Home Matters: How Our Homes Shape Us, And We Shape Them

by Penny Wincer

As an interiors photographer, Penny Wincer found that walking through a stranger’s home, listening to them explaining the history of the space, and the meaning of precious objects, was one of most joyful aspects of her work. And in  Home Matters  Penny does exactly that , taking us through the homes of a variety of artists, designers and writers, inspiring us to reflect on how we want our own homes to feel. Home Matters  looks at an eclectic range of homes, as well as hearing from experts who can help to guide us through the choices we make. Through beautiful photographs, interviews and Penny’s own reflections on the homes that she has lived in over the years, it brings together multiple perspectives, all centred on how we create homes to meet our needs. Looking at spaces that are not often included in these conversations, such as rented and council homes, side by side with homes we are more typically used to seeing in the pages of magazines, each chapter of  Home Matters  considers a different aspect of what goes into creating a home, inviting the reader to reflect on their own memories, needs, constraints and values.   

This book is for those who want to think deeply about their homes, as well as be inspired by the beauty and joy that others have created within their own spaces. Through asking us to consider our pasts, our current needs and to examine the values we want our homes to reflect,  Home Matters  shows what is possible when we look within ourselves to turn a house into a home. And when we let go of the idea of the perfect home – one that can never be achieved – we can embrace the home that works for our lives as they are.

Genres: Nonfiction, Architecture

240 pages, Hardcover

Published September 3, 2024

Reviews

[Dani]

I came across this book at exactly the right time, just as we’ve decided to make our current house work (instead of buying a bigger one). I loved the variety of homes featured and the creative ways each family adapted the house to their needs - fresh inspiration to add more function and more joy to our spaces.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gem. 💛

Deeply moving and beautiful — I felt so seen and understood, like words (and allowance) were being given to feelings I have harbored for years. A real balm for whatever shame I had internalized for being sensitive to aesthetics/color/meaning in a space that feels so private and (mostly) self-serving.

Will return to this many times for companionship and insight

[Bex · Rating 5 out of 5]

A moving read

I really loved this book. So thoughtful and thought-provoking. A hugely interesting mix of homes and homeowners. I was so moved by many of the descriptions of home and what a home means. Ultimately, hugely comforting and inspiring.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I work in the mental health care field and have never thought about the impact of home design. This was a beautiful, captivating and inspiring read.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rare five stars from me. I read this book because I saw it at my local library, and borrowed it out of curiosity as I’ve written a fair bit about homes myself. At first I thought Wincer was not saying anything new but as the book progressed, I became completely persuaded by the cogent chapter structure, the beautiful calm photographs Wincer has taken to richly illustrate every other page, and most of all, her conviction that we should think deeply about what homes mean, and write about that. It’s not an easy thing to achieve, and certainly not easy to do without pretension. Wincer’s moving book makes the case beautifully. My one criticism is that she kept coming back to her own, sprawling, childhood home in ways that didn’t always make it clear that she is aware of her privilege, and her friends’ houses, which form the focus on the book alongside Wincer’s own homes, also evidence abundant cultural capital, if not always the economic sort. However, the key themes spoken through the chapters, and the lessons learned about articulating the deepest meanings of home, transcend my concerns. This is a lovely book *****

[Manivannan Devendran · Rating 4 out of 5]

At a time when I'm just starting to think about renovations for my new home, this book was perfect timing. A reminder to make a house your home by choosing things not because they are trendy but how they speak to you. Somehow almost everyone she spoke to for this book either lost something or someone and found peace in the space of homes.

[Aija Vanaga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to it as an audiobook, it was an impulse to reimagine and rethink my relationship with home and what it means.