Books that approach home design from a faith perspective make an explicit connection between habitat and spiritual well-being. The right kind of interior design can comfort the mind, body, and soul, says Hallie Lord, author of Dwell: One Woman’s Search for Home and a Sense of Belonging (Howard, Aug.). Lord, who moved cross-country 11 times in 15 years, suggests keeping “steadfast pieces,” such as an heirloom blanket, that will offer consistency and stability even amid multiple address changes. She calls home “a prefigurement to heaven—a place to be seen, known, and loved.” Other forthcoming titles expand on this idea, explaining how to arrange and decorate in order to create a sacred space of one’s own.
Melissa Michaels. Harvest House, Apr.
PW’s review called this follow-up to 2015’s Love the Home You Have “a great resource for Christians looking to rethink their home environment.” Michaels, who blogs about decorating at The Inspired Room, makes a case for the connection between home design and spiritual wellness and offers advice on choosing and arranging decor in order to create a sense of peace and purpose.
Erica Feldmann. HarperOne, out now
Feldmann, who owns the HausWitch home furnishing store in Salem, Mass., incorporates spells, tarot, herbalism, and other witchcraft practices into home design. Organized into six areas—manifestation, clearing, protection, comfort, harmony, and balance—the book, which PW’s review called “intriguing,” makes the case for how one’s physical environment can lead to health and healing. “I’ve learned that what most homes are missing isn’t a beautiful sofa or the perfect décor,” Feldmann writes. “It’s simply the intention to make them feel special.”
Heart & Home
Victoria Duerstock. Abingdon, Apr.
Drawing on her experiences in the furniture industry and as a speaker on spiritual topics, lifestyle blogger Duerstock connects scripture to home design basics in this 90-day devotional, emphasizing harmony, focal points, and the use of negative space. She pairs organizing and decorating tips, such as how to choose a palette of complementary colors, with relevant Bible passages and prayers, including invocations for unity among neighbors. “Our home and its design can encourage spiritual growth in our hearts,” she writes.
Restoration House
Kennesha Buycks. Zondervan, May
As the wife of an Air Force veteran whose career saw the family move 10 times in 17 years, Buycks, a DIY and decor blogger, has experience making a temporary residence feel lived-in. Through quotes from scripture and how-tos for refinishing furniture, selecting textiles, and more, Buycks lays out ways that home design can result in finding “respite, retreat, and [God’s] restoration plan fulfilled,” she writes.
