10 Coffee Table Books That Should Be on Your Shelves and Tables Now

Part memoir, part fountain of renovating advice, the Novogratz are getting more personal than ever in their latest book, The Novogratz Chronicles: Lessons Learned from Twenty-Five Years of Buying and Renovating Houses. Fans of their Bravo and HGTV shows over the years — and their unique interiors — are guaranteed to love the stories and tips peppered throughout the pages. But any design enthusiast can learn a thing or two from them, whether that’s how to build a business, assemble a renovation dream team, or just figure out how to articulate a favorite design style.

Flipping through Leanne Ford’s first interiors book truly feels like being invited over to her place for a cup of coffee or a glass of wine — and then being walked through the ways in which you can embrace your design style and make your house a home by following her lead. Sometimes that means working with what’s there — whether that’s old wood or peeling wallpaper, and other times it means breaking a design rule or deliberately changing a room or feature to reflect the way you live. Either way, the point is to enjoy the process of decorating and slow down.

Some of my favorite hotels in New York (in the city, upstate, and out east) have been designed by Workstead, the Brooklyn-based firm that’s known for their attention to craftsmanship and fine detail in both residential and commercial design. But they’ve touched locations far and wide with their utilitarian meets livable luxe aesthetic, and this book both catalogs and distills their iconic hotel and restaurant projects. Even if you haven’t stayed (or dined) in a workshop interior, you (or yours) will enjoy the visuals and design ideas in this book — I promise!

Rarely is the emphasis in a well-designed room put on the styling, but that last layer of life is what can make a space truly sing. And Vogue and Elle Decor alum Mieke Ten Have has made a career out of making this kind of magic. So it’s no surprise her first book is all about personalizing a space by putting together visually pleasing vignettes and rooms. You’ll finish this one inspired and ready to take on decorating your own four walls.

You won’t find a more charming book than Coral & Tusk founder Stephanie Housley’s In Stitches, which chronicles the creative process behind her career of making wonderfully whimsical, hand-drawn illustrations into embroidered textiles. Even the book jacket bears her beautiful work! You’ll learn the backstory behind her characters, the world she’s created for them, and more in this lovely read.

As a Small/Cool NYC alum and lead designer of Magnolia’s Artfully Designed, Natalie Papier has always had a knack for choosing unique, room-making artwork. So it’s about time she shared that talent with the world in book form. Here, you’ll find a guide for finding art where you least expect it as well as tricks for embracing Papier’s art-first design philosophy.

This one’s a little bit of a wild card in a round up of design books, but even the smallest coffee table can accommodate Paige Owens’ 500 Essential Pop Punk Albums, since it’s just 7 inches square in size. This is the type of book people are drawn to flipping through, and I guarantee the music lovers in your life will enjoy reading about all the bands that shaped punk rock over the years, from the Ramones to Blink 182.

Maybe you’ve been following designer Marie Flanigan’s work for ages — she’s been featured on Apartment Therapy countless times. But even if you haven’t, you’ll get a lot out of this beautiful book. That’s because its approach takes you through a home room by room, focusing on the biggest design challenges in each space and how to solve them with Flanigan’s tried-and-true, warm advice.

John Derian’s first Picture Book was a bestseller and for good reason; it’s chock-full of the charming curiosities from his mind that make his spaces, stores, and products so special. Now he’s back with volume two, having created hundreds of new drawings over the past eight years. You’ll find 375 full-bleed images of his best in this oversize, striking coffee-table book you won’t be able to put down.

If you love artist and designer Josh Young’s classic interiors, you’re going to swoon over his first coffee-table book, Artful Home. Full of photos of his own home that he took, the book breaks down Young’s design philosophy to five principles as he guides you through his own home illustrating each of them. By the time you reach the back cover, you’ll be ready to decorate in a timeless, traditional style.