8 Books for Design Lovers
Perfect gifts for mavens, novices and everyone who appreciates a well-designed room
For even more gift suggestions, see “Host With the Most” and “11 Great Gifts for Gardeners.”
Classic by Design by Michael S. Smith with Andrew Ferren (Rizzoli)
California-based designer Smith is known for his vast knowledge of design styles through the ages. He’s highly sought after for his expertise by high-profile individuals — he worked with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama on the design of the private quarters of the White House and he’s designed a home for writer and producer Shonda Rhimes, who has written the forward for this book.
Words of Wisdom: “If a home doesn’t reflect the personality of its owner, them the environment we work so hard to create won’t feel authentic or fully achieved.”
Ashe Leandro: Architecture + Interiors by Ariel Ashe and Reinaldo Leandro, contributions by Felix Burrichter, photographs by Shade Degges, Adrian Gaut and Jason Schmidt (Rizzoli)
Ashe is an interior designer. Leandro is an architect. Together, they’re a powerful team designing homes for high-profile clients such as Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts. This book, which comes in a cloth-covered case and includes a foreword by Seth Meyers, profiles homes in urban and country settings. The designers share their insights on the interior design process and their cosmopolitan/bohemian aesthetic.
Words of Wisdom: “When I think of home, I think of New Mexico and Georgia O’Keeffe. She was rigorously committed to living in the service of one’s truest self. She came to this foreign place and made it her own by taking inspiration from all the emptiness and austerity to find in that simplicity an incredible amount of beauty and power and permission to express herself.”
The Slow Down: For the Love of Home by Leanne Ford (Abrams Books)
HGTV personality Leanne Ford offers readers an inside look at the creation of her warm and inviting home in Pennsylvania and encourages readers to slow down in their personal environments and celebrate the beauty of everyday moments.
Words of Wisdom: “You gotta ‘stay loose’ to get to the good stuff. Leave room for decisions on the fly.”
Artful Home by Josh Young with photographs by Kirsten Francis (Rizzoli)
Young, a Washington, DC-based artist and designer has collaborated with brands such as Williams Sonoma Home, Visual Comfort & Co. and Farrow & Ball. In this, his first book, he explains his guiding design principles: palette, texture, form, layers and nostalgia.
Words of Wisdom: “[This book] is a look into my love of art and home, and my own take on what makes an artful home.”
The Perfect Room: Timeless Designs for Intentional Living by Marie Flanigan, with Susan Sully and a foreword by Jeffrey Dungan (Rizzoli)
In her second book, Flanigan, a Houston-based designer, takes readers room by room, offering solutions to design challenges for each.
Words of Wisdom: “My work as an interior designer has always been about the pursuit of a beauty that transcends style to inspire what’s best in us and support what we know to be meaningful.”
Books Nooks: Inspired Ideas for Cozy Reading Corners and Stylish Book Displays by Vanessa Dina, Claire Gilhuly with photographs by Antonis Achilleos (Chronicle Books)
Dina and Gilhuly, editors at Chronical Books, come to the rescue of book lovers/collectors and present styling techniques for every room and aesthetic, revealing how books can be become objets d’art in and of themselves.
Words of Wisdom: “We all have a wide range of interests; your book nook should reflect that, especially if it’s designed purely for your own enjoyment.”
Cullman & Kravis: Interiors by Ellie Cullman, Lee Cavanaugh, Sara Ramsey and Alyssa Urban with Judith Nasatir with photos by Eric Piasecki (Rizzoli)
New York-based Cullman & Kravis is an AD100 Hall of Fame design firm. The homes featured in this book range from Manhattan apartments to historic homes to coastal residences. The designers cover topics such as creative solutions for imparting personality, texture and shine with carpets fabrics and finishes; when to use custom furniture and artisanal/craft/art pieces; and when to embellish with standout details and when to keep things subtle.
Words of Wisdom: “What’s the point of a beautiful room if it’s not comfortable, or if it feels too formal to use? We all want to enjoy every inch of our homes today, which means making sure that however luxuriant or dressy the spaces we design, none of them should feel unwelcoming.”
Nicole Hollis: Artistry of Home by Nicole Hollis, introduction by David Wiseman, photographs by Douglas Friedman (Rizzoli)
San Francisco-based designer Hollis won the American Society of Interior Designers’ award for Designer of the Year in 2023. Artistry of Home presents artful interiors that can serve as inspiration for those looking to reinvigorate their homes with art, craft and design.
Words of Wisdom: “… The narrative of art, design and craftsmanship is a continuum that weaves through time, adapting to the changing tides of technology and culture. As we continue to navigate this dynamic interplay, the appreciation for the handmade, the timeless and the organic becomes not just a design choice, but a celebration of the rich tapestry of human creativity and expression.”
