If you love to flip through all the shelter magazines you’ll probably be someone who could spend a night cozying up with a glass of wine and some great home decor books. That sounds like the perfect night in for me! Just walk into your local bookstore and you’ll see that this is a big category for book sellers so which one to buy? It’s not an understatement to say I’ve read A LOT of these books. I’m sharing my top 10 home decor books that I love and I think you will also.
HOME DECOR BOOKS YOU’LL FALL IN LOVE WITH
1/ Living With Color by Rebecca Atwood
If you’re a colour lover you can just stop here. This is the book for you. You’ll tour beautifully designed homes to see some of the most interesting uses of the rainbow and to gather inspiration for your own space. You’ll also learn how to create your own custom palette for your home.
If you love this one and want more there’s a 2nd book in this series called Living With Pattern which is equally great.
2/ Elements of Style- Designing a Home and a Life by Erin Gates
As a design lover you likely have heard of Erin from her insanely popular design blog of the same name. If you haven’t been introduced to her before, you’re in for a treat. This book is a compilation of images from Erin’s home as well as those of her clients. It’s filled with hands-on advice for anyone who has a need for creative expression but isn’t quite sure how to start. I love that this book is organized by room because it makes a simple and nice presentation.
3/ Architectural Design at 100 – A Century of Style by Amy Astley
This is a very special book and one that you’ll cherish forever. It’s the bible of design and compiles photos of spaces that have been in the pages of AD over the years. If you love celebrity culture you’ll love this. It’s jammed full of images of the homes of celebrity designers including Frank Lloyd Wright, David Hicks and Elsie de Wolfe just to name a few. And when you’re not flipping through the pages it makes a beautiful coffee table book.
4/ 100 Ways to Happy Chic Your Life by Jonathan Adler
If you love bold interiors that rely on colour and pattern then you’ll love this book. Celebrity design Jonathan Adler always brings whimsy to everything he does including this book. It’s a fun and lighthearted exploration of design. This book is less a how-to guide and more of a joyful reminder that design should be fun!
5/ Charlotte Moss Decorates
This celebrated British designer has a collection of books but this one celebrates her interior design over the years. She not only shares the photos of her designed spaces but also talks us through her decisions. She even includes mood boards used to create these spaces. There are a total of 11 rooms showcased in this book and each section ends with a “Why Not?” page that highlights some of the best parts or most surprising parts of the design. Add this to your stack of home decor books and you won’t be disappointed.
6/ An Eye for Design by Allegra Hicks
Allegra Hicks is a London-based fashion and textile designer who has broken into the design world as well. She’s most well known for her unique textile designs and this book pays homage to those designs. You’ll see her textile and pattern designs from over the years alongside beautiful interiors.
7/ Apartment Therapy Complete + Happy Home by Maxwell Ryan & Janal Laban
I don’t think of home decor books when I think of a New York Times bestseller but that’s exactly what this book has accomplished. Apartment Therapy has been a go-to resource for so many of us for many years. If you’ve loved their website you’ll equally love this book. It’s much like what you find on their site. Filled with helpful tips, inspiring photos, and approachable advice it’s a combination of a how-to guide and a lighthearted review of design. It includes tips on choosing colours, floor plans and even light bulbs. It’s also a great coffee table book!
8/ Domino Your Guide to a Stylish Home by the Editors of Domino
This was the long awaited follow up to Domino’s first book. In the world of home decor books, these are the icons. This book is a great manual for people who are in their first apartment but also a really great resource for people who have a lot of design knowledge. It’s just one of those books that can appeal to everyone. While some of the books on this list are aspirational in nature, this one gives hands on advice on how to make your home more beautiful. If you’re looking for a hand in your own space, this one’s for you.
9/ An Affair With a House – Bunny Williams
Bunny Williams is one of America’s most celebrated interior designers. Together with John Rosselli, one of New York City’s most respected antique dealers they reclaimed an 18th-century New England manor house. This book describes how they restored each room of this house as well as the gardens. This book is over 15 years old but it feels timeless. If you love home decor books that tell a story you’ll devour this one.
10/ The Nature of Home-Creating Timeless Houses by Jeff Dungan
Dungan is an Alabama architect best known for creating designs in a new traditional style for today. He shares his advice and insight for creating a forever home and explores eight houses in full, from a beach house on the Gulf Coast to a farmhouse in the Southern countryside to a family home in the Blue Ridge Mountains. This book focuses on how he incorporates natural elements into his design to make a statement that blends into the landscape. If you love home decor books that delve into the exterior of a home this is for you.
Well there you have it. These are my top 10 favourite home decor books. Let me know what you think? Do you have any that I should add to my own list?
Love interior design? I have a full catalogue of great blog posts that are waiting for you. Head over to read them all.
If you know your design style but you struggle with which paint to use, take a look at my Made-For-You paint palettes. They take the guesswork out and give you the confidence to get started.
