Not Just for the Coffee Table: A Few Excellent Interior Design Books I
I would not read most of the architectural or interior design books I bought, but leave them on the coffee table. However, here are a few books that are not boring like textbooks but do help with my improvement of interior design artistic aesthetics.
The Touch: Spaces Designed for the Senses
The Touch is a new collaborative book by Kinfolk‘s Nathan Williams and Norm Architects’ Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen! Readers are welcome to enter more than 25 inspiring spaces where the interiors are designed not only to be visually appealing but to engage all human senses.
In addition to stunning photography and interviews with design industry leaders John Pawson and David Thulstrup, the book details philosophical and art historical references that reflect the traditions of design and color theory. To understand these concepts in more depth, the Touch includes an appendix that introduces architects such as Lina Bo Bardi and Richard Neutra.
Inspired by nature
Rural style is the top topic in recent years. In Hans Blomquist‘s new book, Nature by Inspired, designers and art directors point out the connection between our home environment and emotional well-being.
Renowned art director and designer Hans begins by discussing the basic components of a popular home. Nature is at the heart of his decorating philosophy, and contact with the natural world is linked to reducing stress and improving mood. Still lifes and curiosities are key to his work. Hans shows how decorative motifs can be designed to add visual interest and a connection to our past. In the second part of the book, “Home,” Hans takes us on a tour of the comfort, satisfaction, and beauty of real-life homes that will inspire readers to create a home that offers refuge from the wider world, as well as an ideal place to welcome family and friends.
Paris Living Rooms
One of the classic interior design reference books. You can discover or observe how Parisians organize everything in their small space efficiently and creatively.
The Paris Drawing Room was first published in 2002, and Publishing House Apartamento is very happy to reissue the book after nearly 20 years. The book is the second in Dominique Nabokov’s trilogy of interior photography, following the reissue of The New York Living Room earlier this year.
Nabokov calls these images her interior “portraits,” and over 132 pages, delves into the living spaces of famous people in early 21st century Paris, such as Yves Saint Laurent, Nan Goldin, Gerard Depardieu, Carine Roitfeld, Yvon Lambert, Andree Putman, etc.
Farrow & Ball, Decorating with Colour
Fashion trends for interior sets come and go, but British label Farrow & Ball has gone beyond them, becoming synonymous with exquisite wallpapers and high-quality paints. This exciting book showcases a variety of fine homes.
The book is divided into three chapters: classical, rural, and contemporary. Under these headings, 18 sites were presented as case studies. There are also 10 rich decorating principles throughout the book, each of which discusses different decorating ideas and enables readers to practice them in their own homes.
At the end of the book, there is a glossary of Farrow & Ball’s popular neutral colors and how to choose the right type of paint. Practical, thought-provoking, and often surprising, this book is sure to inspire the creativity of all home decorators.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in Life Outside of Design Studio and has been updated for accuracy and completeness.