Holiday reading


The weekly micro-decorating newsletter * Issue 13 of 13, F23 *
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Welcome to the last newsletter of 2023!

When you need a break from holiday hubbub, settle into these outstanding design articles from the past year.

Remember my hymn to The House Book? There are lots of other vintage books on home design that still have something to say. Check out this collection from the New York Times:

Some Old-Fashioned Home-Design Manuals Are Worth Revisiting
Design experts say a surprising number of them have stood the test of time.

There's a classic sofa from the seventies that has been around for half a century and is more popular than ever. Get Azure Magazine's perspective on the secrets of its longevity:

How Ligne Roset’s Togo Conquered the World
Designed by Michel Ducaroy and debuted in 1973, Ligne Roset’s iconic Togo sofa celebrates its 50th birthday in style.

Early in the year, The New Yorker sang the praises of an architecture book that had its fiftieth anniversary in 2022. When you're in the mood for a long read, find out why this influential text has relevant insights for us:

Fifty Years of “Learning from Las Vegas”
The cool appraisal of Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi’s revolutionary book has a lot to inspire the architects of today.

Do you send or receive Christmas cards? Even if you only have some faded ones you received decades ago and can't bear to throw out, you'll be amused by this take in the Financial Times about their peculiar aura:

The surprising resilience of Christmas cards
‘They remain a curious, fleeting form of uninvited interior decoration. We have no power over the tastes they express’

[Update: To see the article without a paywall, try pasting "The surprising resilience of Christmas cards" into Google.]

Wishing you all the best of the season! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays! I'll be back with the first edition of 2024 on Wednesday, January 17. In the meantime, if you'd like to say hello, just hit Reply. I'd love to hear from you.

As always, thank you for reading.