My Favorite Design Books (so far)

I guess it’s an occupational hazard, the collection of design books, perfect for coffee tables and filling bookshelves. They are beautiful to browse through and great for inspiration. I guess it’s the old fashioned version of pinterest. As I look through them, instead of pinning the images, I generally tag them with mini post-it notes, so I can remember to reference them later. But then later never comes around and years later I flip through the book and fondly remember why I added the sticky note to a favorite design. Recently I was cleaning off my bookshelves and reorganizing the disheveled books. I thought I’d share a few of my favorites.

Steven Gambrel, Time and Place

I love just about every project in this book. The guy has such style! His color combinations and rich use of pattern is amazing. The mix of materials is inspiring. As I opened the book an old watercolor by my younger son floated out, unfortunately it wasn’t dated. I must have put it in there to flatten it. What a bonus, I went looking for new ideas and found some original art as well.

Style By Saladino

As with all of these books, there are new details to discover each time I browse through this book. The hinged headboards he created, the muted colors and high backed sofas acting as niches, are all things I remembered. But this time, I noticed all the rustic elements used in many of the elegant rooms, maybe to keep things from getting to pristine. There are tons of gardens as well as a home with a beautiful atrium, really bringing the outdoors in.

Vibrant Interiors living large at home by, Andrea Monath Schumacher

I bought this one sometime this past year and then I missed her book signing at High Point this past fall, oh well. The imagery in this book is non-stop fun. So much pattern, color and detail. More is more and I really need to go through it again to discover more details.

Influential Interiors by Suzanne Trocme

I’ve had this book forever and I love it because it’s such a great reference on a variety of designers. It gives an overview on designers from different styles and time periods. While it just touches on their signature designs and viewpoints, it helps to remind me who’s who in a sea of great designers.