Interior Design Books I Love
I LOVE home design coffee table books. I collect them. I rarely part with them. They accumulate in piles around my house. It seemed like a great idea to have my first blog post be about them. Then came the challenge….trying to pick my favorite books on home design and decorating to write this post was like being asked to pick a favorite child… not an easy answer for me to come up with, so I decided to just list off some of the ones I pick up the most and hopefully they help some of you!
My husband and I picked up this book at the local Books a Million when we were starting to plan our current house. It definitely started my interest and I have picked it up a hundred times since. It’s full of classic homes with beautiful millwork and old wood floors. Brass rimlocks and wrought iron strap hinges and other classic details abound. Sisal and antique rugs make repeat appearances. The bowood bathroom designed by Miles Redd is a favorite for sure. You need this book if you are looking to build a new “old” home or if you just need the classic white Nancy Meyers style kitchen inspiration. Trust me!
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The bowood bathroom designed by Miles Redd is a favorite for sure. You need this book if you are looking to build a new “old” home or if you just need the classic white Nancy Meyers style kitchen inspiration. Trust me!
The bowood bathroom designed by Miles Redd is a favorite for sure. You need this book if you are looking to build a new “old” home or if you just need the classic white Nancy Meyers style kitchen inspiration. Trust me!The homes are so timeless and layered with beautiful antiques and art. The styling is so inspiring in all of the images, especially in the various featured vignettes often featuring arrangements of magnolia cuttings or white orchids.
This bedroom with the faux bamboo beds and block print curtains is absolutely lovely.
Next…
This one is full of inspiring images of rooms draped in floral wallpaper and chintz. There are window treatments of all types and styles and an ENTIRE chapter dedicated to SKIRTS. Skirted vanities, skirted cabinets, skirted tables and chairs. It’s glorious! Caroline Gidiere’s living room, one of my favorite rooms ever, is featured. I love the unexpected Bowood and leopard print mix.
This book has such a great mix of my favorite designers. This breakfast nook by Sarah Bartholomew is another example. I love the rug with the slipcovered chairs and overall mix of textiles. It is just a great compilation of many great designers’ work in one book. If you are looking to study how to mix patterns and textiles, this is a perfect option.
Pattern mixing brings me to the next book I pick up again and again…
In my opinion, Cathy can do no wrong. She layers different textiles so beautifully and her paint color choices are divine! In this Manhattan apartment featured in her book, she used the same print on the walls as the daybed, pillows, ottoman and roman shade, and repeated the same ribbon trim detail around the room. The modern light keeps the room current and adds a fresh touch.
She also loves to accessorize rooms with brackets and plates hung on the wall as shown in this room with the large scale paisley print repeated and trimmed out in the same home.
She uses so many beautiful prints and fabrics, layered rugs, lamps and accessorizes with beautiful chairs and cushions. She has definitely encouraged my chair hoarding. I now like to collect any unique or pretty little chair that I may can add a pillow to and push against a wall, or one day have a custom cushion made to add a textile layer to a room. She has definitely encouraged my chair hoarding. I now like to collect any unique or pretty little chair that I may can add a pillow to and push against a wall, or one day have a custom cushion made to add a textile layer to a room. I also have a goal to start adding more greenery and plants, a detail she repeats in her rooms… I struggle to keep things alive indoors, but one day!
I adore the wooden pegs used in her mudroom, and the kitchen! Wow the kitchen! Excuse me while I take a break to shop for myrtle topiaries and maidenhair ferns! Polished nickel hardware and plumbing fixtures define timeless for me and will probably be my first choice until the end of time.
To keep this from going on and on, I’ll wrap it up with a fifth.
This book shows a range of different styles that all have a classic, timeless look to them. The homes featured have a bit of a cleaner aesthetic than the last couple of books I’ve mentioned, although some repeat offenders such as plates on the wall and beautiful textiles and patterns make appearances in her work too. textiles and patterns make appearances in her work too. These two kitchens are so clean and classic. I love the slipcovered barstools in each one.
The living room shown from a space she designed at Blackberry Farm. I love the rustic touches and fabrics chosen. The Robert Time fabric on the custom curtains adds color and just enough pop in an otherwise neutral space.
I also love this clean crisp white bedroom with simple elegant bedding and pink curtains that add the perfect amount of pretty to finish off the room.
The other bedroom shown has just the right amount of blue accents to balance the white walls.
That’s enough for today! I could go on an on! There are so many beautiful and inspirational designers being published that we can study to make our own homes lovely on our own timeline and budget. I hope these suggestions help some of you.