleek or modern or untouchable. Dog hair is welcome here. It took me hours to get through the book because, for once in a home style book, there was prose I found interesting and relevant.

The pages are thick and smooth. I so appreciated that there was no book cover; the book itself is unfettered and user-friendly. Worth every penny. show less

When I first got this book I thought that it was a book about how to be able to keep your home clean but not as if no one lived there. Instead I found a book that was more inspirational and beautiful than a normal "how to book". As I flipped through it I was able to see how the stuff and clutter that I have in my home may be able to turn my "apartment" into a real "home". I love the pictures, they were truly breathtaking and able to make me think about the way I would want my place to look.

This book is visually pleasing. The photographs seem to capture the essence of the subject. I love looking at other people's cast-offs and seeing how a talented designer repurposes them. I couldn't live with the clutter myself, but I appreciate the coziness these treasures bring to a home.

I regret buying this book, but because it's cheap I will consider it as a part in my collection. I thought I would find Shabby Chic decor photos, but this is old and very handmade looking furnishing. Not my style.