A favorite family tradition of mine is gifting unique coffee table books to my husband. Over the years I’ve loved watching our collection grow. This is not a comprehensive list of those books lol but every so often when I’m trying to disconnect I’ve enjoyed reading through books I find inspirational.
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Today we are sharing books we personally own and have enjoyed reading. Unlike scrolling through beautiful images on social media these books dive deeper into each designer's thought process and creative story. Oftentimes, leaving us with tid bits of knowledge and practical applications. We hope you enjoy this curated list!
The Beauty of Home by Marie Flanigan
Marie Flanigan’s interiors are timeless and soulful―immediately recognizable, yet also reflective of her clients’ individual stories. Dive deeper into the nine elements that define her work, including architecture, illumination, composition, and surprise.
Down to Earth by Lauren Liess
Down to Earth picks up right where Lauren Liess’s critically acclaimed Habitat left off. While Habitat walked readers through the decorating process step-by-step, Lauren’s latest title takes a step beyond the basics and invites readers to incorporate the main components of her familiar design aesthetic: nature, easy living, and approachability. With evocative photos and substantive design advice, Down to Earth focuses on creating a lifestyle that inspires creativity and functionality.
The Perfect Kitchen by Barbara Sallick
In The Perfect Kitchen, Waterworks cofounder Barbara Sallick explores the process of designing a kitchen in great and beautiful detail, from surfaces and finishes to storage, cabinetry, and hardware. The book is enriched by dozens of images of kitchens by esteemed designers such as Steven Gambrel, Gil Schafer, and Suzanne Kasler; essays by top food icons including Julia Turshen and Melissa Clark about their own kitchens; and important, how-to advice. Combining evocative, informative photography with an authoritative, engaging narrative, The Perfect Kitchen is an essential, lasting resource that will appeal to discerning homeowners and professionals alike looking for upscale visual inspiration and design advice.
In The Mood for Colour by Hans Blomquist
Colour is powerful - it can change our moods or raise our spirits. It can be positively life-enhancing, yet so many of us struggle with choosing the right shades for our home, instead falling back on a safe but unadventurous palette of bland neutrals. In this book celebrated interior stylist Hans Blomquist reveals his lifelong passion for colour and the way in which it can affect our emotions. Colour can soothe, enchant or excite. And as Hans demonstrates, it has the ability to render rooms cool and calming, dynamic and stimulating or moody and intriguing.
Blue and White and Other Stories
In his most personal book to date, William Yeoward reveals his passion for colour, his inspirations and the "stories" behind his unique use of colour as he takes you on a journey through a dazzling array of beautiful homes. The unique colour stories in the book include red, white and blue in a villa in France, a comfortable coastal retreat with hints of pink, taking you through to lavender and amethyst in the country and the city, soft grey studies in living rooms and table settings, a blazing ochre red contemporary cottage, an orange rustic barn dinner, and a red and steel outdoor kitchen.
Woman of Color by LaTonya Yvette
LaTonya Yvette, the blogger and stylist behind the eponymous site, is unapologetically candid about life’s trials, including motherhood, love, death, and racism. Her first book, Woman of Color, is part memoir, part lifestyle guide—packed with moving essays, gorgeous original and archival photographs, and practical style and beauty advice. At the very heart, though, it’s about LaTonya’s experience growing up as a woman of color in Brooklyn.
Live Beautiful by Athena Calderone
Beautiful design isn't just pleasant to look at; it improves the quality of our lives. In Live Beautiful, the highly anticipated design book by Athena Calderone, the EyeSwoon creator taps into her international network of interior decorators, fashion designers, and tastemakers to reveal how carefully crafted interiors come together. She also opens the doors to two of her own residences.
In Full Flower by Gemma + Andrew Ingalls
In Full Flower is a compilation of a new wave in contemporary floral design, featuring artists who combine traditional techniques with an organic, free-form, “back-to-nature” style. The opposite of buttoned-up and manicured arrangements, this survey includes over twenty of the most celebrated and influential artists across the United States who are rewriting the rules of floral design.
Cut Flower Garden by Erin Benzakein
The Cut Flower Garden Erin Benzakein is a florist-farmer, leader in the locaflor farm-to-centerpiece movement, and owner of internationally renowned Floret Flower Farm in Washington's lush Skagit Valley. A stunning flower book: This beautiful gardening book and guide to growing, harvesting, and arranging gorgeous blooms year-round provides readers with vital tools to nurture a stunning flower garden and use their blossoms and cut flowers to create show-stopping arrangements.
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