At Home in Joshua Tree: A Field Guide to Desert Living

by Sara Combs, Richard Combs

Infuse your life with desert vibes, from home designs and entertaining plans to wellness rituals, with this beautifully illustrated lifestyle guide from the creators of The Joshua Tree House. At Home in Joshua Tree offers a peek inside the captivating world of southern California's high-desert, with The Joshua Tree House founders Sara and Rich Combs bringing readers into their laid back, inviting world through mindful practices that enhance the everyday. Guided by nature and the cycles of the sun, this beautiful book offers an intentional, mindful way of living that combines the very best of the wellness movement and modern design to celebrate the singular beauty of the desert. Dive into the design principles that guide The Joshua Tree House, then experience a day in the desert, from sunrise to nightfall. Each chapter in this beautiful lifestyle guide incorporates designs, recipes, wellness practices, and entertaining rituals that elevate and honor the ordinary moments associated with that time. Interviews with other designers, artists, and makers who are inspired by the desert, including those whose designs are featured throughout the Joshua Tree House, are sprinkled throughout, alongside gorgeous full-bleed photographs and a complete sourcing guide.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature

256 pages, Hardcover

Published October 23, 2018

Reviews

[Shoshannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d call this “cute”. I like their style and I guess if someone wants to pay you to write a book you do it for the cash. But I literally got nothing out of this I didn’t already gather from their Instagram account. Fluff.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a nice book for ideas about living and visiting the desert. When I read the section on smudging I thought it sounded like an interesting thing to try, but you can't pick any plants in Joshua Tree NP. Two weeks later we drove 8 hours to the opposite climate in Mammoth Lakes CA and smudges were for sale at the book store and we probably passed areas of juniper that I could pick!

[Stefani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not normally a huge fan of “lifestyle books” or anything that's an extension of an Instagram account, but I found At Home in Joshua Tree to be a soothing tonic in these uncertain times. Unlike those books, there's nothing fussy or unattainable about the way of life that the Combs are promoting in this book and on their IG account—they seek to live harmoniously with the wildness surrounding them in Joshua Tree, in a soul-enriching and pleasing manner. Their hacienda reflects this connection with nature, with its calming desert colors, succulent collection, and beautiful arrangements of home decor that are extremely livable. It's obvious that they're very respectful of the environment and the creatures that inhabit it, often finding ways to conserve water or observe animals from a distance rather than be disruptive. Though I'm skeptical of any kind of “desert shamanism” dispensed by people who've had a religious conversion after Burning Man, the Combs seem like a pretty levelheaded couple who have simple values: to become more mindful and observant of your surroundings, and, by doing so, open yourself to the symbolism and creativity that lie within.

[Timothy Mulroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As somebody who is wanting to develop a desert home in Joshua tree I don’t think there is anything I could have read that was more aligned with the life I am living, the life I want to live, and my vision for our place. Thank you so much for putting your heart and soul into this book and I hope to meet you both one day!

[Pat Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

More a "lifestyle" book than a field guide (misnomer for the sub-title). I found a couple of things interesting, though, and those two items pushed it up a star.

[J no · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is going to sound harsh which sucks because I don't want it to be. I got this book from the library because I thought this would deal with practical realities of day to day living in Joshua Tree (and just "desert living") as the title suggests. So part of this review is a mismatch of expectation vs what the book actually is.

Speaking charitably, this book is something akin to an "aesthetic living" guide, maybe?

My primary critique: It reads exactly like a social media influencer is telling you how to enjoy "off-grid" living except instead of practical advice it tells you what desert themed plants and materials fit best in your space, or just generally give guided meditation style advice on how you should enjoy the "experience" of the desert. In one particularly ironic twist, the authors note that water is a scarce resource. They then recommend a recipe two pages later using a full cup of almond milk for a latte; almonds are an extremely water intensive food to grow. I want to be extremely clear: I don't care about almonds water consumption compared to alternatives used in lattes. The anecdote is only to illustrate the contrast between a "field guide to desert living" and the (my opinion) impractical influencer "vibe" actually contained in this book.

Secondarily, it's a mishmash of concepts. Admittedly the authors acknowledge on the first page that "you'll come across various ... decor ideas, ... light recipes, gardening advice, and mindful everyday practices." It's also filled with weirdly psuedo-spiritual things like "animal symbols" and a "juniper cleanse."

It gets one redemption star because it does have some recommended hikes, some native plant descriptions and photos, brief call outs to unique materials, and a "resource guide" with some local businesses mentioned in the back. Photographs are pretty good.

TL;DR: not a field guide to desert living. I did not need a book to tell me how to enjoy the desert and could definitely have done without all the extra fluff.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aesthetic coffee type book, makes me excited for upcoming Joshua Tree trip! Some of the tips/recipes are impractical and I skimmed over sections, especially the ones on meditation/making a hot tub in the middle of the desert lol. Not really much of real substance and not anything you couldn’t find online but I enjoyed it!

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not really a field guide at all, but a delightful coffee table read. It offers practical lifestyle and decor/furnishing tips coupled with gorgeous photos of the desert I grew up in and miss so dearly.

[Mary Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mash-up of a book. Not like anything else I’ve seen. Gorgeous photography. Recommended only for those with an interest in the desert.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book super inspiring and it's going to be a long term keeper. You don't have to be a desert dweller to enjoy the overall beauty of this book.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, gorgeous photographs. A lovely book

[Emily Allee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book to read or reference later. Beautiful images

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

we liked the pictures, some of the writing makes me want to die

[Anna-grace Juskalian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this before bed was the best

[ThePinkCarrot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book about living a desert lifestyle. Choose your meditation and your cactus.

[Kayla Duford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually loved this guide! Such beautiful pictures, design tips, and a guide to slow living and incorporating nature into your daily life.