The New Naturalists: Inside the Homes of Creative Collectors

Twenty collectors open their homes to reveal the weird and wonderful world of natural objects

From the cabinets of curiosity of the 19th century to today’s interest in foraged decorations, obsessive and eclectic collectors of natural objects have long filled their homes with their finds - everything from fossils and feathers to seeds and dried flowers. This book offers a glimpse inside twenty homes of the most interesting and creative collectors, revealing the stories behind their collections and how they celebrate their love of nature in their everyday spaces.

This new generation of naturalists are using their collections to craft creative careers and decorate their homes with their finds. From a German manor filled with antique taxidermy to the Paris apartment of a sculptor working with feathers and an Italian beachside retreat that showcases foraged shells and pebbles, this book provides a wealth of inspiration for celebrating the beauty of the world around us more sustainably. Practical tips on everything from curating a shelf of objects or using them to decorate walls and surfaces offer plenty of ideas the reader can apply in their own homes. With our ever-increasing interest in finding new ways to reconnect with nature, this will be inspirational reading for all those who want to bring the outdoors in.

Contents List:

Introduction: The New Naturalists at Home

Menagerie
The Home of the Ancestors - Emma Hawkins, UK
Living Inside a Cabinet of Curiosities - Hubert Zandberg, UK
A Menagerie of Fantasy and Feathers - Zoé Rumeau, France
Fantastic Beasts - Ferry van Tongeren, The Netherlands

Beachcombers
Lady Birds and Inspiration from the Ocean - Kevin Beer, USA
Shell Man - Thomas Boog, France
The Stuff of Shell Dreams - Blott Kerr-Wilson, UK
Shell Seeker - Luca Zanaroli, Italy

Storytelling in Stone
Say It with Crystals - Carol Woolton, UK
A Rock Lover’s Paradise - Peter Adler, UK
Neolithic Love - Oliver Gustav, Denmark
Rock Stars - Mark and Eloise Appel, USA

Into the Woods
Finding Form - Spencer Fung, UK
Inspired by Bloomsbury - Shhh My Darling, Italy
A Cosmos of Earth’s Raw Materials - Michele Oka Doner, USA
The Beauty of Forest Finds - Christina Ahlefeldt-Laurvig, Germany

House of Horticulture
A Naturalist’s Wildly Colourful Home - Marian McEvoy, USA
The Allure of Orchids - Sean Barton, UK
The Everlasting Grace of Flowers - Maggie Coker, Germany
The Art of Bonsai - Raqib Shaw, UK

About the Author:

Claire Bingham is an interiors journalist and author who has been finding, writing about and photographing amazing homes for almost twenty years. Previously the homes editor of Elle Decoration, she writes about interiors, travel, perfume and food for publications worldwide including the Observer and Telegraph magazines, Architectural Digest and House & Garden. She is the author of many books. The New Naturalists is her second book with Thames & Hudson, published in 2022. This follows Wild Kitchen, published in 2020.