The best books on interior design

It’s easy to find design inspiration for your home online. Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok even, but have you considered going old-school with books?

Whether you’re looking for the next book to add to your collection, studying design, or want to take ideas to inspire your home makeover, there are plenty of books about interior design to get you started. They’re filled with inspiration and make remarkable décor items and coffee table books.

So, let’s take a look at the best books on interior design to get your creative juices flowing.

Published in 2020, Jenny Rose-Innes shares a wealth of education and inspiration.

It’s engaging and visual – fantastic for anyone interested in finding exciting ideas for their home. With over 20 of the most influential British interior designers photographed in their homes, you learn about each designer’s backstory, house, and décor styles.

With a Good Reads rating of 4.42 stars, British Designers At Home offers a great variety in terms of style, colour, and era, with a mixture of London flats and country houses. It shows how to layout your room with furniture, objects, and textiles with lots of personal touches, so you’re sure to be inspired.

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Another classic interior design book covering British style is Perfect English Style, written by Ros Byam Shaw in 2021. It looks at the comfort, timelessness and allure of English design.

With an average Good Reads score of 4.52, Perfect English Style shows the characteristics of British design around the world and explores the home’s main rooms. This essential guide covers everything from the furnishings to how designers encompass the English style’s informality, comfort and visual charm with fabrics, antiques and collections to add character.

The same author also wrote Perfect English Cottage, Perfect English Farmhouse, and Perfect English Townhouse, which offer specific design aspects for each type of home. Where her Perfect English Style book follows the basic ingredients of this aesthetic, these books give more precise design ideas.

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Written by Vinny Lee in 2011, this book has a 3.47 rating on Good Reads and provides all the basic rules you need to know about interior design.

It is great for newbies or students wanting to learn the baseline to build on when decorating a space. It gives direction and inspiration for decorating from scratch or reinventing an existing space, and it explains everything you need to know about how to layout, decorate, and furnish your home for a harmonious and comfortable space.

Vinny Lee is a fabulous author for those who need interior education or inspiration and has written several other books, such as The Essential Guide to Decorating and Innovative Interiors.

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This interior design book by Judith Gura, written in 2005, is ideal for those inspired by interiors of the era from the 17th century to the present day.

The book’s second edition, heavily illustrated, includes an analysis of modern and contemporary trends as well as historical design styles from around the world.

This interior design book offers top tips from major designers, including iconic fabrics, colours, and textures. With a Good Reads rating of 4.0, The Guide to Period Styles makes it easy to identify key style characteristics from various periods and how to incorporate them into your home.

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This title, also by the renowned author Judith Gura, is a companion to The Abrams Guide to American House Styles by William Morgan and Radek Kurzaj, which delves into common architecture in America.

The Abrams Guide To Period Style for Interiors has a 3.81 Good Reads score. It features 32-period design styles worldwide, including Art Deco, international style, mid-century modern, sixties style, and even Scandinavian modern. With historical summaries, hallmark characteristics, striking images, colour palettes and fabric swatches, you can truly take inspiration to renovate or restore your space.

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Published in 2019 for the magazine’s 100^th anniversary, A Century of Style boasts a 4.19 Good Reads score and celebrates the best from the international design authority. Showcasing interior design characteristics over the years, it offers rich inspiration from past and present.

Discover the personal spaces of celebrities such as David Bowie, Michael Kors, and the Obamas, plus top interior designers. With stunning imagery, this is the best interior design book for those studying art, design, and architecture or even those who are seeking inspiration from the best designers in history.

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Published in 2023 and written by Patrick Mauriès and Marie Kalt, it’s the first publication dedicated to Karl Lagerfeld’s homes.

Famous for being the centre of the fashion industry, he crafted glamourous homes with eclectic designs, from Art Deco to modern themes.

With a 4.0 Good Reads rating, A Life in Houses unveils the entire history of Lagerfeld’s homes, with key designers and pieces highlighted throughout. A rich source of inspiration for the home and fans of art and fashion, you’ll learn about the elegant Art Deco-inspired pieces, the ornate 18th-century mansion, the Roman and French styles, and even his Memphis-designed flat.

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Published in 2023 by British designer Jake Arnold, a rising star of the interior design world, this book holds the secrets to his signature style.

His aesthetic has earned him celebrity clientele and coveted design collaborations. Arnold creates modern spaces that transcend space and time and is one of the most influential names in American design.

With a 4.07 Good Reads score, Redefining Comfort shares nine of Arnold’s projects where he integrates the traditions of his English upbringing into the relaxed luxury of the California lifestyle. With warm minimalism and chic and serene design trends, we see sketches, swatches, resources and stunning photography of the interiors.

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The Interior Design Handbook, by Frida Ramstedt, has a 4.13 rating on Good Reads and teaches general rules of thumb in design.

With this comprehensive interior design bible from a home styling guru, you’ll be inspired by the photographs and learn trends and aspects. One of them is the golden ratio, the best size coffee table, where to place furniture and more. Thanks to its helpful illustrations, you’ll be a design expert in no time and feel inspired to create a balanced and beautiful home.

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Published in 2006 by Fernando de Haro, this is one of the market’s greatest bedroom interior design books.

Whether starting from scratch or redesigning your room, this is the must-have book. With colourful photographs to spark ideas, it shares three essential aspects of design: texture, style, and serenity.

Though it may not be the first room in a home that you might consider, focusing on the layout of your bedroom is essential. As your sanctuary, it should be all about you. You can style it as you please to make it your own and create a relaxing environment to help you destress and promote plentiful sleep. You can make a restful space you’ll love with décor, bedroom colours for sleep, and furniture layout.

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…and that is the last of the incredible books to mention here. So, grab a book, immerse yourself in the design world, and start creating the home of your dreams. For more bedroom inspiration, explore more of our bedroom styling advice and trends.