The Coorie Home: Beautiful Scottish Living

by Beth Pearson, Ciara Menzie (Photographer)

The Coorie Home explores the Scottish art of creating a home that's stylish and comfortable, an irresistibly cozy sanctuary from the outside world. From urban tenements to remote self-build ecovillages, from landscapes reflected in bold interiors to the textile pioneers keeping traditional skills alive . . . Here is a fresh take on all that home means. Whether you live in a castle, a croft, or anywhere in between, The Coorie Home brings a uniquely Scottish sense of joy into the spaces in which we live. coorie home / ku:ri h m / > [noun] 1. The place where one lives in contentment and conviviality; most especially a pleasant haven from the wild Scottish elements. 2. "There is nowhere else you would rather be."

Genres: Scotland, Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

Published September 26, 2019

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book and lovely topic. Really found the whole idea of a "Coorie" home to be interesting, especially as I live in Scotland, but am not Scottish. The pictures are absolutely lush and I loved the extra bits of history as well. A nice break from the constant "hygge", and a more inviting concept as well!

My only complaint was the odd bit comparing American and Scottish house sizes. While American houses are large, there is not earthly way the average house is 819 square meters!

Overall, a lovely book to my collection of Scottish books.

4/5 stars

[Kati · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought this was going to expound on tradition and the Scots ways of making do & mending, community, and finding comfort in harsh conditions, the author paid lip service to those qualities, while focusing much of her attention on luxury brand clothes, home goods, and architectural firms. Wasn’t at all what I expected from the initial introduction to “coorie”. On top of that, the size and stoutness of the book, and the layout of the pages made for a wonky reading experience.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this book while on vacation in Scotland and was immediately drawn in by the cozy and moody photography—only to later notice that they were by Ciara Menzies, a photographer I had followed and admired for years. I knew I had to buy it as a souvenir for myself!

While the book is organized by topics, the writing could be a bit more cohesive and in-depth to really get a better picture of life, culture, and traditions in Scotland. That said, the brief snippets of information provide a quick glimpse into the coorie lifestyle and the gorgeous photos make me feel as if I’ve been transported back to some of my favorite places from my travels in Scotland; it also includes a few great recipes—the Scottish tablet is a winner!

Overall, a great book to flip through when you want a quick escape to a cozy aesthetic.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book for the most part but the broad generalized view didn't work. At one point author states all Scottish male own a kilt when in fact as a Scottish female I don't know a single male who does. She also mentions several designers but doesn't show any of their work.

[Anne Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful book - I picked this up as a coffee table book really but it is so much more. An interesting and quite inspirational read.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

2 November 2022
I started this book yesterday, and I must say that I was expecting more of a how to than a history of type book... like of those "how to Hygge" books.