OFF THE SHELF

Beautiful homes that celebrate stillness and sustainability

MANY of us are navigating a new pace of living and searching for ways to make a positive change; Natalie Walton’s book, Still: The Slow Home is a visual journey of beautiful abodes across the world, looking at steps the residents have taken for a more balanced life. At its core, the book explores the central ideas around the slow movement and creating a more sustainable environment, discussing thoughtprovoking ideas around the choices we make and how they impact daily life. Natalie explains: ‘Our lives are full to bursting. We spend our days in perpetual motion, chasing lists, deadlines and dreams and our own expectations.’ She goes on to suggest that streamlining our homes is a good place to start. Aside from the slow movement philosophy, the book is a page-turner of irresistible photography, delving into stunning spaces such as a Georgian townhouse in Scotland, a beach house in Portugal, as well as a disused dairy farm in Australia. All of the interiors have a timeless appeal and are brimming with ideas of how to create a peaceful and tranquil space.

■ Still: The Slow Home by Natalie Walton (£30, Hardie Grant Books)

(From top) This pared-back open-plan house in New York provides the space that owners Ameé and Glen Allsop were craving; an oversized sofa is perfect for slow living; the owners of this 40-year-old building in Australia have added history and a sense of serenity by layering old and recycled elements with minimalistic bare plaster

An old-style outdoor bathtub overlooking the idyllic views of Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia