Rethink: The way you live

Posted on Sat, 1 Jun 2013 by midcenturyjo

Rethink: the way you live by Amanda Talbot.   Photos – Mikkel Vang.  Published by Murdoch Books.

Day after day Kim and I bring you inspirational and aspirational homes. At times I wonder if we are peddling an unsustainable dream. The vast majority of us will not live in a large house, on a large block of land with interiors outfitted with a large amount of money. High end is not the real end for most of us. And there is nothing wrong with that. Most o f us will live in apartments. We will share bedrooms and facilities. We will not  have $450 a drop wallpaper or even brand new furniture. But we will all strive to create family homes that are beautiful and sustainable and real. In fact it is liberating to know that throwing money at a house isn’t necessarily the way to go or grow.

Rethink: the way you live by Amanda Talbot. Photos – Mikkel Vang. Published by Murdoch Books.

Amanda Talbot is an internationally renowned authority on interiors, style and design. She has worked for some of the biggest decor magazines and design firms on the planet. Think British ELLE Decoration and Livingetc to IKEA and WGSN. She’s a trend forecaster and the author of Rethink: The way you live. Published by Murdock Books in 2012, and know in its second reprint, the book explores and celebrates the way people are starting to live, to redesign and redefine what they need to live well (and well informed). Homes are were we live and create, where we struggle and strive, where we love  and where we celebrate. Ritual, dreams and design. But Rethink: The way you live isn’t a dry and crusty manifesto. Amanda travelled with Copenhagen based photographer Mikkel Vang to Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Paris, London, New York, Japan, and Australia to document global design trends within our homes and our communities. What resulted is a book of inspiring ideas and gorgeous images. A little subversive don’t you think? Beauty and brains and bucket loads of reality. Having already struck a cord with readers in the UK and Australia, Amanda’s view needs to be read by a wider audience. It’s inspiring. So if you can’t find it in your bookstore there is always Amazon 😉

Rethink: the way you live by Amanda Talbot. Photos – Mikkel Vang. Published by Murdoch Books.

Rethink: the way you live by Amanda Talbot. Photos – Mikkel Vang. Published by Murdoch Books.

Rethink: the way you live by Amanda Talbot. Photos – Mikkel Vang. Published by Murdoch Books.

Rethink: the way you live by Amanda Talbot. Photos – Mikkel Vang. Published by Murdoch Books.

Rethink: the way you live by Amanda Talbot. Photos – Mikkel Vang. Published by Murdoch Books.

Rethink: the way you live by Amanda Talbot. Photos – Mikkel Vang. Published by Murdoch Books.

P.S. The amazing book design is by Kate Dennis of This is Ikon and you can see more on Bettina Winkler‘s site.

sarah says:

I always like the posts that look like "real" people live there as much as the ones that show very high-end design. Both are inspiring. Thanks for your blog!

Marcela says:

Wow, this is really cool. I absolutely agree with you (especially on the wallpaper prices – I just renovated my apartment and was appalled by how expensive great wallpaper is!) and it's really nice to see someone like her bring up new alternatives. Being creative and resourceful definately makes up for a modest budget!

nung ee says:

We are all caught up in this capitalist trap.
We make, sell and buy mostly useless stuff from each other to keep the money wheel turning.

d of dogland says:

Been working on this for quite a while now. I've been an avid thrift shopper, recycler, upcycler since childhood. My little family has been working on a small cabin with solar panels, rainwater storage and vegetable garden space. We will downsize to the cabin from our typical suburban home.
I dread having to buy new and always try to make, buy used or go without before opting for new. It's not terribly hard and more satisfying. Much of the time I'll hold off buying something for so long I stop wanting the damn thing! I don't feel deprived or think this makes me somehow better than anyone. I live in the US. I'm still a glutton compared too most of the world's population. If my family can slow down the rate we use and destroy our natural resources it does ease the guilt a little. And I still believe my home looks beautiful, is functional, comfortable and happy.
As much as much as I love design, decor and stuff. I know that know that I have enough / too much freakin' stuff! I say Yay to treading a little lighter and leaving a lighter, smaller footprint.

oregonbird says:

Design and decor outside the glittering glow of the Monied. (Brought to you by one of the Monied… ah, well.) 🙂

Kylie says:

I have just bought myself this book, and I can't put it down.
When I look at other people's homes (and I love a good sticky beak!) it's the 'real' homes, put together by their owners over time I find most interesting. Whilst I appreciate – and sometimes lust over, fancy-schmancy homes with all the bells and whistles, it's these quieter, friendly little homes with a unique style of their own, that move me most.

I sometimes wonder if the editors of glossy interior mags/blogs etc will get the blame for home image issues down the track in a similar way editors of fashion mags are blamed for body issue images today…

Mariela says:

This book is just perfect, thank you so much for sharing this!

x

JEnny says:

Thanks for sharing this – very interesting. As much as I love love LOVE decor magazines, blogs, books, I struggle with the disposability of it all. What have people chucked out or taken to the tip to get the latest, the newest, the must have for this year or this week? From demolition and renovation of a house, to replacement of functional items with something that is a different colour or has a different trim. Not pretty.

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