Tadao Ando - Architektur Der Stille / Architecture of Silence: Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum Book

Do we own objects or do they own us? Embracing the Thoreau-ean philosophy of simplicity, simplicity, simplicity, this fantastic book encourages us to let go of what we think we should have'the trappings of status and wealth'and find comfort in the "luxury of enough." The author posits that when we are distracted by excess, we can't enjoy the more basic pleasures in life like morning sunlight and the smell of coffee. Mmmm.

The book explores 21 "simple homes" around the U.S.'small and large, urban and rural, high tech and low tech, old and new. Things these homes have in common include light, space, imperfection (the front cover of the book prominently features a dust bunny), comfort, flexibility, rooms with overlapping purposes, and materials that are easy to maintain. Ideally, our homes should leave us with enough time and money to enjoy our lives.

What I love most about this book is it doesn't subscribe to the type of extreme modernism or minimalism engendered by the de-clutter movement. It's more about living deliberately, unpretentiously. Saving money and the environment are just side benefits.