My Favorite Interior Design Books
How was your weekend, friends? I signed off of social media altogether to recharge, cross things off my to-do list, and I even made time to snuggle up with some good books (and good wine). I’ve actually been spending a lot of time with books lately. For some reason, turning physical pages is doing more for me these days than scrolling social media. I had a heart-to-heart chat last week expressing that media has felt a little overwhelming for me this summer. I’ve found that getting back to my roots and more in tune with my creativity has been good for my soul- and diving back into books has been a big part of fueling that inspiration. Click through to check out my favorite interior design books as of lately. I own so many of them, and while books can be expensive- I wanted to share the most inspiring ones, in my opinion. I’m also sharing five ways to use design books (other than the obvious).
I own every single design book linked throughout this post. I picked through the best of the best to share my very favorites with you! Some of these beautiful books were published by authors I’m lucky to call friends, others by designers I’ve admired my entire career, and some new releases that have recently impressed me over the past few months.
Click directly on the books to be redirected to the source- or use the numbered links below the collage to shop…
01: joseph dirand // 02: rhapsody // 03: perspective // 04: library house // 05: houses atelier // 06: the perfect kitchen // 07: a century of style // 08: the new southern style // 09: more decorating // 10: design by nature // 11: this is home // 12: more beautiful // 13: evocative style // 14: still // 15: the new eighteenth century style // 16: restoration house // 17: time and place // 18: travel home // 19: biblio-style // 20: the authentics // 21: interiors
I happened to be touring a lighting showroom at the same time as Kelly Wearstler’s book signing for Rhapsody, so I got to meet her and she gifted me a signed copy. As a MAJOR fan, it was a pretty special moment to meet her and chat briefly… I think because of that experience, Rhapsody has always been a favorite design book in my collection. As I previously mentioned- everything linked here feels particularly inspiring, so you can’t go wrong with any of these.
My other recent favorites from my collection include: The Perfect Kitchen (we analyzed the cover kitchen last Friday, if you missed it!), Perspective, and my friend Alyssa’s new book, The New Southern Style (that just launched today).
5 Ways to Use Interior Design Books
- Read Them // Obviously books are best for reading. That goes without saying. The reason I’ve purchased SO many design books throughout my career is for the enjoyment of reading about a topic I’m passionate about.
- Style Them // Books are the EASIEST and best home styling accessory. I love displaying books all over our home, and don’t limit myself to shelves or built-ins. You can tell a lot about the inhabitants of a home based on the books that fill their interior (hobbies, interests, etc).
- Design Exercises // I touched on this last Friday in my first “Design Eye Training” post, but reading design books has made me a better, more observant designer. I love taking notes, journaling inspiration, and practicing design exercises.
- Start Conversations // Coffee table books aren’t just for looking pretty- I love when friends or family come over and begin flipping through my books (styled on tables, tucked into shelves, etc). Books are the best conversation starters!
- Reference // If I’m feeling stumped or uninspired, sometimes all it takes is flipping through a book I haven’t visited in awhile. You’ll never see me get rid of my books. I often reference my favorites!
Biblio-Style is actually all about styling with books… so maybe that’s a great book to buy first! Or if you already have a large collection of books, but aren’t sure how to work them into your home interior- it’s definitely filled with wonderful ideas and plenty of inspiration.
Do you own any of the books I shared? Are you also into page turning? Confession- I cannot read books on tablets… there is something about a hard copy that I’ll always love and prefer. I’m proud to have a great collection of design books. They make me happy, provide inspiration, and it has been fun collecting wonderful titles from talented friends and designers over the years.
Do you have any I should add to the list? I’d love to hear in the comment section! I hope your week is off to a great start. My mother-in-law arrives later this week and I’m excited to host family. She has never visited Utah before, and Emmett & I are excited to share some of our favorite views with her. I’m trying to knock out my to-do list early in the week before she shows up. Cheers to a productive and happy week ahead!
