Decorating & Design
November 3, 2022
The Best Interior Design Books To Gift This Season
Books are the ideal gift for many reasons. They can transport a reader to a whole new world, and when it comes to interior design books, they open the doors to some of the most stunning homes on the planet. This year saw a range of new titles from famous designers (shoutouts to Toronto-based Anne Hepfer, Stephen Sills, Summer Thornton and up-and-comers like Luke Edward Hall) that will edify fans of great design. If there is someone on your list who would love a trip to Montecito, California, a cottage in the woods, a cosy English kitchen, or a grand French chateau, we have the perfect suggestion, with prices ranging from $50-$125.
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The Life Eclectic By Alexander Breeze (Hardie Grant, $47)
Maximalists rejoice! This new book leans into velvet, rich hues and exuberant ways to display collections illustrated in the homes of 15 creatives from around the world. Homeowners from the UK, US, Australia, France, and Denmark show how highly regarded designers, artists, gallerists and writers curate their treasured possessions to glorious effect.
A Kind of Magic: The Kaleidoscopic World of Luke Edward Hall By Luke Edward Hall (Vendome Press, $75)
This idiosyncratic volume oozes eclectic British style from rising star English artist/designer/columnist Luke Edward Hall (who worked for Ben Pentreath and pens a column for the Financial Times). Luke’s Cotswolds cottage and London apartment exist as creative laboratories, forming the backdrop to his interior, product, and fashion design, as well as his painting, drawing, and writing.
Wonderland: Adventures in Decorating By Summer Thornton (Rizzoli, $60)
Interior decorator Summer Thornton’s work is often described as maximalist with a modern, fresh sensibility and energy. Her first book, Wonderland, was an immediate best seller. The interiors in these pages are arranged by theme, from Fearless Romantic (featuring Summer’s own city home in Chicago) to Super Saturated (a deep dive into her most adventurous projects).
Stephen Sills: A Vision For Design By Stephen Sills (with text by David Netto) (Rizzoli, $85)
This book is an in-depth look at several of New York designer Stephen Sills’s most recent projects in NYC, New England, Miami and the Hamptons. Among the chapters Stephen’s own residences are revealed as well as rooms where pistachio, clay and turquoise walls, large-scale art create a luxe effect.
Inside: At Home With Great Designers By Phaidon Editors (Rizzoli, $68)
Go inside the homes of 60 of the most talented and accomplished creatives with unique insight into how and where designers live around the world. Whether it’s the Connecticut retreat of textile designer John Robshaw or the cozy garden retreat of chef Lulu Powers in West Hollywood, this book compiles decorating tips and secrets from stylish and savvy people.
The Evolution of Home By Emma Sims-Hilditch (with Giles Kime) (Rizzoli, $25)
British designer Emma Sims-Hilditch designed film sets for Ridley Scott, so it’s no surprise her rooms have a dramatic, cinematic quality. She works with traditional touchstones — stone walls, heritage colors and antiques — to reimagine barns, schoolhouses, Regency townhouses and seaside cottages.
Northern Hideaways: Canadian Cottages and Cabins Edited by The Images Publishing Group (Images Publishing Group, $50)
Hopscotching across the country, this book unveils architectural marvels in Nova Scotia, hillside chalets in Quebec, farmhouses in Ontario, Muskoka cottages, and glass and steel cabins in B.C. What ties them all together is how contemporary cottage architecture puts nature first and foremost, no matter the province.
Mood: Interiors & Inspiration By Anne Hepfer (Gibbs Smith, $88)
This debut book showcases the exuberant work of Canada-based designer Anne Hepfer. The 320-page collection of stunning rooms leaves no doubt as to why Anne was named H&H’s Designer of the Year for 2021, but we are particularly smitten with her own Muskoka hideaway.
At Home With Designers And Tastemakers By Susanna Salk and Stacey Bewkes (Rizzoli, $68)
This book pulls back the curtain on how designers such as John Robshaw, Alex Papachristidis and David Netto feather their nests. Being their own clients means giving free rein to their singular visions, and the results are highly personal.
Currently Classic: Jonathan Rachman Design By Dean Rhys-Morgan (Flammarion, $85)
San Francisco designer Jonathan Rachman excels at an eclectic, vividly colorful, and markedly refined style. He combines the best materials from the East and the West, creating a timeless approach to interior design. (See our interview with Jonathan and some of his best rooms from the book.)
French Chateau Style: Inside France’s Most Exquisite Private Homes By Catherine Scotto (Prestel, $61)
Peek inside centuries-old French chateaux in this photographic cross-country tour. Author Catherine Scotto discovered nearly half of France’s 44,000 heritage sites were chateaux were in various states of repair. See generous kitchens, cozy drawing rooms, spacious bedrooms, and ingeniously imagined bathrooms.
The Art of Living With White: A Year of Inspiration By Chrissie Rucker (HarperCollins, $50)
Fans of bracing wintry neutrals will appreciate the calming beauty of this book, which details how to use whites throughout the year. Author Chrissie Rucker, founder of The White Company, teaches readers how to harness the power of white and neutral colors to create a welcoming home, with tips and ideas for stylish living and seasonal celebrations.
Home With Rue: Style For Everyone By Kelli Lamb (Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed, $47)
Rue’s editorial director Kelli Lamb has created this collection to carry their style and advice into book form. Home with Rue gathers inspirational and accessible ideas to help readers imagine, plan, and create their ultimate living space.
Atlas Of Interior Design By Dominic Bradbury (Phaidon Press, $125)
If you have a hardcore design aficionado on your list, consider this book a reference bible. Traveling across 10 continents regions, this epic book explores more than 400 spaces by the top talent in the world from the past and present.
Shingle and Stone: Thomas Kligerman Houses By Thomas Kligerman (Monacelli, $95)
This book steps into the world of salty maritime air, deep porches, board-and-batten walls and broad unpainted beams. It depicts grand homes by architect Thomas Kligerman — who grew up in New England — in East Coast retreats such as Martha’s Vineyard and the Hamptons.
Billy Cotton: Interior Design & Work By Mayer Rus (Rizzoli, $85)
New York designer Billy Cotton’s projects are highly idiosyncratic, thanks to handcrafted pieces such as Indian suzanis, Pakistani ralli blankets and African Kuba coverlets. The glamorous spaces — many designed for art-world clients including Cindy Sherman — are anchored in tradition but reflect the relaxed, modern sensibility.
Cabin Fever: Enchanting Cabins, Shacks, And Hideaways By Gestalten (Gestalten, $78)
Featuring rustic timber cabins on stilts, mirrored pods in the woods, and otherworldly off-grid getaways, Cabin Fever showcases a new wave of modern hideaways, all remotely positioned and away from the hustle and bustle. This book features imaginative structures that are spectacularly photogenic, whether they’re star-shaped and set on 20-foot-tall stilts, or wedge-like prefabs that can be moved as needed.
Embracing Natural Design By Stephanie Kienle Gonzalez (Rizzoli, $75)
This debut book from Manila designer Stephanie Kienle Gonzalez is the ultimate antidote for rainy days. Whether she’s showing off her eco-friendly South African lodge, or the L.A. pergola of Nate Berkus, these stunning spaces emphasize the beauty of nature both inside and outside the home.
Parisian by Design: Interiors by David Jimenez By Diane Dorrans Saeks (Rizzoli, $75)
Since arriving in Paris six years ago, Bronx-born designer David Jimenez has acclimated his beautiful homes (including an Île Saint-Louis apartment and country home in Saintines, France) to Gallic decorating.
Hamptons Modern: Contemporary Living on the East End By David Sokol (Monacelli, $75)
In Hamptons Modern, author David Sokol explores the latest architectural experiments taking place in New York’s legendary summer retreat with 18 residences. These houses interface with the seaside landscape in ways that that reference the Hamptons’ rich design history.
Home: A Celebration: Notable Voices Reflect On the Meaning of Home Edited by Charlotte Moss (Rizzoli, $68)
This book’s 122 essays are penned by creatives from the worlds of entertainment, food and design, such as Bette Midler, Kelly Wearstler and Tory Burch.
Living In Color By Phaidon Editors (Phaidon, $65)
In this compilation, 130 rooms are organized on a color spectrum, from a raspberry living room in Rajasthan to Steven Gambrel’s grape library, proving that there’s a shade to seduce even the most color-phobic.
Montecito Style: Paradise on California’s Gold Coast By Firooz Zahedi and Lorie Dewhirst Porter (Monacelli, $75)
The seaside town of Montecito is home and refuge to numerous celebrities (including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres), in addition to their aspirational homes. This book presents 20 houses and landscapes that embody the quintessential “California style.”
The Patterned Interior By Greg Natale (Rizzoli, $75)
From the big picture to the smallest vignette, Australian designer Greg Natale shows how pattern can transform and enhance any space. The Patterned Interior tours a variety of properties in different continents, hopscotching from a rural Oklahoma property to a surf-inspired penthouse overlooking one of Australia’s most sought-after beaches.