I don’t think you can go wrong giving a beautiful book for Christmas—or any other occasion. I’m especially partial to those that you can leave on a coffee table or cut to pieces and use as artwork. These are four favorites that I’ve received and/or bought and used around our house:
Animalium (Welcome to the Museum)
This is hands-down my new favorite picture book. It’s filled with beautiful illustrations of all kinds of animals. I guess it’s technically for kids but these pages would be beautiful framed in rooms all around the house. I’ve ordered one for a gift already and am going to order one for myself (and for my scissors).
I’ve had this botanical book for several years and covered the walls of our last dining room with it. It’s huge and has a big variety—flowers, butterflies, insects, etc. Lots of color in this one! My sister and I have passed it back and forth and have both pulled pages from this book to frame. You can see that my copy is starting to fall apart from lots of use—and love :)
Audubon’s Masterpieces: 150 Prints from the Birds of America
One of my friends gave this book to me soon after we moved into this house. I, of course, went to work framing the pages for a gallery wall. It’s a classic—and there’s lots of white space, which I like.
Wild Flowers of America: 400 Flowers in Full Color
I actually found my copy of this one at a flea market and didn’t realize what a prize it was. It was first published in 1953 and has 400 pages of green goodness. I’m showing you what the book looks like without the jacket because it’s so much prettier that way. This was the book I used for the botanicals that were most recently above our piano. (They’ve now been moved to the living room.) I had custom mats cut for them and put them in inexpensive frames from Michael’s.
Linda says
December 2, 2014 at 10:07 amHi Emily,
Thanks for sharing these books. My son loves birds and the Audubon book is the perfect Christmas gift for him. I may buy two — one for his book shelf, the other to frame prints for his room!
Linda
Leslie Sinclair says
December 2, 2014 at 10:27 amI love your idea to frame the pages of these beautiful books – some would look pretty in a study of children’s room!!
xo. Leslie
Segreto Finishes
Brenda says
December 2, 2014 at 10:38 amI love this idea. If you ever find a book by Marianne North you may find that you like her botanicals also. Thanks for the resources.
Emily Clark says
December 2, 2014 at 10:48 amThanks, Brenda! I’ll check her out.
Studio Pillows says
December 2, 2014 at 10:51 amSuch a cool idea! I love my books and that would be really hard to cut out pages – eeks!
Emily Clark says
December 2, 2014 at 10:55 amOrder two! ;)
Kayla says
December 2, 2014 at 9:38 pmThank you!! I have been searching for great botanicals!!! I am ordering two of these now!!! So excited:) thanks so much!
Robin says
December 2, 2014 at 10:20 pmI have always loved your gallery wall grid of botanicals over the piano and have wanted to do something similar in our foyer. Any suggestions for books of travel prints or art?
http://www.designbyrobinsnest.blogspot.com
Dawn says
December 3, 2014 at 2:08 pmThanks for sharing these books. I might have to pick up one of them for myself (from me to me with love, ha ha). I have the perfect spot for a few framed ones.
Your old dining room reminds me of the botanicals on the set of “The Good Wife,” except yours are lighter and airier (and not all on the same wall). Very pretty.
Emily Clark says
December 3, 2014 at 4:47 pmThanks, Dawn. I’ve never gotten started on the Good Wife, but I’ve heard it’s a great one.
Rainey says
December 4, 2014 at 2:00 pmI frequently cut out of magazines, but have never thought to cut out of books. Love this idea; thanks for sharing!
Teal says
December 5, 2014 at 5:06 pmThanks for the idea of the Animalium book. It will be the perfect gift for my 11 year old nephew who loves animals and is quite the artist too.
Sandy says
December 28, 2014 at 12:45 amI love the way you framed these wild flowers. Can you tell me what size mat and frame you used? Thanks so much!
Beverley says
January 8, 2015 at 3:10 amThanks so much for the references. Would you mid please sharing the size of the frames and the openings you had made on the mats for the bird/floral prints?
thanks,
Beverley
Nichole says
November 28, 2015 at 11:17 amThis is great!! I’ve had this on my to do list since you told us about this on the cruise!! :D perfect timing!! Thanks!
Emily Clark says
November 28, 2015 at 2:55 pmOh good :) Hope you’re doing good and have had time to come home, decompress and think about your plan!