5 Design-Themed summer reads

Whether immersed in the fresh, cool greenery of the mountains, sat under a sunshade on the beach with your toes in the hot sand, or stretched out in a hammock in your own back garden sipping a refreshing drink, a book is always an excellent companion for your summer relaxation.
With the traditional August summer holidays just around the corner, we have had a dig around the web and tracked down our top 5 summer reads, especially for you. The common theme for all of our chosen titles is, of course, design and style! Ready to read on?

#1 Verbale scritto, di Bruno Munari [in Italian]

If you love design, you cannot miss this short collection of writings taken from various books by Bruno Munari, an iconic 20th century designer. This book gives you a flavour of some of his thinking and excellent food for thought on different topics.

#2 Pensare confonde le idee, di Bruno Munari [in Italian]

If you liked our first recommendation, then this is the perfect continuation. This book is a collection of reflections on everyday life and makes for an enjoyable read, as well as being tactile and visually appealing.

#3 The Design of Everyday Things, by Don Norman

Again for those who love or work with design, here is an interesting recommended read that gets you thinking about the design of everyday items: those which sometimes leave us feeling inept when it comes to using them. In analysing the design of some of these objects, Norman uses a simple yet engaging style to argue that it is not the user’s fault, but rather the fault of the object itself and of those who designed it, for not having taken into consideration the abilities of those who would be using it. You could say, yes to design, but it has to be functional!

#4 Home jungle. Decorating your home with plants, by Sonia Lucano

In this book, nature-lovers can find some suggestions on how to furnish and decorate their home with plants and recreate an outdoor feel inside. A great pick-me-up and a way to release some of that pent-up creativity, in a totally green way.

#5 Living in Japan, di Alex Kerr, Kathy A. Sokol

For those with an Oriental spirit, this book takes you on a journey through Japan’s architectural past, still a source of curiosity and inspiration for many designers and architects today. This is largely owing to the care and attention paid when it comes to designing spaces and choosing materials. From a farm with a straw roof, to the experimental 4×4 House of Tadao Andō, and from the Shutter House by Shigeru Ban to a homage to bamboo in the shape of a house: page after page, the reader retraces a journey through the world of contemporary Japanese living. The book also has a handy glossary of Japanese aesthetics terminology.

All that’s left for us to do now is say enjoy reading! And if you’re feeling really inspired between books, why not have a flick through Santalucia Mobili’s catalogues too? We know you will find some interesting ideas there for making your spaces unique, practical and comfortable!