This article forms part of the Decorative and Applied Arts Encyclopedia, a master reference hub providing a structured overview of design history, materials, movements, and practitioners.
By Anna Spiro
Absolutely Beautiful Things by Brisbane-based interior designer Anna Spiro is a confident invitation to create rooms that feel personal, expressive and lived in. Rather than treating decoration as a search for perfectly coordinated objects, Spiro encourages readers to bring together colour, pattern, furniture, art and familiar possessions in ways that reflect their own lives.
First published in Australia by Lantern in 2014, this richly illustrated, 224-page book combines visual inspiration with practical decorating guidance. Photographs of Spiro’s interiors support a room-by-room discussion of pattern, colour and furniture selection. The result is both an introduction to her distinctive style and a useful guide for anyone seeking greater confidence in making decorative choices.
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Absolutely Beautiful Things and the Art of the Mix
The central idea in Absolutely Beautiful Things is that a compelling room depends on the mix rather than the match. Spiro does not present the interior as a controlled arrangement in which every colour, finish and period must agree. Instead, she shows how contrast can give a room its energy.
This approach brings antique furniture into conversation with contemporary pieces, geometric patterns alongside florals, and restrained forms beside more eccentric objects. The aim is not disorder. It is a layered composition in which different elements contribute to the atmosphere of the whole.
For Spiro, individuality develops through selection and arrangement. A room becomes meaningful when its contents express the interests, experiences and affections of the people who live there. The book therefore offers an alternative to formulaic decorating: it asks readers to observe what they already own, recognise what they genuinely enjoy and build from those discoveries.
Anna Spiro’s Layered Interior Design Philosophy
Spiro’s interiors are frequently described as maximalist, yet abundance alone does not explain their character. Her rooms depend on relationships between objects: a traditional chair may be enlivened by an unexpected textile, while a strong wallpaper can establish a setting for art, books and collected pieces.
Layering, in this context, is a gradual editorial process. Each element contributes colour, texture, scale or memory. Successful combinations may cross periods and styles, but they remain connected through proportion, repetition or mood. This balance allows a room to feel visually rich without becoming arbitrary.
The philosophy also places comfort alongside visual impact. Spiro’s official practice emphasises interiors that are functional and well made while still possessing imagination and emotional warmth. In Absolutely Beautiful Things, these concerns become accessible decorating principles that readers can adapt to homes of different sizes and architectural styles.
Decorating with Colour and Pattern
Colour is one of the book’s most important tools. Spiro treats it as a structural part of the interior rather than an accent added after the major decisions have been made. Wall colours, upholstery, rugs, artwork and smaller objects can work together to establish rhythm and atmosphere.
Pattern introduces another layer of movement. Florals, checks, stripes and other motifs can coexist when their colours, scales or visual weights are considered carefully. A large pattern may establish the dominant note, while smaller designs provide variation. Repeated colours can connect contrasting motifs without making the scheme appear overly coordinated.
This method requires attention, but it does not demand rigid rules. Spiro’s examples encourage readers to develop their eye through observation and experiment. Those interested in the psychological and visual role of colour can also explore our discussion of colour and its impact on emotion.
Combining Old and New Objects
One of the book’s most useful ideas is that existing possessions need not be discarded when a room changes. Furniture, artworks and decorative objects can acquire new relevance when moved, regrouped or placed against a different colour or pattern.
This principle gives the interior a sense of continuity. Older objects bring material character and personal history, while newer additions can introduce practical improvements or a fresh visual contrast. Neither group needs to dominate. Their relationship can make a home appear collected over time rather than assembled in a single purchase.
Spiro’s approach is particularly valuable for readers who want to decorate more sustainably or retain objects with sentimental meaning. Reuse here is not presented as compromise. It becomes an opportunity to see familiar belongings differently and create combinations that could not be reproduced from a showroom display.
A Room-by-Room Decorating Guide
Absolutely Beautiful Things moves beyond broad statements of style by offering a room-by-room guide to furniture choice. This structure helps readers consider how decoration must respond to use. A living room, bedroom or dining space may share a visual language, but each requires different decisions about comfort, circulation, storage, lighting and scale.
Furniture selection is therefore connected to both function and atmosphere. A piece must work physically within the room, but it can also anchor a colour scheme, introduce contrast or provide a focal point. The photographs demonstrate how furniture, textiles, artwork and accessories operate together rather than as isolated purchases.
The book is not a technical manual, and it does not prescribe one correct solution for every space. Its practical value lies in showing how a recognisable design philosophy can be translated across different rooms while remaining responsive to individual needs.
Creating an Individual Home
The most enduring lesson in Absolutely Beautiful Things is that confidence matters more than conformity. Spiro encourages readers to take their own preferences seriously, including combinations that may initially appear unconventional. A home becomes distinctive when its design grows from genuine interests instead of a temporary formula.
That does not mean every favoured object must appear at once. Editing remains important. The strongest rooms balance intensity with quieter areas and allow significant furniture, artwork or textiles enough space to register. Even a richly layered interior benefits from hierarchy.
Spiro’s work demonstrates that traditional references and contemporary living are not opposites. Antiques, inherited pieces and established decorative forms can sit comfortably within rooms designed for present-day use. Their survival depends partly on imaginative reuse.
Why Absolutely Beautiful Things Still Matters
Although the book was first published in 2014, its central principles are not tied to a single decorating trend. Colour, pattern, collecting and the relationship between old and new remain fundamental questions in interior design. Spiro’s emphasis on personal judgement makes the book adaptable because it does not depend on reproducing one fixed look.
The book also rewards different forms of reading. It can be approached as a visual sourcebook, a practical introduction to decorating or a record of an influential Australian designer’s methods. Readers may study complete rooms, focus on individual combinations or return to particular sections when considering a change at home.
Its value lies less in supplying a list of objects to buy than in encouraging closer attention. By examining why a room feels balanced, lively or comfortable, readers can become more deliberate about their own choices.
Who Is This Interior Design Book For?
Absolutely Beautiful Things will appeal to readers interested in interior design, decorative arts, colour and pattern. Home decorators can use its room-by-room guidance, while students and design enthusiasts may find value in its presentation of a consistent creative philosophy.
It is especially relevant to those drawn to expressive interiors but uncertain about combining strong colours, multiple patterns or objects from different periods. Spiro’s examples demonstrate that richness and coherence can coexist when choices are guided by proportion, repetition and personal meaning.
Readers who favour restrained interiors may also find the book useful. Its broader argument—that a successful home should reflect the people who inhabit it—extends beyond any single decorative style.
Book Details
- Title: Absolutely Beautiful Things: Decorating Inspiration for a Bright and Colourful Life
- Author: Anna Spiro
- First Australian edition: Lantern, 22 October 2014
- Format: Hardback, 224 pages
- Australian ISBN: 978-1-921383-94-6
- UK edition: Conran Octopus, 2015
- UK ISBN: 978-1-84091-693-5
- Subjects: Interior design, decorating, colour, pattern and furniture selection
Sources
- Penguin Books Australia. (2014). Absolutely Beautiful Things by Anna Spiro.
- Anna Spiro Design. (n.d.). About Anna Spiro Design.
- Octopus Publishing Group. (2015). Absolutely Beautiful Things catalogue entry.
