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Shopping Guide: 10 Must Have Design Books for Every Taste and Style

by on Feb 8, 2016

10 Favorite Design Books

Design books are great for design inspiration and guidance, but they also are pretty fun pieces to style your home. The books that are best for you are the ones that fit your style aesthetic. When you find the book that fits you, it can be your go to source for how to bring your space all together. Here are ten of my favorite design books that fit a wide range of different type of design aesthetics with some that even help diagnose your style.      

10 favorite Design Books
Source: Amazon

 

1. Decorate by Holly Becker and Joanna Copestick

This book is really good at giving you guidance in every element of a room. This book has gathered tips and wisdom from many great designers and gives examples from a wide variety of design styles.

$27 at Amazon

10 Favorite Design Books
Source: Amazon

 

2. Undecorate by Christiane Lemieux

This book challenges design norms in spaces. Christiane Lemieux is the founder of Dwell Studio. This book gives you advice on being free and being you in your space. It embraces the diversity of design. We are all diverse so why shouldn’t our spaces be? 

$30 at Amazon

Shopping Guide: 10 Design Books
Source: Amazon

3. Lovable Livable Home by John and Sherry Petersik

What is not to love about John and Sherry from YoungHouseLove. We all miss their daily blog but you can make up for it by reading any of their books. Their first book could be on this list too, but this second book is actually my favorite. They really tackle having a stylish home that is livable and functional for all types of people and families. They give inspiration and practical advice. In my opinion they have a transitional style that is always evolving. They are great at incorporating bright and cheery colors while giving you DIY projects that are doable.

$17 at Amazon

 

SHopping Guide 10 Design Book
Source: Amazon

4.  Styled by Emily Henderson

Emily Henderson, just in case you don’t know, was the winner of HGTV’s Design Star a few years ago. She has since become a household name in interior design and lately the girl who has made Target even more awesome. Her background is in set styling and she is the best at it. She incorporates modern, vintage, and eclectic throughout her spaces yet can reach across all design aesthetics. This was the first thing I put on my Amazon Wishlist for Christmas this year and told my husband he would get the “evil eye” if it wasn’t under the tree! Many of us get the foundational elements in place in our room, but then get stuck on filling it with all the stuff we love. In this book Emily will not only help you figure out your style but will help you style your space.

$21 at Amazon

shopping guide: 10 design books
source: Amazon

5. Domino The books of Decorating by the Domino Editors

I am still mourning the monthly Domino Magazine coming to my mailbox, but I am so glad they came back with a quarterly version and a great website. This was the first Design Book I bought and it is a classic. It is something I reference often. The book breaks down all the spaces in your home and gives you advice and inspiration for multiple design styles. It even helps you do the overwhelming task of getting started in your space. Included in the book is a decorator’s handbook where design terms and decor styles are defined. For example, you will go to the store and be impressive when you say “I want a kick pleat bed skirt instead of a box pleat skirt.” This book empowers you to understand what you are doing when you decorate so you can avoid costly mistakes. 

$24 at Amazon

Shopping Guide: 10 Design Books
source: Amazon

6. Design Sponge at Home by Grace Bonney

Grace Booney writes the popular blog Design Sponge. Her book is pure eye candy with some great advice. You get to go into some homes of people you know and people you don’t to see how they have designed their spaces. Also included are tons of great DIY projects that you will want to do…like tomorrow.

$25 at Amazon

Shopping Guide: 10 design books
Source: Amazon

7. Modern Vintage Style by Emily Chalmers

If you have a love of vintage but like to bring it into the modern world…this is the book for you. Reading this book will give you confidence what to do with that awesome flea market find sitting in your storage closet. These spaces look fresh and modern, yet well-collected. Chalmers also is a co-author on another popular book called Flea Market Style. You might like that one too, but this one is my favorite.

$24 at Amazon

Shopping Guide: 10 Design Books
Source: Amazon

8. Habitat: The Field Guide to Decorating by Lauren Liess

This book is does a great job and giving you inspiration for classic and clean design. If you are a lover of unique neutral spaces this ones for you. I am challenged by the use of art and photography as decor and styling. What is really useful in this book is the author really breaks down all the different types of foundational elements in spaces. For example, in a kitchen, the book explains all the options of countertops out there for you. This is one of two books from this list that I do not own, but it is on my list to buy.

$24 at Amazon

SHopping Guide: 10 Design Books
Source: Amazon

9. Simply Scandinavian by Sara Norrman

This is the second book I do not own but I must admit I have sat in my local bookstore and poured over the pages countless times. Scandinavian design seems to be the trend these days but I believe it is more classic than most believe. If you love bright and minimal spaces with many textures…this is your book. Scandinavian can be modern but it also can be a little rustic. I think it is a design style that finds itself popping up in all sorts of design aesthetics.

$30 at Amazon

 

Shopping Guide: 10 Design Books
Source: Amazon

10. Apartment Therapy Big Book Of Small Cool Spaces by Maxwell Gillinghan-Ryan

I am always inspired by people with big style in small spaces. I also think that any size home can benefit from these tips and ideas. This book will give you the mantra…”if their small space can function really well…so can mine.” It will also give you the design advice to make it work for you in your own way.

$22 at Amazon

Shopping Guide: 10 Design Books
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Sometimes owning a design book that fits your design style helps your friends and family understand you and your style. When people ask me my style, I sometimes hand them a couple of books and say “a little of this mixed with this” and it is so much easier. A little buying tip for these books is to buy them used from Amazon. Most of mine where bought used and I have not gotten a bad one yet. Is there a book missing from this list that is your favorite? Please do share.

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