Discover the best books for interior design that inspire creativity, teach design principles, and help you style stunning spaces. Perfect for all skill levels! Interior design is more than just arranging furniture; it’s an art form that combines aesthetics, functionality, and innovation. Whether you’re a budding designer, a seasoned professional, or simply someone passionate about creating beautiful spaces, having the right resources can make all the difference. This article covers the best books on interior design to inspire and guide you at every stage of your design journey.

Why Read Interior Design Books?

Understanding the Basics of Design

Interior design books lay a solid foundation by explaining core principles like balance, proportion, and harmony. If you’re new to the field, these books provide a structured learning experience, breaking down concepts into digestible chapters.

Expanding Creative Horizons

Books expose you to diverse styles, from minimalist and modern to bohemian and traditional. They showcase projects from across the globe, encouraging you to think beyond your comfort zone and experiment with different approaches.

Staying Updated on Trends

While the basics of design remain constant, trends evolve rapidly. Reading current interior design books ensures you stay informed about trending materials, colors, and techniques.

Key Features to Look for in an Interior Design Book

Quality of Visuals and Illustrations

Interior design is a highly visual field. Books with high-resolution photos, floor plans, and mood boards are invaluable for understanding concepts.

Comprehensive Coverage of Design Principles

A good book should cover everything from spatial planning to color theory, providing actionable insights you can implement immediately.

Practical Advice and Case Studies

The best books include real-world examples, offering step-by-step guidance on how professionals solve design challenges.

Top Interior Design Books for Beginners

If you’re dipping your toes into the pool of interior design advice, the following three books are great for a solid foundation. They serve novice decorators and deliver encouragement and actionable tips to help you remake places fearlessly.

1: The Interior Design Handbook: Furnishing a House in the 21st Century by Frida Ramstedt

The Interior Design Handbook by Frida Ramstedt is a brilliant read for those just starting their design journey. It isn’t another book tuned in to aesthetics or on trends, but on function and fundamental principles of design.

What Makes This Book Unique?

• The Basics of Design: Frida shares this genius way to boil down the sometimes daunting world of interior design into ideas in spatial planning, balance and proportion. This means it is perfect for beginners.
• Practical Tips: Instead of dictating what the trends or styles might be at any given moment, the book gives readers tools to craft spaces that work for their needs and personalities.
• Minimalism: It promotes minimizing components which leads to an environmental Issue and needless design.

Why Should You Read It?

Frida has an engaging and straightforward writing style that makes complex topics easy to grasp. Whether you’re setting up your first apartment or undertaking an entire home redesign, this book assures you that you can plan and execute designs that are functional and beautiful.

2: Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave, by Joanna Gaines

Joanna Gaines, the designer and the host of the show Fixer Upper, injects her personal style and warmth into “Homebody.” This book is like having a chat with a friend who happens to know a lot about design.

Key Features of the Book

• Custom Fit, Not Trends: Joanna believes that spaces should tell your own story and work for how you live and personalize, not what’s trending.
• Room-by-Room Guide: Each chapter is devoted to a room, with individualized advice for making the most of its utility and appeal.
• Warm & Cozy Aesthetic: Her signature farmhouse-inspired style shines throughout the book, but encourages readers to make it their own.

Why Is It Worth Reading?

What distinguishes “Homebody” is its orientation toward emotional connection. Joanna guides readers on how to make their houses feel like homes by prioritizing comfort and personal touches. If cozy, inviting spaces are your jam, you’ll find this book relatable on a personal level.

3: Domino: The Book of Decorating” by Domino Editors

For a more lively, eclectic approach, “Domino: The Book of Decorating” by the editors of Domino magazine is a jackpot of ideas. It’s ideal for beginners who desire actionable advice and visual stimulation.

What Does the Book Offer?

• Actionable Tips: There are easy-to-follow strategies for designing all the spaces, including the living room and bedroom.
• Guidance: Walks readers through the whole decorating process, from choosing a color palette to arranging furniture.
• Stunning Photography: This gives you plenty of inspiration for creating chich, livable spaces.

Who Should Read It?

If you’re a visual learner who wants to see concrete examples and actionable advice, you’ll like this book. Its easygoing tone and extensive coverage earn it the top spot to many new designers.

Essential Books for Experienced Designers

Whether through Google images or Instagram hashtags, in a rapidly changing and developing world, experienced designers look for inspiration and learnings which are not just trends and have some essence of fundamentals. Where beginning designers might seek foundational tomes, seasoned designers often seek out material to hone their expertise, shape their worldview, or refine their artistry. Here, we dive into three must-have reads every seasoned designer should keep on hand, with detailed explanations as to why they are a must-have.

1: The Decoration of Houses” by Edith Wharton and Ogden Codman Jr.

Timeless Wisdom from the Past

This book is a classic, and was first published in 1897, so it’s stood the test of time as a must-have reference for design principles. Thanks to Edith Wharton, a well-known author, and Ogden Codman Jr., a gifted architect, we have a considered look at how to design our homes.

• Prioritize Ease of Use and Usability
  This book doesn’t lean toward modern design, which is often ostentatious; it finds home in practicality, symmetry and harmony. It advocates eliminating aesthetic clutter to focus on usability. This perspective is revealing for a seasoned designer and can motivate more palpable and relevant design choices.
• In-depth Discussions on Ratios
  Through the exploration of proportions underlying very basic systems, the authors tackle the matter of achieving balanced interiors. From room dimensions to furniture placement, their insights urge designers to consider how space is perceived and experienced.
• Historical Significance Meets Contemporary Context
  Though grounded in classical ideals, the principles, which led the authors to produce this manual, have a remarkably contemporary relevance, particularly for speculative projects. The depth of historic context coupled with actionable advice will resonate with experienced designers.

What Designers With Experience Like About It

This book is not just a how to; it’s a philosophy on restraint and reverence for form. Veterans swear by it to anchor their projects in timeless principles rather than passing fads.

2: Interior Design Master Class” edited by Carl Dellatore

A Wealth of Perspectives

Carl Dellatore’s new book is a curated master class, with advice from over 100 of the top designers in the field. The chapters are short essays about topics that cover everything from lighting and color to the use of space and how interiors serve to elicit feeling.

• United in Power, Divided by Style
  Among the contributors are industry luminaries like Kelly Wearstler, Bunny Williams and Vicente Wolf. The light of their combined wisdom creates kaleidoscopes of ideas, and readers leave with inspiration that is fresh.
• More In-Depth Looks on Specific Subjects
  Each essay is a concentrated dose of expertise for experienced designers who don’t need basics but want to refine their craft. Topics such as “The Art of Layering” and “Creating Mood with Lighting” offer prose that is just digestible enough for practical takeaways that could be applied to more advanced projects.
• Visual Feast
  The book also features stunning photography, both for inspiration and as a reference of high-end design.

Why It’s a Must-Have

More experienced designers cannot afford to be complacent. “Interior Design Master Class” provides a necessary injection of ideas that matter — the elevated content that keeps professionals growing, learning new ways to adapt to ideas that are current and timeless.

3: Architectural Digest at 100: A Century of Style,” by Architectural Digest

Celebrating Design Excellence

A beautiful book that celebrates 100 years of Architectural Digest, with some of the most unforgettable interiors and designers of the century.

• Highlighting the Best of the Best
  With houses by legends like Frank Lloyd Wright and Zaha Hadid, this list of homes showcases the evolution of design through the decades. For veteran designers, it’s an opportunity to see what trailblazers made and learn from their inventiveness.
• Global Inspiration
  The book provides a global perspective on design, from sumptuous estates in Europe to futuristic homes in Asia. If you work in international markets or want to include cross-cultural elements in your project, this diversity is especially useful.
• A Collector’s Treasure
  This book is not only a resource in its own right, however; it is also a work of art. Its oversized format and high-quality images make it a pleasure to flip through, whether to get ideas or just for fun.

Why Professionals Adore It

“Architectural Digest at 100” is more than just a book; it’s the celebration of a design history. For seasoned designers, it can be both aspirational and a manifestation of the transformative power of their work.

Best Books on Niche Topics in Interior Design

Interior design is a broad field, but niche topics within it tend to appeal to designers who wish to specialize or hone their skills. If you want to learn how to master the art of styling, working with small spaces or color history, these books are invaluable when it comes to specific elements of design.

1: Styled: Secrets for Arranging Rooms” by Emily Henderson

Mastering the Art of Styling

Emily Henderson’s “Styled” is a great resource for anyone looking to elevate their interiors by styling their home more thoughtfully. Instead of structural design, the no-nonsense book zooms in on arranging furniture, décor and accessories to form beautiful and functional rooms.

• Practical Guidance
  (The book outlines a step-by-step approach to styling any space, from determining a room’s focal point to layering textiles and selecting the right accessories.) For designers, it’s a style guide for creating cohesive and Instagrammable interiors.
• Emphasis on Personality
  Henderson writes about designing with personality, helping both readers and designers comprehend how to give spaces a client’s or a designer’s unique fingerprint. She provides tips on how to balance aesthetics and practicality, making it ideal for the lived-in home.
• Actionable Tips and Tricks
  With chapter titles such as “How to Style a Bookshelf” and “The Perfect Coffee Table Arrangement,” the book dissects styling in a digestible manner. These insights will be especially valuable for designers who are working on the finishing touches for a project.
• Visual Inspiration
  Full of gorgeous images, “Styled” is an endless source of inspiration for people who would like to play around with different styles, color palettes and arrangements.

2. Small Space Style by Whitney Leigh Morris

Designing for Compact Spaces

Small Space Style offers a wealth of kitchen and other ideas that make the most out of small homes and apartments. Whitney Leigh Morris is a small-space living expert and the author of the A Well Loved Home, and she has some suggestions on making even the smallest square footage feel big.

• Help for Everyday Challenges
  Packed with game-changing solutions for common small-space problems, the book covers overhead storage, multipurpose furniture and keeping flow in cramped quarters. From studios to tiny homes, it offers ideas designed for small-scale life.
• Eco-Friendly Focus
  Morris works for mindful consumption and sustainable design. Her approach promotes using what you already have and investing in pieces that serve multiple purposes and are good quality (and therefore intended to last), in keeping with the growing direction toward nontoxic and sustainable interior design.
• Sections on Every Room
  This book isn’t all with the generals; there’s advice tailored to each room. From a workable kitchen, functional bedroom, to a positive living space, these principles can easily be used and customized by designers based on their client’s needs.
• Beautiful Aesthetic
  Illustrated with photographs of Morris’s own 362-square-foot home, the book inspires readers with its clean, minimalist, and practical aesthetic. Designers can use it for reference when whipping up similar looks in small spaces.

3. Color: A Natural History of the Palette” by Victoria Finlay

Exploring the Depths of Color

With “Color: A Natural History of the Palette,” Victoria Finlay takes readers on a fascinating journey through the history, science and cultural significance of color. Not really a design book, this is as much an immersion in the stories behind the colors that make up our world.

• Historical Insights
  The book also touches on how colors have been discovered, traded, and used throughout history. From the origins of ultramarine in lapis lazuli to the secrets of cochineal red, Finlay offers tales that enrich a designer’s understanding and appreciation of color.
• Cultural Perspectives
  Each chapter focuses on a specific color and comprises various themes tied to that color with curious undertones about their symbolic significances in varied cultures. Such knowledge can deepen range of a designer’s palette selections and narratives.
• Science Meets Art
  Finlay combines scientific insight with artistic anecdote, making the book an engaging read for those interested in learning about the mechanics of light, pigments and the way we see color.
• Inspiration for Palettes
  Not a guide book per se, the wealth of anecdotes and visual descriptions can help provide a springboard for designers working through color palettes. The book reads as an invitation for the rest of us to expand our creative vocabulary with color in our own interiors.

Books Focused on Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Design

Today, sustainable and eco-friendly design is not a niche anymore but a need of the hour. Books that address sustainable design are invaluable resources for designers looking to incorporate environmentally conscious practices into their work: showing how to create spaces which are both stylish and kind. Here are two must-read volumes that combine eco-consciousness and aesthetic delight.

1. Sustainable Home by Christine Liu

The New Essentials: a Guide to Living Green

Christine Liu’s “Sustainable Home” is an excellent introduction for anyone who looks to bring sustainability into their interiors. Packed with practical tips and deep thought, the book encourages designers and homeowners to make green choices without sacrificing style.

• Room-by-Room Sustainability
  The book is divided into sections, each of which centers on a space in the home: kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and so on. In each space, Liu details practical moves to minimize waste, reduce energy use and opt for sustainable materials.
• Sustainable Materials and Eco-Friendly Processes
  From choosing non-toxic paints to finding furniture crafted from reclaimed wood, “Sustainable Home” also provides tips on selecting materials with a lower impact on the environment. Insights like these can help designers make smarter, greener decisions in their work.
• The Balancing Act Between Style And Sustainability
  A key takeaway from the book is to keep a stylish aesthetic while focusing on sustainability. Emphasizing minimalist and timeless designs, it proves that eco-conscious living can embody elegance and modern style.
• Photography and Inspiration
  Rich in exciting visuals, the book is an educational resource as well as a source of inspiration. It features beautifully designed spaces that follow sustainable principles, providing designers with ideas to use when creating similar environments.

2. The New Bohemians by Justina Blakeney

A Bohemian Aesthetic with a Sustainable Twist

Justina Blakeney’s book “The New Bohemians” is a colorful ode to bohemian design — with sustainability baked in. The book would be a perfect resource for free-spirited designers eager to fill spaces with eclectic, soulful elements that reflect eco-conscious values.

• Focus on Natural and Upcycled Materials
  Blakeney promotes natural, handmade and upcycled components, suggesting that readers think outside the box when sourcing décor and furnishings. This dovetails beautifully with the sustainable design precepts, lending the book a trove of ideas for eco-mindedness.
• Areas Where Creativity and Individualism Reigns
  These stories are invariably homes, each one imprinted with the values and personality of their inhabitants. It beckons designers to embrace individuality, making room for eco-worldview options such as reused furniture, organic fabrics, and vegetation.
• DIY and Sustainable Practices
  In addition to showing evocative interiors, Blakeney offers tips for infusing your own space with bohemian soul. From handwoven textiles to upcycled art, these projects prioritize resourcefulness and sustainability.
• Focus on Biophilia
  Plants are abundant among the spaces featured in “The New Bohemians.” Blakeney emphasizes that greenery contributes positively to aesthetics but also to well-being, and is an essential part of eco-friendly design.

Coffee Table Books for Design Inspiration

While coffee table books certainly double as stylish decor pieces, they also act as wells of creativity and inspiration, shedding light on the art of interior design. Whether you need inspiration for your next project or simply want to add something chic to your living-room shelf, these two books are essentials for any design buff.

1: Habitat: The Field Guide to Decorating by Lauren Liess

A Visual Feast and Useful Primer

Lauren Liess’s “Habitat” is a beautiful book that straddles the line between practical design advice and pure visual inspiration. Its large, glossy pages containing stunning photography make it a great option for any coffee table.

A Visual Feast and Practical Guide

Lauren Liess’ “Habitat” is a beautifully crafted book that bridges the gap between practical design advice and sheer visual inspiration. Its large, glossy pages filled with breathtaking photography make it a standout choice for any coffee table.

• Rich Photography
  Each page is filled with gorgeous photographs of perfectly styled spaces that embody Liess’ signature mix of natural materials, clean lines, and timeless beauty. Visuals-wise, the book is sure to prompt good conversation all on its own.
• Guided Decorating Tips
  Despite its visual focus, the book includes insightful advice on how to decorate. Liess lays out fundamental design principles, such as balance, proportion and texture, making the book a useful resource for both designers and homeowners.
• Emphasis on Natural Elements
  Organic materials and earthy tones are among the recurring themes in “Habitat.” Liess shows how to bring nature in, building warm and inviting spaces that feel elegantly effortless, the kind of house that’s hinted at in museum collections.
• Conversation Starter
  With its engaging commentary and arresting layouts, “Habitat” is ideally suited to initiate conversations about design philosophies and personal taste.

2: Elements of Style by Erin Gates

Part Humor, Part Personality, Part Design Superhero

“Elements of Style” by Erin Gates isn’t merely a design book — it’s also a page turner of personal essays, professions of design love and breathtaking photography. A relatable yet aspirational hybrid of a design guide and a memoir, this book has been well-received by readers.”

Erin Gates’ “Elements of Style” is not just a design book—it’s an engaging read that combines personal anecdotes, professional insights, and stunning photography. This part-memoir, part-design guide is both relatable and aspirational, making it a hit among readers.

• Witty and Honest Narratives
  The world of design could always use a little touch of humor and gutsiness and Gates gives both. Her unvarnished tales of her work growing as a designer bring depth and relatability, rendering this as pleasurable to read as it is to leaf through.
• Beautifully Styled Spaces
  Interiors range from classic and timeless to bold and modern. Its diversity guarantees there’s something to uplift everyone’s spirits, no matter what their aesthetic.
• Practical Advice and Style Tips
  Sprinkled among her own experiences are actionable design tips. Gates offers tips on everything from picking the best paint colors to setting up furniture to create an impact.
• Highly Photogenic Presentation
  With a visually pleasing layout and beautiful photography throughout, the book makes a perfect coffee-table centerpiece. Its blend of humor and beauty guarantees that you will reach for it more than once.

How to Pick the Right Book for You

If it’s your first at it, be sure to pick wisely, the right one might turn your life upside down. With hundreds of thousands in existence, however, it usually takes the right space to stand out to create an experience that really suits your activity needs and wants. So here are some tips that you should follow when choosing a book that satisfies your interests.

1: Matching Your Skill Level

For Newbies: Build a Foundation

If you are new to design, you should start with books that cover basic principles. The resources include subjects such as spatial planning, color theory and material selection in an easily digestible form, and building your confidence as you progress.

• Look for titles that emphasize how-to guides and step-by-step instructions.
• Books with ample illustrations and practical examples can make learning more accessible.

Seek out titles that focus on how-to guides and step-by-step instructions.

Books that are filled with illustrations and practical examples can help you learn.

Advanced Designers: Understand Advanced Techniques

For seasoned designers, books that provide greater insight into particular techniques or theoretical constructs can be invaluable. Reading up on advanced practices, historical influences or more innovative ideas might help you hone down your expertise.

• Choose resources authored by thought-leading authors or with expert contributions.
• Choose reads that challenge old or familiar ideas or offers a new perspective on something known.

2: To Do More with Less: Aligning with Design Preferences

Tailoring to Your Aesthetic

The selection of books you make should greatly depend on your personal or professional design style. Whether your aesthetic falls somewhere between sleek modern, adorable vintage, or higgledy-piggledy bohemian, there are books that capture and expand on your style sensibilities.

• Your modernist: Seek out books that feature clean lines, neutral palettes and functional designs.
• Styling Experts: Search for articles with a lot of historical context, or that focus on vintage styles and restoration methods.
• Mixed Up Decorators: Books that revel in veering between wild patterns, eclectic influences and unorthodoxy.

Choosing Resonant Authors

As a means of both inspiration and validation look for authors whose design philosophy is similar to your own vision. Maybe the things they have to say will resonate heavily with you and will have you taking your projects more personally.

3: Seeking Specific Solutions

Targeting Design Challenges

If you’re tackling particular challenges, like how to style a small apartment or how to pair colors with finesse, then niche books are your best friends. These are targeted resources that provide contextual, actionable advice specific to your circumstances.

• Small spaces: “Small Space Style” by Whitney Leigh Morris and such titles help maximize function and aesthetics in homes large and small.
• Color Theory: how we choose color, and why we are drawn to it, are explored in titles such as “Color: A Natural History of the Palette” by Victoria Finlay.
• Styling: Books such as “Styled: Secrets for Arranging Rooms, from Tabletops to Bookshelves” by Emily Henderson guide the final touches.

Practical Application

Books that come with real-world examples, case studies, or even before-and-after transformations can help you see the light at the end of the design tunnel.

Online Resources Complementing Interior Design Books

Books provide the same timeless structure large field but other resources help and very easily dynamic and up-to-date way to learn about interior design. From video tutorials to digital publications, there’s an abundance of tools online that can help educate you and keep you feeling inspired.

1. Video Tutorials and Virtual Courses

Visual Demonstrations for the Purpose of Learning

Sometimes it helps to see design techniques in practice and how they can simplify complex ideas. There are a seemingly endless supply of tutorials and courses on platforms like YouTube, Skillshare and MasterClass geared toward different aspects of interior design.

• YouTube:
  There are free, quality content from experienced professionals and influencers. Channels such as Studio McGee or House & Home provide practical tips, DIY projects and room makeovers.
• Skillshare:
  Ideal for deep dives, Skillshare has organized classes on subjects from color theory to furniture arrangement to interior styling. These classes are ideal for developing targeted skills at your own pace.
• MasterClass:
  If you want to learn the best of the best, I suggest courses on MasterClass that are taught by the greats of the field. These beautiful people in black are ideal for learning the secrets of the trade and finding inspiration from world-renowned designers.

Interactive Learning Tools

Many virtual courses feature downloadable resources, assignments, and community interactions — all helping you to apply what you’ve learned and connect with other design enthusiasts.

2. Digital Magazines and Blogs

Staying on Top of Trends

Books are great for timeless principles but digital magazines and blogs bring you up to speed on new trends, new materials and innovative techniques.

• Architectural Digest (AD):
  AD’s website is a goldmine of design inspiration with beautiful homes, trend reports and expert interviews. It’s an ideal complement to traditional interior design tomes.
• Houzz:
  Renowned for its impressive library of design photos, Houzz allows you to see how the styles and layouts might look in your own space. And their blog page contains a lot of advice and information for designers and home owners.
• Design Milk:
  This blog is well focused on modern and contemporary design and is a great resource for clean lines and cutting-edge ideas.
• Free and Paid Content

Free and Paid Content

And from free, blog-style posts to subscription-only digital issues, these resources are for all budgets (and tastes). They’re great for short reads, and a variety of design topics.

Benefits of Combining Books with Practical Experience

Books are invaluable for learning the theories, principles and nuances of interior design; the true magic happens when you combine that knowledge with hands-on experience. Practice + reading = better understanding and becoming a better designer. Here are the benefits of combining the two.

1. Applying What You Learn

From Theory to Practice

Books can show you the basic stuff — think color theory, spatial planning and styling techniques — but putting them into practice is what helps things really stick. All that has been well in theory, but it’s when I experiment with those ideas that I see how, in real life, that works.

• Testing Design Principles:
  Experiment with putting into practice symmetry, balance or focal point strategies from books like “The Decoration of Houses” into actual room layouts. You’ll learn quickly what resonates and what you need to tweak in different contexts.
• Learning Through Mistakes:
  You learn things that the books don’t tell you. Overcoming these challenges hones your problem-solving ability and creates a more agile designer.
• Building Confidence:
  Each time you successfully apply a book’s insights, you gain confidence; this emboldens you to attempt more ambitious projects.

2. Building a Professional Portfolio

Turning Knowledge into Tangible Results

Whether you’re looking for work as a freelancer, or you want to get hired, a good portfolio is crucial for demonstrating your skillset to prospective clients or employers. This effectively forms a portfolio that showcases both innovation and skill as you balance learning from the pages of a book and the pages of your code.

• Showcasing Versatility:
  Multiple sources of inspiration. For instance, employ styling tips from “Styled” by Emily Henderson on one project, and use small-space solutions from “Small Space Style” by Whitney Leigh Morris on another. Such variety speaks to your versatility.”
• Documenting Progress:
  Take photos of your projects to chart how you’ve applied what you’ve learned. With every iteration, this builds a visual story of your evolution as a designer.
• Making an Impression:
  A portfolio that showcases the depth of the knowledge and practical experience you have is far more distinguishing. It’s a great way to show you don’t just know the theory—you know how to make it come to life.

Conclusion

Interior design books are invaluable tools for anyone looking to elevate their spaces. Whether you’re a novice or an expert, these books provide inspiration, knowledge, and actionable advice to help you bring your design visions to life. Start exploring today and let these resources guide you toward creating your dream spaces.

FAQs

1. What is the best beginner-friendly interior design book?
   “The Interior Design Handbook” by Frida Ramstedt is perfect for beginners due to its straightforward approach.
2. Are interior design books suitable for DIY enthusiasts?
   Absolutely! Books like “Homebody” by Joanna Gaines are excellent for DIY enthusiasts.
3. How can books help professional interior designers?
   They offer advanced techniques, industry insights, and case studies that professionals can incorporate into their work.
4. What are some affordable books for interior design learners?
   “Domino: The Book of Decorating” and “Styled” are budget-friendly options packed with valuable content.
5. Where can I find digital versions of these books?
   Digital versions are available on platforms like Kindle, Google Books, and Apple Books.