Book Review : A Life Less Ordinary

Set somewhere in the bustling beauty of Brighton’s South Coast, the founders of i gigi have crafted their skills into the pages of the exquisite book A Life Less Ordinary, a catalogue of their inspirational ideas and trends, published by Cico Books. A captivating journey through their rural lives, Zoe Ellison and Alex Legendre have submitted their ideals to the page, the breath-taking styling captured between the hard bound covers of the shabby-chic-come-heirloom-dependant design bible. The cornerstone of their store, and indeed their homes, is a romantic philosophy carved from their inspirations, found pieces and highly sought after styling, modelling their abodes into a classic vision of design beauty.

The book itself is a stronghold of design tips and treats, written in the words of the illustriously detail-oriented founders, their story unravelling before the reader in careful aplomb. Intermittently staggered with helpful imagery, A Life Less Ordinary is a book to be absorbed cover to cover, the sheer osmosis of their elegance radiating from the page in through the wanton eyes of the design enthusiast.

In handwritten asides, Ellison and Legendre have noted their most helpful tips, highlighting considerations to achieve a look worthy of their store, now a decade in residence. The occasional post-card gift can be found spattered throughout the volume with thanks. The intricacies of the composition are impossible to miss as you flick through the lavish pages, each commenting on how a reader might find their particular brand of style in the world around them.

The root of their design is a love of the family heirloom, each of their arrangements carefully considered with the whimsical additions of hand-me-down trinkets that bolster the aged beauty of their brand.

As I sit back with this book in my hand, I cannot help but marvel as the women transport the world of design back through the ages, the journey so personal and tender that it is impossible not to fall in love with the chunky volumes of sheer artistic grandeur. This book stands proudly in our collection and is not to be missed if you too seek the loving care of the trendsetters at i gigi for your home.