We are bombarded by perfect interiors, images that aren’t attainable because they have been styled to the point where they bear no resemblance to reality. These interiors may be stunning, but they aren’t an honest reflection of how we really live and I think they make us feel bad about our own less-than-perfect homes.
First up let me give you a quick intro to Emily Henson. She’s one of the coolest bloggers and stylists in the business, making homes, books, interiors shoots and everything from the famous IKEA brochures to Anthropologie stores all look amazing. Now anybody who’s in the stylist game knows that there are tons of tricks to making homes look just right – even if the houses are already super cool, they never look like they do for a magazine, believe me. Furniture is shuffled round for better sight lines, extra props are brought in and arranged just so, clutter’s moved and stashed away, and things like kettles, wires, sockets and TVs are usually hidden or photoshopped out altogether. Don’t believe everything you see!
Obviously none of us can live like that every day. And personally I think it’s refreshing to see homes in a more real world scenario. This is the whole philosophy behind Emily’s new book. Life Unstyled is about taking inspiration from real life homes that are beautiful, creative and inspiring but at the same time a little rough around the edges. It’s a great read with stunning photography (courtesy of Debi Treloar), totally unique homes and nuggets of wisdom dotted through the book. Emily explains why a home is never done (agreed!!) and also how to make the best with what you’ve got instead of yearning for a bigger, better pad or that perfect show home. She even gives fab practical advice for dealing with all the inevitably ugly clutter that we’ve got to have. Everything from how to make space for papers and tech to how to display anything to it’s best advantage. But my absolute favourite section of the book would be the chapter on “Break the Rules” – for obvious reasons! A woman after my own heart.
Everything in Life Unstyled is achievable but still totally inspiring. Sometimes this is a tricky balance to pull off but Emily has done such a fab job. It’s a gorgeous book, the sort that belongs on your coffee table for flicking through again and again. Emily’s manifesto is for us to “embrace imperfection and create a home you love”. I think we can all agree with that!
