Something for the weekend – A book filled with rooms to get lost in, details to savour and the most amazing collection of chairs I have ever seen in one place. The Alchemy of Things by Karen McCartney is a book I have found myself coming back to time after time over the last few weeks.
The book opens the doors to eighteen intriguing homes (some never seen before) owned and decorated by a mix of artists, gallerists, stylists, furniture and interior designers, architects, collectors and vintage retailers. Each unique space has been put together to elevate the owners unusual and bohemian collections.
The layering in rich in these interiors and as I mentioned earlier the chairs in this book are something else – from antiques to design classics and everything perch worthy and super comfy in between. This old beauty with the rush seat above is my favourite.
With expert layering and stunning texture the whole way through, I keep flipping from page to page, home to home and finding new treasures in each scene. Mid-century, minimal, maximal, airy and cosy – The Alchemy of Things is just that – a mixing pot of all decades, eras and styles.
With some warming decor schemes just right for the autumnal mood in the air right now, flipping through you’ll notice ways of placing and stacking things together that can change the look of a whole room – by just merely reorganising what you already have in your home. I’ll definitely be keeping this one on our coffee table for the times when I need a little push to re-organise things around here and when I feel like swooning over some really amazing chairs!
Images from The Alchemy of Things by Karen McCartney (Murdoch Books, RRP £30). Photography by Michael Wee.