Book: Imperfect Home

I’ve featured Bailey’s before in this tour of their converted barns in Wales. The shop is a wonderful place and the couple’s latest book Imperfect Home, further hones their influential aesthetic. Below is an extract from the new book, a Q & A with Ryuji Mitani, a Japanese maker who creates wooden tableware such as trays, spoons, forks and bowls. Ryuji is passionate about promoting Japanese crafts and also curates exhibitions and writes books on the subject. His home, gallery and studio (pictured above) in the Japanese city of Matsumoto, are testimony to the simple pleasure of handmade things. It is not overfilled with objects, instead you are drawn to the detail of what is on show; the careful chisel marks of a bowl or the patina of a well-worn leather chair.
Q&A
Do you have your own philosophy of life?
I like everyday simplicity and comfort. I can’t change the whole world, but I hope that my wooden pieces will bring simplicity and comfort to someone’s life.
What music do you enjoy listening to?
Piano music by Keith Jarrett and Bill Evans.
Which authors or books inspire you?
Saigo no Shinran (The Last Shinran) by Takaaki Yoshimoto, Mon (The Gate) by Soseki Natsume and Onnatachiyo (Ladies) by Jyuzo Itami.
Likes: Carrying the table outside and having lunch in the shade of a tree. Meals with friends. Textiles and baskets woven with care. White porcelain and linen sheets. Well-used wooden vessels and chairs.
Do you have any recipes that you like?
Yes – pasta with negi (Japanese leeks). You will need olive oil, crushed garlic, thinly sliced leeks and some pasta. Pour a generous amount of olive oil into a pan and add the garlic. Cook over a low heat until soft, then add the thinly sliced leeks and continue to cook gently until they are soft. Bring a pan of water to the boil and add a pinch of salt. Add the pasta to the boiling water. Once the pasta is ready, drain then add to the leek mixture, combine and serve.

Imperfect Home by Mark & Sally Bailey is published by Ryland Peters & Small. www.rylandpeters.com