My Favorite Coffee Table Books
Unlike searching for a book to read, coffee table book shopping not just requires but encourages you to judge it by its cover! In the end, you may end up looking at the exterior of the book more than its interior. Below is a list of a few of my favorite books that not only have gorgeous covers that will add personality to your living spaces, but are just as good of a read as they are an artful object. I hope you find one of these inspiring as you continue to imagine and work on your own spaces.
This beautiful book done by the founder of Kinfolk magazine, a popular publication amongst the design community, has created a wonderful book that prioritizes a slower way of doing things. It highlights homes that have been put together carefully, slowly, and thoughtfully and in turn, we get to see the wonderful results of the patience and nurturing found in each dwelling place. The book contains interviews, stories, imagery, and essays that capture 35 different homes from the United States to Japan to Scandinavia and everywhere in between.
This is a great book to have in your home for fun inspiration and to spark your imagination as it highlights the unique homes of surfers. Beachy and rustic, these pages show the unique lifestyle of surfers and the creativity found in the culture. You’ll see everything from improvised cabin spaces near the beach to penthouse apartments in larger coastal cities. A perfect book for anyone wanting to add that coastal aesthetic into your home!
Interior Designer, Athena Calderone gives its reader a unique look into how fellow creatives decorate their own spaces. Breaking down each room, she highlights details that can help to inspire our own creations and ideas. It is beautiful to look and flip through. Every time I do-I notice something different every time that sparks a new excitement! “ Live Beautiful is both a showpiece of exquisite design and a guide to creating a home that’s thoughtfully put together.” You will pick this one up every weekend, guaranteed.
There is every reason to have a beautiful cookbook in the living room to gather a bit of inspiration while you relax. This particular one has a stunning cover that will flow in nicely with the rest of your design and fashion books. The book holds over 150 recipes and reminds us of all the art and creativity that is found in a beautiful cake or wonderful salad. The recipes have been gathered during a year spent on the estate, and hold stories and lonely images that may even inspire a garden makeover if you’re not careful!
Anyone who is familiar with Cabana Magazine knows that they’re a wonderful publication that covers interior design and architecture showcasing beautiful homes and the lifestyles they hold. But another aspect that makes them so noteworthy is the beautiful fabric covers on every issue. Similarly, the Cabana Anthology adds such a wonderful and unique texture and pattern to any table that holds it. The anthology features the best of the photography, interviews, visual essays, photographs, and more found in their publications over the years. This is one of those books you can leave open to showcase the pages. They are just as beautiful as the cover!
This book captures the work of some of the most impactful designs ever produced by female designers. It features over 200 designers from 50 different countries and covers the vast world of product design from the early twentieth century to the present day. Not only is it a fascinating read, both inspiring and informational it also works as a beautiful book to display. The robin's egg blue and more modern style font would work well in both living spaces and on a nightstand. Be sure to check this one out, or give it as a gift to someone who would appreciate the wonderful work of the amazing women that paved the way.