tiny happy

making journal

Etc 1

Etc 2

Etc 3

Etc 4

Etc 5

I found this book at the library last week. It's called ETCETERA and it's by Sibella Court, an Australian stylist and designer. Each page is crammed full of lists, colours and ideas for collecting things you love and displaying them in your home. It's not so much about buying designer goods or expensive stuff, but rather about becoming a curator of the things you like and find along your journey in life. The ideas are fairly simple yet, I think, poetic. Pinning ornate paper to the walls with thumbtacks, wrapping jars and bottles in brown paper with typed labels, hanging your favourite clothes as artwork, framing insects and shells in tiny decorated matchboxes or test-tubes, to name a few. There are also stacks of colourful textiles from Uzbekistan, Japan and Morocco. All of it is gorgeous and has me wanting to renew my passport- I recommend a look if you can find a copy!

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22 responses to “inspiring interiors”

  1. Denise | Chez Danisse Avatar

    Fabulous concept. The idea of “becoming a curator of the things you like and find along your journey in life” is a good one, much better than simply buying what is in fashion. I really like the book jacket too. Nice find.

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  2. annri Avatar

    oooh, looks good. thanks for the recommendation.

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  3. Nancy Avatar

    That book looks really intersting. I like the image with the dresser and black lampshade a lot. I love the concept.

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  4. angela Avatar

    I saw this book in our local book shop a while back. It’s fantastic isn’t it! drool drool

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  5. Eren Avatar

    What a beautiful book..looks like its right up my alley! Lovely cover and that third pic!

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  6. cyndi Avatar

    inspiring indeed!! i’m going to look for that book at my local library. thanks!

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  7. domesticali Avatar

    I treated myself to a copy a while back, having drooled over it in all sorts of places. Gorgeous isn’t it?

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  8. Lindsay Jewell Avatar

    Those images are really inspiring. I like the idea of collecting things over a long period of time. It makes everything so much more special when it has a story attached, I think. Thanks for sharing your find – I’ll check it out, for sure.

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  9. Jessica Avatar

    I’m with Lindsay Jewell – it’s all in the stories. I’ve just placed it on reserve at my local library.
    Tack så mycket 🙂

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  10. caireen Avatar

    oh wow! a colleague at work bought this book as reference, it is beautifully done! a stylists dream…

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  11. Z Avatar

    sounds like a great book!

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  12. Maribeth Avatar

    My mind is on spring cleaning and reorganizing (I get the same urges in the autumn as well). A book like this is always inspiration – particularly if it is not “designer oriented.” I don’t go for trendy things much. I wonder if my library has this.

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  13. Liivia Avatar

    Lovely book, I’d like it too. Thank you for this.

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  14. Fliss Avatar

    I was just eyeing this off the other day…. but saving for a trip so will have to be on the list for later! enjoy the eye candy 🙂

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  15. SmitoniusAndSonata Avatar

    That green paint in the second photo !!
    A beautiful book …. thankyou for “finding” it for me !

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  16. Annika Avatar

    Lovely book. I like being in houses that give you so much to look at.

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  17. found and sewn Avatar

    I’ve just bought this book and love it too. great source of inspiration.

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  18. Emily Avatar

    Becoming a curator of the things you like – I love that.

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  19. Emma Avatar

    In my former life in PR (where I worked somewhere that had money to spend) I went to Sydney on business. I asked Facebook friends what I should do there and someone said go to The Society. It’s the small shop run by the woman who wrote this book.
    It was fantastic! She was away so couldn’t sign the ETC book I bought but her partner and friend were there smoking, being eccentric and making up the prices of the things I bought as they went along. The shop was crammed full of stuff and was like stepping into the book – absolutely fabulous.
    I think there might have also been a row boat in the tiny shop somewhere.

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  20. Molly Avatar

    Yes! Just picked up this book, also. I cannot get over those sweeps of paint across kraft paper.
    I also wonder what would happen if children lived in any one of these stage sets.
    Hmm….

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  21. tinyhappy Avatar

    that’s such a great story, emma- thanks for sharing it!
    p.s. i like the sound of that pr job…

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  22. Rebecca Avatar

    I saw this book in a shop recently and looked at it because I remembered your post. It is a lovely book, and reminds me of the sketchbooks belonging to an artist friend of mine.

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