Life & Style BOOKS
By Hugh Minor
Rhody Reads
Books with local connections about home, garden, and life Spring is in the air and it’s the ideal time to think about ways to freshen up where we live and work, which are often the same these days. Fortunately, Rhode Island is filled with expert designers and decorators to show you the way. Take a look at these six books written by local authors who can help you see your living and outdoor spaces in new and exciting ways. Houses come in all shapes and sizes and Warren resident Katie Hutchison’s The New Cottage: Inspiration for America’s Favorite Home highlights the smaller, simpler kind. The word “cottage” elicits feelings of romance and comfort and Hutchison’s design strategies capture that emotion, providing tips and tools for you to bring some love and light into your space. Also look for Hutchison on Apple Podcasts where she co-hosts Design Me a House with Bristol textile designer Dawn Oliveira. Maintaining a home can be a full-time job, especially when you own a three-family with tenants. In Tenemental: Adventures of a Reluctant Landlady, author Vikki Warner relates her “adventures” as she learns to care for her triple-decker in the Federal Hill neighborhood of Providence with patience and love. It isn’t always smooth sailing, but it’s definitely worth going along for the ride. Our home is where we live, love, and heal. Former Travel & Leisure editor-in-chief Dominique Browning shares how her home helped her rebuild her life in the beautiful and poetic Around the House and in the Garden: A Memoir of Heartbreak, Healing, and Home Improvement. Caring for a home is a way of caring for ourselves while leaving behind a permanent testament to our ability to survive. Jill Rizzo of Middletown shop Farm and Flora Collective, is also a noted author on floral design. In Branches & Blooms: A Step-byStep Guide to Creating Magical Centerpieces, Wreaths, Garlands, and Other Unexpected 28
The Bay • March 2022
