Reading List

let’s start 2021 with some passion…

Wasn’t it just some time ago that we all wanted an opportunity to sit down and read a book- with the busy hustle bustle of life we all opted for audio books- I know I am guilty of it. Then rolled around spring of 2020 and everything changed…

COVID didn’t just rob us of stability, it took away our routine, it stole some people too soon from us and left us in a state of paranoia. However, with age comes some maturity, and perhaps we all started evaluating our situation a bit differently.

As we were all summoned to stay inside, decrease our network and adapt to tech meet ups through zoom in our lounge wear…we also started to value some things that were perhaps lost in the magnitude of life and all its activities…. in some bizarre way, we were given the gift of time.

Some people baked, other worked out, our favourite batch were the ones revamping and decorating homes and it sure kept us busy. Some of us hit the books…not to study for exams but to study for the self. Whether it’s self help books, motivational poetry, wanderlust filled pages of fiction, stories of far off travels or just a book to curl up with…we have a few on our recommendation list. Use this winter break and #lockdownontario to read- we guarantee you, it will only make you feel better, wiser and ready to take on 2021.

Not only did Neil Pasricha LIKE our story on Instagram while we deciphered his book ( so cool)…he also gave us some golden nuggets. This book is a gem, perhaps more of a introductory book about the power of self worth and believing that life is full of possibilities. If you are looking for a feel good honest book with quick tips on how to organise your life and meet your goals or aspirations, this book is awesome. My favourite part would be the reflection on intention and the role of your intentions in your life long journey. He simplifies the process of attaining balance and 1-2-3 easy steps to get there.

Ohhhh this one is fantastic. Firstly, holding this book just feels good. It’s like a manual, a one stop shop to get all your bearings right on how to set up a design business, launch a design venture and get your product/ezine/app noticed. Entrepreneurship is brave, transforming your ideas to reality is a brave. Having the tools to help you along the way is smart. Yes good comes to those who work hard, then they can play hard. However, Steven Heller and Lita Talarico have created a book that teaches you to work smart and play smart.

Marie Flanigan is an award-winning interior designer whose achievements in design have positioned her as one of the nation's best. Her distinguished designs can be seen in luxury homes and commercial spaces throughout the country.  Her trademark style is evident through her sophisticated use of texture, color, and light. These components combine to create environments in which people love to live. The Beauty of Home details the specific design elements integral to Marie's creative process. Highlighting nine elements--architecture, composition, character, palette, illumination, detail, simplicity, depth, and surprise--each chapter begins with Marie's philosophy of design on that element and is followed by photo collections of individual homes. Consider this your master class in establishing a well-decorated home with an education on what embodies Flanigan's design process. This book has filled me with a lot of inspiration and ideas of how few elements can play an important role in changing my living space.

New England Modern highlights interiors created by ten New England designers that are bold and vibrant, with a modern feel and flow just right for today’s homeowners. Jaci Conry has been covering home design for more than fifteen years. She has written for countless publications including the Boston Globe,Better Homes & Gardens, Domino, Dwell, Design New England, and Boston Home. New England is full of history and culture that is reflected especially in the architecture. Taking this in account, is it challenging to create forward-thinking interior spaces? Well not. This book by Jacy features the journey of the top ten interior designers who provided solutions to the residents with their knowledge and great aesthetic sense.

Melding the region’s time-honored architecture with a multi-faceted design sensibility. People who are living in New England wanted their spaces to embody progress and technology. I got to know how something really old could turn to something very fine. This book is beautiful to look at and experience the pages, those which are filled with a push to anyone to venture on a design project.

A man should look as if he had bought his clothes with intelligence, put them on with care, and then forgotten all about them. This book is a comprehensive, lavishly illustrated guide that presents everything a man needs to know to dress with timeless style and distinction. With Pedro’s new book, he combines his encyclopedic knowledge of men's clothes with his signature wit and elegance to address the fundamental paradox of modern men's fashion: Why, after men today have spent more money on clothes than in any other period of history, are there fewer well-dressed men than at any time ever before?

It gives a huge insight on how to dress better by building a classic, ethically minded wardrobe, with each chapter covering an essential piece — shirt, jacket, hat, leather shoes, and more. This book cuts through the clutter of online “experts” and fashion magazines, revealing the truth about what really makes a garment worth investing in and owning — how it should be made, how it should fit, and how it should make a man look. According to me Ten Garments Every Man should know has been a good read, I recommended this book to my husband and my brother as well. Good insider tips for a man to know which would save some time when shopping for clothes.

Sarah Richardson launched a series of books and we had to get our hands on it. This volume has the perfect mix of the past and the present and we here at FW Luxe are all about mixing things up! What I personally liked is that the book is styled like a magazine but with more depth. There was a time when I spoke of print becoming novelty and perhaps these volumes are a reflection of such books. It has the light airiness of a magazine but the structure and gorgeous photography of a book.

In the second volume, Past + Present, Sarah explores the relationship between old and new—from historic houses with sleek, contemporary interiors, to modern houses filled with beloved antiques. As design enthusiasts, it’s a no brainer. This one is for the collections. The coffee table book, the conversation starter, the IT book- a great and affordable gift for any design lovers in your life a or an excellent reference for design tips in your own home.

I personally am excited to go through all the routes of this book because it is impossible to cover start to finish without getting a bit overwhelmed. There are just too many great minds all in one place. The experience of the book is like traveling from one city to another. With no travel this year, this book is refreshing. Not a book to rush through but slowly take in few pages at a time. It would be ideal for ones who are not looking to invest in a deep read for the purpose to leave them with an impactful end result.

These passages about Hafiz, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, Vincent Van Gogh among many many others- leave you feeling like you got a personal glimmer of their life and the impact is just as strong if not stronger of a deep self help or auto biographical book. You are on a hop, skip and walk with great minds of our time by peaking into where they walked, strolled, thought, processed, perceived , envisioned ideas…and left us with pearls of wisdom to build facets of that passion into our lives.

Leaving the best for the last has always been my thing. Who doesn’t love Jay Shetty…if you are not reading his quotes and mantras on the gram, you may be watching his videos on life lessons on another platform. This book has an audio version and whomever loves hearing him talk with determination and grit- that is an excellent option as well.

I am not going to lie…I will be reading this book on an upcoming trip I have…I have saved it for that because I do feel that the passion Jay Shetty expresses and the serenity of what monk mentality is, that’s exactly the energy we should enter 2021 with…

From the little that I have read so far, it is apparent that he has a special gift to tap into people’s scenarios, mind set and is able to connect the dots for them. This is a gift and its rare. I find people, oodles of them , full of enthusiasm but they cannot articulate it. Jay Shetty has broken it down step by step, thought by thought, phase by phase on how we all can grow from our own negative thoughts, we can overcome being our own obstacle and for that we are grateful to such people. If you buy nothing else to read or listen to, invest in yourself with this book!