Appreciation of the imperfect

I'm very excited that Atlanta Bartlett's latest book, Easy Elegance is now available. I can't wait to get down to the bookshop and check it out. I have two of her other books - The Relaxed Home and At Home with White, and I'm sure this one is just as beautiful and inspiring.




To promote the release of her book, the publisher, Ryland, Peters and Small (who have cornered the market in beautiful books on interiors) has an interview with Atlanta on their website.



Atlanta has some great advice in her interview, so I thought I would reprint some of it here - the bits that most clicked with me.




What are your three tips for easy elegance on a budget?

1. Make do and mend! Most things you would normally throw away can be re-invented to create something useful. For instance old jumpers can be transformed into charming cushion covers, single stem flowers look stunning in old milk bottles and even a rusty old garden table could find a new lease of life as a bedside table. I once photographed a charming apartment in Paris where the parquet floor had sustained terrible damage. Instead of ripping it up and replacing it the owners repaired all the holes with little patches of tin which they nailed down. The finished result was a floor that breathed life and individuality whilst also being preserved to serve another generation.



2. Buy old instead of new where possible. Why cut down another tree to make a new wardrobe when you can buy a perfectly good second hand one instead that is well made, looks great and costs less?

3. You don’t have to fill your home with expensive objects, a few really well chosen items can go a long way. Mix more costly items, like an antique mirror, with utilitarian everyday objects, like a jar full of balls of string or pebbles, to create a look that is individual, stylish and of course less costly.

Atlanta goes on to say "The overriding message of Easy Elegance is be true to yourself......But Easy Elegance is also about cutting down on consumerism , appreciation of the imperfect and good functional design, all of which, I think, can be applied to any area of our lives".

I love the pared-down, simple elegant style that Atlanta Bartlett has perfected so well. I picked out some of my favourite images from her website to go with this post, all of which are from Atlanta's home. This looks like a home where you could slip off your shoes and live the good life!

Images Atanta Bartlett Interview Ryland, Peters and Small
all images are copyright © Ryland Peters & Small

Best wishes,