The Homemade Home by Sania Pell
I must show you my new favorite book but first, I'm embarrassed to make this confession... You see, before my copy of The Homemade Home by Sania Pell arrived this morning I had never heard of this talented lady before. How could this be, she is so amazing and I'm always online and reading everything I come across! Oh well, I am so grateful that this has changed because Sania Pell is my new obsession. In fact, I just spent the past hour researching everything I could find online about her. I also snapped a few glimpses of her new book, The Homemade Home, that is available now to order on Amazon. Published by CICO Books, this gorgeous 192 page full-color book features 50 stylish and affordable projects that show you how to customize your home on a budget. All 300 photographs are by Penny Wincer, a favorite photographer of mine, so I knew the moment I saw her name on this book that I'd love the visuals. And I do -- so, so much.
This book makes me happy! Do you own such books -- ones that you open and immediately all is better in the world? The Homemade Home is my happy place because it embraces what I'm all about -- sharing ideas and inspiration that are both accessible and give all an opportunity to inject individuality into our space to avoid that familiar catalog-feel that we want to avoid. Let's look at some more of this book together, shall we?
There isn't one photo I don't like, and not one project I wouldn't try in this book -- I really like how many projects encourage you to use things that you already have - upcycling and recycling them into new items. Author and stylist Sania Pell lives and works in West London where she is married with two children. Her degree is in textiles from the Edinburgh College of Art when, after graduating, she worked for one of London's top textile studios where her designs were brought to prestigious fashion labels such as Marks & Spencer, The Gap, Monsoon, Armani and Laura Ashley.
After 7 years in that field, Sania decided to join Elle Decoration magazine to train as a stylist and now she works for publications in England including The Sunday Telegraph and The Mail On Sunday in addition to her work as a visiting lecturer at the Edinburgh College of Art. The Homemade Home is Sania's first sole book (congratulations Sania if you read this review)-- here's to hoping there is a second and third... I could flip through books like this all day long.
Bottom line: This book is one of my new favorites. It's imaginative without being over-the-top, handmade without being kitschy and tacky, and it's a book that will encourage crafty beginner's without frustration while equally challenging advanced creatives with new and rewarding projects.
Psst: I'm an Amazon affiliate so the links in this post to Amazon are part of my affiliate program.
(images: holly becker for decor8)