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At Home in Joshua Tree: A Field Guide to Desert Living
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.
- GenresNonfictionNature
256 pages, Hardcover
Published October 23, 2018
13 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 3, 2021
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.
October 26, 2021
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!
May 22, 2020
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.
January 2, 2021
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!
March 2, 2025
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!
December 22, 2020
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.
January 28, 2019
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.
February 20, 2019
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.
March 1, 2019
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.
March 3, 2019
Beautifully written, gorgeous photographs. A lovely book
March 29, 2019
A lovely book to read or reference later. Beautiful images
March 2, 2021
we liked the pictures, some of the writing makes me want to die
July 12, 2023
Reading this before bed was the best
March 24, 2025
Book about living a desert lifestyle. Choose your meditation and your cactus.
April 7, 2025
I actually loved this guide! Such beautiful pictures, design tips, and a guide to slow living and incorporating nature into your daily life.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
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