Heritage Style

English books that celebrate heartwarming interior styles

By Selina Lake, Ryland Peters & Small/Bookreps NZ, $59.99

Author Selina Lake celebrates the new nostalgic mood in interiors, using vintage and inherited furniture and other accessories, but in a fresh, original fashion. She believes that our homes are more important to us than ever before, and this book harks back to the reassuring comfort of traditional interiors, while showing how to inject a modern feel to create a home that is inviting, easy to live in and full of intriguing personal touches. Selina tells us how to gently adapt a character home to accommodate other styles such as retro, those rich in natural materials or those with a modern eclectic feel. Even though the book is English, even the chapter on architectural details won’t feel too unfamiliar to New Zealanders – high ceilings, sash windows, bay windows, ornate skirting boards and character fireplaces are all part of our own older homes. Many examples are easily translatable and, of course, furniture, colour and accessories are universal. A book that’s full of beautiful imagery and good advice in easy-to-read snippets.