Decorating & Design
April 28, 2020
These Are The Design Books Inspiring H&H Editors Right Now
With all of this time at home, it’s tempting to endlessly scroll through social media or watch the news on repeat — but that can start to take its toll on our wellbeing, after a while. If you’re looking to unplug and have a quiet moment to decompress, might we suggest catching up on some reading? We asked our editors what design books they’re cracking open to stay inspired or dreaming of adding to their bookshelf during the quarantine. Scroll down!
“The Parisians: Tastemakers at Home is next on my list because I’ve been mesmerized by the architecture and beauty of Paris since I first visited in 2017. Lately, my design taste has shifted to reflect the dreamy pied-à-terres in the City of Lights. It’s the perfect read for some European inspiration!” — Bianca Zanotti, Assistant Design Editor
“I’d love to read EyeSwoon blogger Athena Calderon’s new book, Live Beautiful. I’m always drawn to her designs. I love her vibe, and the mix is always perfect.” — Jennifer Koper, Senior Design Editor
“British artist and designer Luke Edward Hall’s romantic Greek-inspired drawings, mood boards and brightly colored interiors featured in his debut book, Greco Disco, are a whimsical escape from the ordinary — something I think we can all use a bit of right now.” — Harleen Sidhu, Assistant Editor
“Written by landscape architect Scott Shrader (whose clients include Ellen DeGeneres and Patrick Dempsey), The Art of Outdoor Living is transportive. He breaks down spaces for cooking, entertaining and relaxing that are inspiration for my own garden — and I love imagining myself in any of the 12 lush properties in this book.” — Wendy Jacob, Features Editor
“With hot sunny days just around the corner, I find myself looking to California for its endless summer style. I’ve moved my copy of Commune: Designed in California within reach of my sofa because I leaf through its pages so often. The monograph came out in 2014, in celebration of the design studio’s 10th anniversary, and the looks it pioneered are as inspirational today as they were when the title debuted. The palette and pattern mix in the renovated American Trade Building in Panama City for Ace Hotels amazes me, the bright yellow sofa and outdoor courtyard in the Spanish Modern home in Los Feliz are my summer design goals, and the small Silver Lake cottage proves perfect doesn’t have to be precious or pricey.” — Kimberley Brown, Style Director
“I recently got for Christmas the book Isabel López-Quesada at Home. The Madrid-based designer has great shots of her families’ European homes, and the interiors aren’t fussy, just really beautiful.” — Stacy Begg, Senior Interiors Director
“There’s something about the warm weather that inspires me (and many others, hello spring cleaning!) to de-clutter and reorganize. The minute I saw organizing pro Monica Leed’s Simply Spaced in our January 2020 issue, I knew it was going to be my guide book for making my storage spaces Marie Kondo-worthy. Plus, you’ll want to bookmark nearly every page for your Pinterest board!” — Victoria Christie, Digital Editor
“Being an apartment renter in downtown Toronto, any way to spruce up and work around the limited perimeters of my studio apartment is a win in my books, and Petite Places offers clever tips and tricks to do just that.” — Jenna Wilhelmsen, Contributor
“It’s not a new book but Ben Pentreath’s book English Houses is pretty timeless in my opinion. It has everything I love about decorating, color, pattern, art and history.” — Kai Ethier, Senior Market Editor