Be Obsessive
How books will help you retrieve your joie de vivre.
I find myself in books. I think I always have. As a child, I had to be reined in at Barnes and Noble; otherwise, I'd easily spend a fortune on stories that whisked me away to other periods and places. In school, I'd speed through assigned reads, whether it was because I wanted to get to my own choice fiction or because I simply devoured it. I know I'm not alone when I confess that I still want to have a library on par with Belle's in "Beauty and the Beast."
Not long ago, I found myself lost. I felt no remarkable affinity for any subject or activity. As an artist, I was terrified. I was certain I'd lost my passion! What was I to do when my livelihood depended on my zealous obsession, observation, and depiction of things? Honestly, I felt a little hopeless. The only time that I wasn't inconsolably distraught was when I picked up a book. Once again, I was lost, but in a most satisfying way. Cat in my lap, dogs at my feet, I plowed through novel after novel until one day I hungered for something different.
I honestly don't know what triggered it. Still, I suddenly found myself amassing an Amazon cart (I know not as romantic as a bookstore but desperate times…) full of books on design and gardens. My juvenile self would have gone into shock if she'd witnessed the small library I had just ordered. They were pretty hefty specimens too, the postwoman must have thought individually wrapped bricks were being delivered to the house. At one point, my husband remarked at how humorous a vision I was with the gargantuan books in my lap. It was a delicate balance keeping them upright, but with each new volume, my enthusiasm was incrementally restored back to my being.
These books satisfied my craving for learning. I've been a lover of plants and interior design for as long as I can remember, but what I'd forgotten in this rather dismal time was that love has to be stoked and fed. When we stop learning, we stop growing, and, to be honest, things get pretty damned dull. Who wants to live in that drab place? My advice, go to the bookstore (or the library) and start some new textual relationships.
Looking for inspiration? Below are the books that I added to my library.
An Affair With A House by Bunny Williams
A study of reknowned interior designer Bunny Williams’ own weekend retreat. The book describes the transformation of the house over 30 years from abandoned mess to treasured home. Complete with Bunny’s own decorating and entertaining advice including my favorite little tidbit about “how to live with dogs.”
Point of View by Bunny Williams
A lesson in decorating by Bunny Williams. Featuring her sophisticated, casual style. Each chapter teaches its own Bunnyisms about everything from fabric to designing a kitchen.
The Complete Gardener by Monty Don
The host of the BBC’s “Gardener’s World” offers his wisdom on everything organic gardening.
Gardening at Longmeadow by Monty Don
Monty takes you month by month through the goings on at his own garden in Herefordshire, UK. From Learn what he is growing (and how) and when to attack certain garden projects.
The Gardens of Bunny Mellon by Linda Jane Holden
A look at self-taught garden designer Rachel “Bunny” Mellons most infamous projects from including her own homes, White House gardens, Givenchy’s French countryside home, and more.
Haute Bohemians by Miguel Flores-Vianna
Celebrated interiors photographer Miguel Flore-Vianna collection the most poetic spaces he’s come across in his career. Saying “I was interested in rooms that became window onto other worlds.”
A Year in Flowers by Erin Benzakein and Julie Chai
From Erin Benzakein of Floret Farm comes the sequel to Cut Flower Garden. Practical and easy-to-follow advice to create beautifully designed floral arrangements with ease.
*These are not affiliate links. I simply want you to easily find what you’re looking for.
