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A Great Coffee Table Book is More Than Just Décor

A great coffee table book is more than just décor, it’s a window into a world of style, creativity, and inspiration. Whether you’re a seasoned interior designer or simply someone who loves a beautifully curated space, the right coffee table book can spark ideas, add personality to your home, and the stylish book covers can also double up as objects d’art.

Quite literally, stylish coffee table books have a long shelf life and are among the best-selling books in the world! We have curated a list of our 5 favourite design books that blend eye-catching visuals with thoughtful insight, which can elevate anyone’s collection. From timeless classics to trendsetting tomes, these picks are as chic as they are captivating.

1. Andrew Martin International Interior Design Review 

Dubbed the bible of Interior Design, the annual review features work from the world’s top 100 designers. Now on its 28th edition, the review highlights the most innovative and exceptional spaces of the past year, as well as acts as a directory for top designers from around the world. With a mix of residential, commercial and concept spaces, the Andrew Martin Review is not only a collector’s item with a strong editorial presence, but for a design studio to be included is a true accolade. 

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Image credit: Andrew Martin Interiors Design Review, Vol.28

The perfect book to inspire, highlighting a range of design styles from eclectic to minimalist, the Andrew Martin International Interior Design Review doesn’t just showcase trends – it defines them. 

Whether you’re a design professional or just love flipping through beautifully crafted spaces, this book is packed with fresh ideas and boundary-pushing creativity. 

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Image credit: Andrew Martin Interiors Design Review, Vol.28

2. Architectural Digest at 100

If there’s a coffee table book that earns its place front and centre, it’s Architectural Digest at 100: A Century of Style and no coffee table round up is complete without something from AD!

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Image credit: Architectural Digest at 100 – This beautifully bound volume is not just a book—it’s a celebration of the evolution of taste, design, and the global homes that have graced the pages of AD over the last century.

Showcasing some of the most iconic and unforgettable interiors, Architectural Digest at 100, takes its readers on a curated journey, showcasing the homes of Yves Saint Laurent’s Paris apartment, The Obama’s White House rooms and of course the serene sanctuaries of design legends like Kelly Wearstler and Axel Vervoordt.

From the homes of celebrities to legendary designers’ projects, this book is eye candy with depth. It’s bold, luxurious, and endlessly inspiring – with the Forward written by Anna Wintour. Need we say more!

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Image credit: David Hockney, Architectural Digest at 100

Oversized and exquisitely printed with a sleek cover, this book looks as good as its contents. It instantly adds gravitas and glam to your living room stack, and one that guests can’t help but open.

3. Beata Heuman: Every Room Should Sing

The debut book written by one of today’s leading designers, Beata Heuman, champions playful, original interiors, infused with Scandinavian flair – a coffee book MUST. Every Room Should Sing invites readers into Heuman’s dreamlike spaces, where nothing is too serious, but everything is intentional. With every turn of the page you’ll find a celebration of colour, character and individuality and provides its readers with the lowdown on how to give your home the Heuman touch!

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Image credit: Beata Heuman: Every Room Should Sing

From scalloped details to quirky antiques, every page is brimming with personality and soul. It’s a masterclass in blending classical training with eclectic flair and provides the reader with both practical insights and visual delight!

Heuman’s work reminds us that a home should reflect the people who live in it – down to the smallest, most charming detail. The book itself is so beautifully designed it would be a shame not to have it on full display!

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Image credit: Beata Heuman: Every Room Should Sing

4. The Art of Home: A Designer’s Guide to Creating an Elevated Yet Approachable Home by Shea McGee

An instant hit, and a New York Times bestseller, Shea McGee of Studio McGee and Netflix fame, distils her signature aesthetic of refined, neutral, and approachable interiors, into this gorgeous guide. The Art of Home goes beyond pretty pictures, as it offers its readers key tips for designing spaces that feel both elevated and comfortable. 

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Image credit: The Art of Home by Shea McGee

If you love a calm, curated home that still feels liveable, this is your go-to as it provides ample inspiration and practical how-tos that will help you create your home into the Studio McGee signature style. With simple design principles and aspirational imagery, this isn’t just a book that will look great on display, it’s a useful guide, helping its readers elevate their space and turning a house into a home.

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Image credit: The Art of Home by Shea McGee

5. New English Interiors: At Home with Today’s Creatives by Elizabeth Metcalfe

Many trends come and go, however there is one that stands the test of time: the English Country house style. A love letter to English interiors, Elizabeth Metcalfe, a respected design journalist who has written for the likes of House & Garden, takes us into the homes of some of the UK’s most interesting creatives, offering a portrait of contemporary British living that’s both rooted in tradition and refreshingly modern.

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Image credit: New English Interiors by Elizabeth Metcalfe

Its pages include a mix of old-world charm with bold, fresh ideas, whilst offering a new lens on English interiors, less ‘stuffy manor,’ and more soulful eclecticism. 

Metcalfe provides a lesson on how to let our personality guide how we decorate our homes and is the perfect coffee table addition for those who love British craftsmanship and understated elegance. 

New English Interiors provides interior lovers with a story, where antique armoires live happily beside Memphis-style lamps, and pattern is embraced, not feared.

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Image credit: New English Interiors by Elizabeth Metcalfe

These coffee table books do more than just sit on your coffee table, they invite its readers into different design philosophies, spark ideas, and reflect on personal style. Whether you love maximalist glamour or rustic simplicity, there’s something here to make your space feel more you. And even better, they’re perfect when styling a space, where one can stack the books by colour or theme and top with a sculptural object or candle. 

Let your coffee table tell a story.

Like what you see?

Selected Works

French Bedroom - EventFemale-founded British furniture brand.

The Floor RoomCreated to transform the world of flooring

The Floor Room - Social MediaEnhancing the brand’s social media presence

Concept BespokeOffering exceptional design, build and maintenance services for prestigious properties.

Spiral CellarsWine cellars less ordinary.

Barker and Stonehouse: Gateshead Store LaunchUnveiling the new £5m store.

ercol x 2LGReaching millions with a message of pride.

French BedroomA luxury bedroom furniture brand.

EggerImagine. Create. Egger.

HerdysleepOut-of-the-box brand strategy.

Barker and Stonehouse & Drew PritchardLaunching a furniture first.

SleepeezeeReawakening a sleeping giant.

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