Amanda Talbot and Mikkel Vang - Rethink: the way you live

This book is dedicated to my family and, in particular, my husband, Oliver Heath, who has been my support, my rock, and my love. He has held my hand continuously with an enormous heart in the rough storms and the sunshine.

First published in the United States of America in 2015 by Chronicle Books LLC.

First published in Australia in 2012 by Murdoch, an imprint of Allen & Unwin.

Text copyright 2012 by Amanda Talbot.
Photography copyright 2012 by Mikkel Vang (unless stated otherwise).

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

ISBN: 978-1-4521-5043-7 (epub, mobi)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN: 978-1-4521-3919-7 (hc)

Designed by Kate Dennis, This Is Ikon

Additional photography: Bere architects, (bottom).

Every reasonable effort has been made to trace the owners of copyright materials in this book, but in some instances this has proven impossible. The author and publisher will be glad to receive information leading to more complete acknowledgments in subsequent printings of the book and in the meantime extend their apologies for any omissions.

Chronicle Books LLC
680 Second Street
San Francisco, California 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com

RETHINK

VERB

TO THINK AGAIN, REFLECT, OR REVIEW OR ALTER ONES IDEAS

TO CONSIDER AGAIN WITH A VIEW TO A CHANGE OF DECISION OR ACTION

NOUN

A REVIEW OR APPRAISAL OF ONES PREVIOUS THINKING, A REASSESSMENT

A DRASTIC AND FAR-REACHING CHANGE IN WAYS OF THINKING AND BEHAVING

SYNONYMRECONSIDER

RETHINK THE WAY YOU LIVE

RETHINK THE WAY YOU WORK

RETHINK THE WAY YOU PLAY

Helplessness and being unsure about the future are creating anxiety and panic in a concerned population who feel there is a sense of urgency to make a change in the way they live.
Amanda Talbot

emerging trends : a time of change

In 2009, my life changed. I left my high-profile editorial position at British ELLE Decoration magazine with no plan as to what I would do next. Why? I had fallen out of love with shelter magazines. I could no longer connect with the content of these types of magazines because they didnt relate to the way I lived. My friends and most of my colleagues were increasingly removed from the reality of these magazines, too. I didnt know anyone who had a glossy home filled with expensive designer furniture. My home was filled with IKEA, Habitat, flea market finds, press gifts, and handmade bits and bobs.

Another factor also came into play: moving the personal story into a much bigger picture. The global economy crashed, friends lost their jobs, and I was feeling scared and overloaded.

Just like fashion, times have changed when it comes to designing our homes. Design is not for philosophy, its for life, says Issey Miyake. We used to think we had to have high-end design furniture in our homes to be desirable, but now its about having creative flair. We dont need a home found in magazines, but what we do need is a living environment that fits perfectly to our families lifestyles.

I began spending hours online reading blogs and looking at Flickr, discovering how people of all ages and from all corners of the world were living inside their homes, the places they called home. And what I saw was that home was very different from the conventional ideas we have of what a home is. I became fascinated with how strangers used their beds and bedrooms, how people sat in a chair, how teenagers were photographing their personal spaces. Inadvertently, I started documenting living trends that were happening across the globe.

As a result, my whole attitude and approach to design was turned upside down. I began questioning the conventions that had been in place for so long. I was looking at rooms in homes in a completely new way and found myself asking questions: Do we need an office in a home when there is only a laptop and iPad in sight? Is a bedroom only used for sleeping? Can a kitchen become an edible farm? Matching living trends with good design is no longer just about color, function, and aesthetics. It is about creating a product, an idea, a space that can enhance our life and help us deal with what obstacles this changing world is throwing at us. How do we create a home that will bring out the best in us?

THE BIG FIVE THAT HAVE ROCKED OUR WORLD

1. ENVIRONMENT
2. ECONOMY
3. TECHNOLOGY
4. TERRORISM
5. CHINA

THESE FACTORS CREATE A SENSE OF FEAR, DISTRUST, AND AN OVERRIDING FEELING THAT THERE IS A LACK OF CONTROL OVER THE BIGGER GLOBAL PICTURE.

We need to be surrounded by great design that will feed and nurture us. If we are aware of our needs and desires, we can make the right choices. Its not just about the individual, it is also about considering the global community.

Let me be clear from the outset. I am not an academic. My research is purely done from my observations, personal experience, and curiosity about life and humankind.

Rethink will take you on a tour of the globe, visiting lifestyle mavericks who can show us how we can rethink the way we live and improve our life.

Rethink isnt a pretty book. It is a book that hopefully is a strong catalyst to change how you think about your current lifestyle. Rethink is about making you aware of your lifestyle and the trends that are rapidly unfolding around the world. By absorbing the trends that work for you and your lifestyle, you will be able to create a space that will fit you and your life like a glove.

Rethink is not a bible for living. I am not going to preach to you about style, taste, and designers. Im not going to come over all warm and reassuring and say home is where the heart is. Rethink is not that kind of book. This is about real-life trends that are happening now and will affect us all, changing priorities about how we live in our personal spaces.