The Secret History by Donna Tartt is one of my favourite books. Ever. I remember reading it, enthralled, in about 2 days straight the first time. Now I savour it, going over my favourite bits in my mind (like the "death is the mother of beauty" speech in Richard's first greek class). One of my favourite, most loved descriptive moments - and there are many, many - is when Tartt develops the character of Camilla, through Richard's adoring eyes. Richard muses that even though Camilla is the only girl in a boys club she never loss any of her softness, though you hardly notice that it is there. Richard describes this moment when Camilla, escaping from the rest of them, hides away in the cellar to read, her fur coat "thrown over her knees" as she reclines in a forgotten sleigh. I can't quite explain why I love this idea so much. I guess it's that hope that even if you are constantly surrounded by guys, like me and my brothers, your femininity is tempered but not lost.
I was struck by this idea when browsing through this wonderful website Freunde Von Freunden today. Much like The Selby the site aims to capture creatives and layabouts in their natural environments, beaten floorboards, polished glass surfaces and modern art and all. But the difference here is that beautiful natural light, seeping into every photo and emanating this joyful exuberance. It is hard to believe these apartments are in Berlin, all that light and it seems like some fantasy land where the sky is always blue and the windows are always flung open to the summer air. None of the apartments have very much furniture in them, which probably helps the whole air of chic-ness about them. But even more than that, especially in the apartments belonging to girls, there is this feeling of soft, quiet femininity. Along with scratchy armchairs and anonymous tables there are bunches of fresh flowers, gilded mirrors, paintings of cherry blossoms and the colour pink. None of the furniture is very girly per se - there's no duchesse satin or chintz coverings - but there is still that subtle, irrepressible sense that a woman lives in this flat. Just like how you can wear all the androgynous shirts and tailored pants you want but the way the pants curve over hips and the shirts nip in at the waist is something you'll never lose, there is a sense of the female touch throughout. I like how de-cluttered these spaces are, how easy it would be to live in them, how all it takes for peace and harmony are french doors, cocktails, laden tables and sweetpeas.
I'm thinking of changing my room completely - getting rid of almost every piece of furniture, taking down the magazine cut outs, cleaning out my wardrobe, de-cluttering my life. The more I think about it, the more it seems a mammoth, mammoth task, but then the more I see pictures like this, the more I feel terribly claustrophobic in my room. Change is afoot.
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I was struck by this idea when browsing through this wonderful website Freunde Von Freunden today. Much like The Selby the site aims to capture creatives and layabouts in their natural environments, beaten floorboards, polished glass surfaces and modern art and all. But the difference here is that beautiful natural light, seeping into every photo and emanating this joyful exuberance. It is hard to believe these apartments are in Berlin, all that light and it seems like some fantasy land where the sky is always blue and the windows are always flung open to the summer air. None of the apartments have very much furniture in them, which probably helps the whole air of chic-ness about them. But even more than that, especially in the apartments belonging to girls, there is this feeling of soft, quiet femininity. Along with scratchy armchairs and anonymous tables there are bunches of fresh flowers, gilded mirrors, paintings of cherry blossoms and the colour pink. None of the furniture is very girly per se - there's no duchesse satin or chintz coverings - but there is still that subtle, irrepressible sense that a woman lives in this flat. Just like how you can wear all the androgynous shirts and tailored pants you want but the way the pants curve over hips and the shirts nip in at the waist is something you'll never lose, there is a sense of the female touch throughout. I like how de-cluttered these spaces are, how easy it would be to live in them, how all it takes for peace and harmony are french doors, cocktails, laden tables and sweetpeas.
I'm thinking of changing my room completely - getting rid of almost every piece of furniture, taking down the magazine cut outs, cleaning out my wardrobe, de-cluttering my life. The more I think about it, the more it seems a mammoth, mammoth task, but then the more I see pictures like this, the more I feel terribly claustrophobic in my room. Change is afoot.
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