We find inspiration for our projects in a lot of different ways. But reading a good book always gets our creativity flowing. Today we are sharing the best interior design books, and what we love about them.
Best Interior Design Books
Reading about other designers work and process and looking at their portfolios through the pages is SUCH a good way to learn.
Pay attention to photos that grab you, what do you like about them? Pay attention to the mix of materials, how the design is layered, the mixture of color and pattern.
This is how we got started!! We both moved into homes in Kansas City from out of state within a few weeks of each other. (We didn’t know each other at the time). As we started making our builder grade homes look and feel like us, we turned to design books to learn how.
We have enjoyed comparing notes and trading our favorites back and forth. You can definitely see how the books we each read in those early years really impacted our personal style and aesthetic.
Shandy’s List
Elements of Style: This was the very first design book I ever read and really the first time I realized that design was a career. I grew up on a farm in a small community in the midwest. Interior design as a profession wasn’t even a thing there. Immediately I was hooked, and this book led to literally hundreds of others.
The Things That Matter: Part memoir, part design, this book really opens up the personal side of design. What you bring into your home and why, and how it relates to your own story is so meaningful.
The Perfectly Imperfect Home: This is the best “How To” manual for interior design that I’ve read to date. She outlines the rules of interior design (because there are rules!) but allows space for imperfections. We live in our homes!
Beautiful: Classic, timeless, elegant. I revisit this book over and over. The stories he tells through the text are wonderful, but I show up for the photos.
Abby’s List
Kinfolk Home: This was one of my first design books, and it spoke to me from the first page. Your home is where you should be the most comfortable. It’s a place to slow down and enjoy life.
Habitat: Aesthetically, this book a huge impact on me. But it’s also where I learned that everything in your home should serve the dual purpose of beauty and function.
Business Boutique: If you’re reading these design books and you’re passionate about design, a natural progression might be wondering if you can do interior design for a living. Reading Business Boutique made me realize it’s ok to dream and then how to take steps to make that dream a reality.
We literally could go on and on. We love that we have a personal connection and memory of reading so many of them. Here’s a few other design books that are definitely worth your time.
