Hej and Happy New Year! I hope you’ve all had a fantastic festive break.
After what seemed like a relentless week of Christmas preparations and celebrations, my family and I finally got the rest and relaxation we very much needed by heading to Copenhagen for a few fun filled days.
This was our first New Year away from home and I can safely say it won’t be our last. It was totally magical, mind-blowing and memorable.
One thing I really didn’t need to worry about packing in our overweight case, (yes we did have to pay extra baggage allowance even before leaving the country), was my holiday reading material.
Thanks to my very generous friends and relatives I was the lucky recipient of several new titles. So for my first post of the year I wanted to share some of the Nordic books that are currently inspiring and informing me.
Simple Matters: A Scandinavian’s Approach to Work, Home and Style by Jenny Mustard
If you’re looking to totally overhaul every area of your life this year then Swedish fashion blogger, food vlogger and minimalist design lover Jenny Mustard may be able to help.
Following on from the success of her podcast and YouTube show The Mustards, which she hosts with her fiancé David, this beautiful book is a collection of 42 essays.
Covering everything from your home, career, relationships, diet, wardrobe and even we your social media usage, Jenny will help you to de-clutter your everyday and add more meaning and enjoyment with style.
Northern Comfort: The Nordic Art of Creative Living by Austin Salisbury
I’ve been desperately wanting to read this book dedicated to new Nordic culture since it was published and I haven’t been disappointed.
From the layout, typography and photography used it does have more of a journal or magazine feel, which means you can easily dip in and out if you haven’t got the time to read in long chunks.
In a similar way to the Kinfolk books, it profiles a number of influential entrepreneurs and business owners, interior and fashion designers, photographers and artists. Providing a fascinating glimpse into their lives, as well as an understanding of why we find the traditions, human optimism and creative passion of the region so truly inspiring.
New Nordic Colour: Decorating with a vibrant modern palette by Antonia af Petersens
I must confess I actually bought this one myself as I was feeling rather under pressure by all the recent talk that ‘grey is dead’.
Antonia charts how Scandinavian style has developed and shifted over the years; with detailed examples split into three groups, ‘Dark Eclectic’, ‘Bold Accents’ and ‘Majestic Pastels’.
Through the ten homes she visits, she shows us how all three, whether deep, intense blues and greens, blood reds and burnt oranges, or subtle accents of soft yellows and greens are as popular today as they have been throughout the region’s history.
It does prove however that white walls and monochrome furniture isn’t the only option if you’re a Nordic interiors fan.
While I love this book, I’m still not going to be changing my preference or decor anytime soon – sorry.
The Nordic Baking Book by Magnus Nilsson
The long awaited sequel to the bestselling The Nordic Cookbook is finally here. When first published in 2015, Magnus Nilsson’s book really set the bar for food writers and photographers everywhere, and thanks to being featured on the Emmy-Award winning series The Mind of a Chef we all fell a little bit in love with the astounding Fäviken chef and his remarkable talent.
In this latest book he once again travels extensively throughout the region – Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden – collecting recipes and documenting the landscape as he goes.
This time however he shares with us some 450 home bakes, from the modern to the traditional, sweet and savoury – there’s everything from breads and pastries to cakes and biscuits, as well as seasonal treats.
Truly Nordic: Nordic craftsmanship, campaigns and design by Viction Workshop
Between my husband and I, I’m not sure which one of us has actually read this book the most over Christmas.
Once again focussing on the fundamental principles of Nordic design and culture, this publication looks at how these same philosophies and beliefs are applied to branding, advertising and marketing campaigns.
It really is amazing to learn more about how these same characteristics and values are carefully embedded into what a product or service represents and delivers.
Showcasing 140 projects, profiles range from furniture and fashion designers, restaurants and coffee shops through to film and music production. It even includes a fascinating closer look at the Corporate identity created for the Danish State Railways.
Featured image by Nicola Capper; all other images via the publications named above.
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