Best interior design books – 8 of our favorite must-reads for 2022
We found the best interior design books that double as home décor – and they make the most exquisite holiday gifts
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If you're a design enthusiast, chances are an interior design book is always front-and-center, spilling from your shelves to coffee tables, and seen throughout every room in your home. And rightfully so.
These buys don't just add structure or bold color to previously bare tabletops or shelves; they work miracles when used as decor. They'll instantly elevate your book storage ideas on a whim, pulling together rooms. Plus, their versatility does not stop there.
Browse the guide below for our favorite buys to display on your coffee table — or to gift to someone special this year.
The best interior design books
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1. Inspired by Nature: Creating a personal and natural interior by Hans Blomquist
Inspired by Nature: Creating a personal and natural interior by Hans Blomquist (opens in new tab)for $22.03, at Amazon
Hans Blomquist’s latest book is all about creating evocative interiors through the innate imperfections of natural materials.
As an established stylist, art director, photographer, and author, Hans Blomquist is recognized as the master of his aesthetic. Rustic edges, moody colors, and natural materials are blended with a warm, welcoming style, all visible in this book.
It explores his approach to interiors, encouraging us to see the world through his eye, constructing imagery using the humbles of items to create painterly and thought-provoking spaces.
2. Live Beautiful by Athena Calderone
Live Beautiful by Athena Calderone (opens in new tab) for $31.18, at Amazon
In her new book, visual storyteller Athena Calderone showcases homes that have a classic yet current style.
As a tastemaker and the founder of lifestyle blog EyeSwoon, US-based Athena Calderone knows a thing or two about living beautifully. In her latest book, the appropriately titled Live Beautiful, Athena delves into a hand-picked selection of designer dwellings, exploring how each of their carefully crafted interiors came together.
3. Rattan: A World of Elegance and Charm by Lulu Lytle
Rattan: A World of Elegance and Charm by Lulu Lytle (opens in new tab) for $34.90, at Amazon
Back in 2010, after learning that Angraves (England's last remaining rattan weaving workshop) was closing, designer Lulu Lytle, co-founder of Soan Britain, decided to step in and take matters into her own hands.
With a keen passion for promoting traditional skills and as an avid lover of rattan, Lytle's newest book closely examines the consumer appeal of rattan throughout the ages and concludes.
4. The Lives of Others: Sublime Interiors of Extraordinary People by Simon Watson
The Lives of Others: Sublime Interiors of Extraordinary People by Simon Watson (opens in new tab)for $34.99, at Amazon
Take a trip down imagination lane with a new book that showcases the beautiful homes of fascinating creatives.
With a career that spans over 30 years, internationally renowned interiors photographer Simon Watson has captured some spectacular homes belonging to fascinating people. The stories presented in his aptly titled book, The Lives of Others: Sublime Interiors of Extraordinary People, are that – a handful of remarkable residences that he’s explored over the years.
With an innate ability to capture intimacy, Simon takes the reader on a personal journey, revealing not only the creativity and personality of each dwelling and its esteemed inhabitants but also his own experience from each encounter. Displaying an exceptional collection of art from around the world, Christian Louboutin’s 18th-century apartment in Paris is every bit as avant-garde as you’d expect.
5. Still: The Slow Home by Natalie Walton
Still: The Slow Home by Natalie Walton (opens in new tab) for $38.94, at Amazon
Embrace the new slower place of life with Natalie Walton’s book of inspiring homes that celebrate stillness.
Many of us are navigating a new pace of living and searching for ways to make a positive change; Natalie Walton’s book, Still: The Slow Home, is a visual journey of beautiful abodes across the world.
6. Be My Guest: At Home with the Tastemakers by Pierre Sauvage
Be My Guest: At Home with the Tastemakers by Pierre Sauvage (opens in new tab) for $55.12, at Amazon
Discover a world of glamor and hosting with a new tome that invites you into the homes of tastemakers.
As the owner and creative director of Parisian design firm Casa Lopez, Pierre Sauvage is a man to know when it comes to stylish interiors fit for entertaining. In his beautiful new book, Be My Guest: At Home with the Tastemakers, he shares his love for art de Vivre by taking us into the exquisite homes of 20 leading names from the fashion, interior design, beauty, and art worlds.
It’s a starry list, including Martina Mondadori, Aerin Lauder, and Carolina Irving, to name just a few.
7. The Garden: Before & After by Randle Siddeley
The Garden: Before & After by Randle Siddeley (opens in new tab) for $80, at Amazon
In an effort to step outside the beaten path for gardening books, landscape designer Randle Siddeley decided to take you behind the process of designing many of their high-profile projects.
From the initial meeting to turning each idea into reality, Siddeley's compelling account highlights the key problems and solutions along the way.
8. Homes & Gardens magazine
Buy the Homes & Gardens Magazine at Magazine Direct (opens in new tab)
Lastly, remove one more errand off their list by organizing regular deliveries of this quintessential interiors magazine.
With over 100 years of history, this magazine and its legacy brand describe the most exceptional approach to interior ideas, garden inspiration, and design news is international.
Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for a number of years, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing, and the occasional dabble in the social media, commercial and e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling design houses from some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances and even the odd news story or two.
- Brittany RomanoShopping Contributor
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