Best Interior Design Books of 2025

Wilson Cook Avatar
Wilson Cook
Last Updated: Apr 24, 2023

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Interior design books are a great way to get inspiration and ideas for your home decor. These books offer a wealth of information on different styles, colors, and materials to help you create a space that reflects your personal style. From coffee table books filled with stunning photographs to practical guides on how to decorate on a budget, there is a book for every design enthusiast. Some popular titles include "The Kinfolk Home," "Elements of Style," and "The Nesting Place." Whether you're a seasoned designer or just starting out, interior design books are an essential tool for creating a beautiful and functional home.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Made for Living: Collected Interiors for All Sorts of Styles Cover #TOP 1
Made for Living: Collected Interiors for All Sorts of Styles
ftb score rating icon 9.9
Architectural Digest at 100: A Century of Style Cover #TOP 2
Architectural Digest at 100: A Century of Style
ftb score rating icon 9.8
Live Beautiful Cover #TOP 3
Live Beautiful
ftb score rating icon 9.6

Top 10 Interior Design Books

Made for Living: Collected Interiors for All Sorts of Styles

Lewis, Amber
Chen, Cat
Clarkson Potter
Oct 27, 2020
Made for Living: Collected Interiors for All Sorts of Styles Cover
Made for Living: Collected Interiors for All Sorts of Styles

Made for Living: Collected Interiors for All Sorts of Styles is a national bestseller that provides readers with more than 250 stunning photographs of signature interiors by trendsetting designer Amber Lewis. The book teaches the art of layering, offering friendly advice on everything from choosing the perfect shade of paint to mismatching patterns with wild abandon. Lewis's eclectic approach and California cool style make this book a must-have for anyone looking to design a home that's made to be lived in. Overall, Made for Living is a well-written and beautifully designed book that is both informative and inspiring.

#TOP 2

Architectural Digest at 100: A Century of Style

Architectural Digest
Astley, Amy
Wintour, Anna
Abrams
Oct 8, 2019
Architectural Digest at 100: A Century of Style Cover
Architectural Digest at 100: A Century of Style

Architectural Digest at 100: A Century of Style is a stunning visual history of the iconic magazine. The book features a range of subjects, including the personal spaces of celebrities such as Barack and Michelle Obama, David Bowie, and Michael Kors, as well as the work of top designers and architects like Frank Lloyd Wright and Elsie de Wolfe. The book also includes stunning images from the magazine's history by renowned photographers such as Bill Cunningham and Horst P. Horst. A must-have for interior design enthusiasts, this book provides a fascinating survey of how Americans have lived over the past 100 years.

Calderone, Athena
Harry N. Abrams
Mar 3, 2020

Live Beautiful by Athena Calderone is a beautiful coffee table book that offers a practical guide to creating a thoughtfully designed home. Calderone explores the initial spark of inspiration that incited each homeowner's design journey and breaks down the details of the rooms, offering helpful tips on how to bring elevated elements into one's own space. Filled with gorgeous photography by Nicole Franzen, this book is both a showpiece of exquisite design and a guide to creating a home that always feels like home. Overall, Live Beautiful is a great addition to any interior design enthusiast's bookshelf.

#TOP 4

Arranging Things

King, Colin
Cochran, Sam
Mar 14, 2023

"Arranging Things" by Colin King is a visual guide to elevating the look of our homes and enriching our lives through simple yet sophisticated vignettes. King shares his intuitive and deeply personal process of arranging objects, meditating on scale, proportion, palette, and texture. Through anecdotes and visual essays, he encourages readers to look beyond the intended use of objects and discover deeper meaning in the everyday. The book is a metaphor for life and a daily practice to be honed over time. Overall, "Arranging Things" is a beautiful and inspiring read for anyone interested in interior design and personal creativity.

Elements of Style: Designing a Home & a Life

Gates, Erin
Simon & Schuster
Oct 7, 2014
Elements of Style: Designing a Home & a Life Cover
Elements of Style: Designing a Home & a Life

Elements of Style: Designing a Home & a Life by Erin Gates is a must-read for anyone who wants to make their house feel like a home. This book is not your typical interior design guide, as the author shares her own personal experiences and struggles, making it relatable and inspiring. The book is organized by rooms in the house, and features stunning professional photographs and illustrations. Erin's witty and honest voice is refreshing and engaging. The extensive Resource and Shopping Guide is also a great addition for those embarking on their first home decorating adventure. Overall, Elements of Style is a delightful and practical guide that will help you create a space that reflects your personality and style.

#TOP 6

The Joy of Home

Gilbreath, Ashley
Farmer, James T.
Apr 18, 2023

The Joy of Home by Ashley Gilbreath is a must-read for anyone who loves the art of high-style design with a livable home. The book features nine homes located across different states in the US, each exhibiting thoughtful planning and attention to detail in harmony with the client’s vision. Gilbreath's signature design strategies are distinguishable in each home, artfully mixing new and old pieces and utilizing favorite custom treatments to create a welcoming spirit grounded in tradition. The book not only provides insight into her design process but also offers inspiration for creating a joyful home that balances form and function with memory and emotion.

#TOP 7

Suzanne Rheinstein: A Welcoming Elegance

Rheinstein, Suzanne
Boodro, Michael
Estersohn, Pieter
Mar 14, 2023
Suzanne Rheinstein: A Welcoming Elegance Cover
Suzanne Rheinstein: A Welcoming Elegance

Suzanne Rheinstein: A Welcoming Elegance is a beautifully photographed book that showcases the refined and clear style of interior designer Suzanne Rheinstein. The book features homes of her clients that reflect a vision of richness tempered by restraint, with a focus on melding modernity and timeless elegance. Throughout the book, Rheinstein shares her ideas on how to create relaxed yet elevated spaces that allow people to live comfortably surrounded by fine art and antiques. This book is a must-read for anyone looking for inspiration on how to create elegant and inviting spaces.

Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave

Gaines, Joanna
Harper Design
Nov 6, 2018
Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave Cover
Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave

Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave is a must-read book for anyone looking to transform their home into a cozy and inviting space. Written by Joanna Gaines, the cofounder of Magnolia, this book offers practical advice on how to create a space that reflects your personality and style. With stunning photography and easy-to-follow tips, this book is a great resource for anyone looking to elevate their home decor. Harper Design did an excellent job publishing this book, making it a perfect addition to any interior design enthusiast's library.

The Interior Design Handbook: Furnish, Decorate, and Style Your Space

Ramstedt, Frida
Olofsson, Mia
Clarkson Potter
Oct 27, 2020
The Interior Design Handbook: Furnish, Decorate, and Style Your Space Cover
The Interior Design Handbook: Furnish, Decorate, and Style Your Space

The Interior Design Handbook is a comprehensive guide to achieving a balanced and beautiful home, no matter your style or living space. Author Frida Ramstedt breaks down the fundamental principles and skills of interior design, providing readers with useful rules of thumb and tricks, complete with helpful illustrations. Unlike other interior design books that focus on showcasing spectacular homes, this book offers concrete advice for ordinary houses and apartments. This useful and easy approach to interior design makes The Interior Design Handbook a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their living space.

Down to Earth: Laid-back Interiors for Modern Living

Liess, Lauren
Harry N. Abrams
Oct 8, 2019
Down to Earth: Laid-back Interiors for Modern Living Cover
Down to Earth: Laid-back Interiors for Modern Living

Down to Earth: Laid-back Interiors for Modern Living by Lauren Liess is an excellent guide for creating a cozy and functional living space. Liess’s signature design aesthetic, which emphasizes nature, easy living, and approachability, is beautifully illustrated through six different homes. With stunning photos and practical advice, the book teaches readers how to incorporate warmth and energy into any space. The author’s new HGTV show, Best House on the Block, is a testament to her design skills. Overall, this book is a must-read for those who want to create a comfortable home that inspires creativity and relaxation.

Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can interior design be self taught?

But if you have talent and ambition, it is possible to succeed in the world of interiors without studying interior design in school or becoming a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers, which requires you to pass the National Council for Interior Design Qualification exam.

Editor's Notes

During our interior design book research, we found 1,200+ interior design book products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 72,599 customer reviews through our big data system to write the interior design books list. We found that most customers choose interior design books with an average price of $20.21.

Written by
Wilson Cook Avatar

Wilson Cook is a talented writer who has an MFA in creative writing from Williams College and has published more than 50 books acquired by hundreds of thousands of people from various countries by now. He is an inveterate reading lover as he has read a vast amount of books since childhood.