Perfect Imperfect Book | The Beauty of Accident, Age & Patina
Co-authored with writer and editor Karen McCartney and photographer Sharyn Cairns, Perfect Imperfect is a meditation on the beauty found in imperfection, impermanence, and authenticity. Rooted in the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, the book explores how these principles manifest in contemporary design and interiors.
As the stylist and co-author, I worked alongside Karen and Sharyn to shape the visual and emotional tone of the book—bringing a sensibility that embraced restraint, materiality, and the power of negative space.
Karen McCartney guided the conceptual framework and written narrative, drawing on her deep understanding of design history and editorial voice to explore the philosophical underpinnings of the imperfect.
Sharyn Cairns brought her signature approach to photography—quiet, textural, and luminous—capturing the mood and essence of each space with clarity and depth.
Tracy Lines played a vital role in Art Directing the book’s visual identity. Her intuitive design sensibility and understanding of pacing, space, and typography helped weave all elements into a beautifully considered whole.
Our journey took us into the homes and studios of creatives across Australia, Europe, and the U.S., each space reflecting a personal expression of beauty—through age, patina, and the poetry of imperfection.
The styling throughout was intentionally pared back, allowing materials, light, and form to speak for themselves. Objects were chosen for their soul—not their shine. The result is a body of work that celebrates the real, the handmade, the unfinished.
Perfect Imperfect is more than a design book—it’s an invitation to notice the beauty that surrounds us in the everyday, and to see the imperfect not as a flaw, but as a gesture of truth.
