Did I mention that one of my favourite indulgences is home decor/decorating books? The ones pictured fill just a couple of shelves of one cheery yellow bookcase in the hallway. I have probably 200 home decor and style books - never mind maybe 5,000 regular books - and am running out of space!
I also collect magazines: every month I scour the Paris and London bookshops looking for American magazines Elle Decor, House & Garden, Country Living, Country Home, the British BBC Homes and Antiques and the bi-monthly French magazine Campagne Decoration. When available I scoop up Western Interiors and Design and House Beautiful. Oh and of course the quarterly issues of Vogue Living and InStyle Home and O at Home. Sometimes I get Martha Stewart Living (if it's a decorating issue) and Veranda. And that doesn't include Vanity Fair, The New Yorker and the news and political publications, as well as occasional fashion magazines I read. Okay, perhaps it's more than an indulgence - maybe an obsession? What's your obsession?
We continually collect endless books, western art and western decor. My favorite place to shop for these items is http://www.wildwestliving.com! I think everyone has an indulgence of some sort!
Posted by: Helen | 18 April 2007 at 01:11
you're obsessed with magazines like me!
you and my mom would get along fabulously,
you guys love the same books.
i love interior design books, i can just get
lost in them, house shopping in my mind:
all the possibilities that await me...
Posted by: [a} | 11 January 2007 at 14:54
I have way too many books also. I love the French magazines, Cote Est, Ouest et Sud. My local Border's doesn't carry them any more. I also like the British home decorating and gardening mags. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side of the Atlantic.
If I make it to Paris this year (summer, hopefully) shall I bring you a bale of old magazines?
Posted by: sarala | 09 January 2007 at 03:22
mmmmmm....this all looks like heaven. Please never invite me over or I would never leave....
Posted by: Maryam in Marrakesh | 08 January 2007 at 23:44
Oh Lord, and I thought I was the only one! I moved all of my old magazines with me. I now try to tear out what I like and throw away the rest. Or else, I would have an entire basement full! ug.
Posted by: Rosa | 08 January 2007 at 23:34
We could change homes without realising :-)
Posted by: Britt-Arnhild | 08 January 2007 at 22:49
You and I are maniacs when it comes to magazines, you should see my closet and under my desk at home and my librairy, i'm swimming in magazines
Posted by: cathy | 08 January 2007 at 21:27
I watch HGTV (Home & garden tv) and it takes up less space. LOL Turning magazine pages is too much work w/o pinchers and the pages get full of slobber ;)
Posted by: Tammy | 08 January 2007 at 19:53
My obsession is the same as yours, and what is worse is that I am going to add some of the books that you have posted to my to read list I am sure...
Posted by: Novel Nymph | 08 January 2007 at 19:06
Tara,
I know I'd love your home . It resembles ours in so many ways...Overfilled with antiques, furniture,dishes, and glasware. Books and magazines coming out the whazoo.
It makes for a comfortable abode.
rel
Posted by: rel | 08 January 2007 at 13:59
Cooking magazines!
Posted by: meredith | 08 January 2007 at 09:55
So nice to see someone else collects magazines
but mine are not as neatly stacked as yours!I cannot seem to throw them out.Now let me go back and snoop around at your books!wink..NG
Posted by: naturegirl | 08 January 2007 at 03:48
Books...not unlike you! I found a way to make it work for me though, by becoming a book reviewer. Now, they show up on my doorstep like little gifts all the time and I can read and read without guilt, thinking--"Oh, I'm working on something now..." as I sit soaking up the sun and the words.
--D.--
Posted by: Delia | 08 January 2007 at 03:16
oh Tara I think I shall have to come over, buy a bottle of french wine, and find my way to your apartment... we can drink and look at all of your books... I will bring along a few of mine...as I have quite a few too!
Posted by: diana | 07 January 2007 at 23:49
I have a serious problem with
books - I fell JUSTIFIED when I spend
money I don't have -
on books - i go into debt over books -
and when i am downhearted a bookstore
is where i will go - if N or T want
books - i will buy them a book before
i will buy groceries.
It's a bit of an issue.
:)
Posted by: sophie | 07 January 2007 at 23:49
Yesterday, David brought in the mail, handed me a box and said, 'It's your daily book delivery." That one was a monograph on the painter Alice Neel. The day before was '1000 Buildings of Paris,' and 'Paris, City of Art.' The day before was a cookbook from the Rose Bakery in Paris and Calvin Trillin's 'About Alice.' And on and on it goes. Our house is one of the world's way stations for books, I figure, and the books are little pilgrims. Who that makes me, I don't know, but you and I share whatever designation that is ;D.
Posted by: Laura | 07 January 2007 at 23:11
Books, and especially cookbooks. Ebay gave me the
opportunity to flesh out the Time-Life Foods of the World series, which now occupies an entire shelf of a closet.
Posted by: tut-tut | 07 January 2007 at 23:08
Terri, I can't find Mary Englebreit's magazine here, although occasionally it's available at Borders in London. I buy any I can find - hopefully soon in London!
Posted by: Paris Parfait | 07 January 2007 at 23:03
We need more bookcases/shelves in our house! Between my husband and I, we could open our own used bookstore with only our own books and magazines as stock. Though I've finally released a lot of the decorating type magazines out of the house, into the world, I still have my Mary Engelbreit Home Companions - I just can't seem to let those go--and the new one just arrived yesterday, with the annual artist's studio tour. Only two this time - by Kaffe Fasset is one of them - with the most beautiful blue chair of his design...sigh.
Posted by: tinker | 07 January 2007 at 22:49
Ooooh - can I come play? I mean, it may take me a decade to get there.. but I love looking at decorating books - and I saw a ton that caught my eye!! Plus you know I covet your collectibles!!
Posted by: holli | 07 January 2007 at 22:16
January, I have way too many poetry books and other books as well in bookcases throughout the apartment. The bookcase in the hallway is dedicated solely to decorating books and magazines. Once in a while I go through them and give some away/throw some out, but it's hard to let go! :)
Posted by: Paris Parfait | 07 January 2007 at 21:45
I collect magazines too (O and Real Simple, but maybe collect isn't the right word. I have a hard time getting rid of them. My bookshelves, however, are filled with poetry books.
Lately, it seems like all I'm collecting random toy parts.
Posted by: January | 07 January 2007 at 21:35