Best Interior Lighting Design Books of 2025

Wilson Cook Avatar
Wilson Cook
Last Updated: May 11, 2023

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Interior lighting design books are essential for anyone looking to create a beautiful and functional living space. These books offer expert advice on how to choose the right lighting fixtures, how to properly install them, and how to create the right ambiance for any room. They also provide inspiration and ideas on how to use lighting to enhance the overall design of a space. Whether you're a professional interior designer or a homeowner looking to improve your home's lighting, these books are a valuable resource. With a variety of styles and approaches to choose from, there is a lighting design book for everyone.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Cozy White Cottage: 100 Ways to Love the Feeling of Being Home Cover #TOP 1
Cozy White Cottage: 100 Ways to Love the Feeling of Being Home
ftb score rating icon 9.8
Cozy White Cottage Seasons: 100 Ways to Be Cozy All Year Long Cover #TOP 2
Cozy White Cottage Seasons: 100 Ways to Be Cozy All Year Long
ftb score rating icon 9.7
PPI NCIDQ Interior Design Reference Manual, Seventh Edition Cover #TOP 3
PPI NCIDQ Interior Design Reference Manual, Seventh Edition
ftb score rating icon 9.5

Top 10 Interior Lighting Design Books

Cozy White Cottage: 100 Ways to Love the Feeling of Being Home

Galvan, Liz Marie
Thomas Nelson
Sep 24, 2019
Cozy White Cottage: 100 Ways to Love the Feeling of Being Home Cover
Cozy White Cottage: 100 Ways to Love the Feeling of Being Home

Cozy White Cottage: 100 Ways to Love the Feeling of Being Home is a delightful read for anyone who wants to make their house feel like a home. It offers a plethora of tips and tricks to create a cozy and inviting atmosphere in every room of the house. With Liz Marie Galvan's friendly and welcoming tone, readers will feel inspired to try out the budget-friendly decorating ideas and simple DIY projects. Whether you're a country farmhouse dweller or an urban apartment resident, this book is the perfect guide to creating a space you love coming home to. Highly recommended for those who want to add a touch of warmth and personality to their living space.

Cozy White Cottage Seasons: 100 Ways to Be Cozy All Year Long

Galvan, Liz Marie
Thomas Nelson
Nov 23, 2021
Cozy White Cottage Seasons: 100 Ways to Be Cozy All Year Long Cover
Cozy White Cottage Seasons: 100 Ways to Be Cozy All Year Long

The Cozy White Cottage Seasons book by Liz Marie Galvan is a great addition to any interior design book collection. This book offers inspiring photos, DIY ideas, and fun recipes for every season, allowing readers to create a cozy atmosphere on any budget. It provides practical tips for creating space to snuggle up, stretch out, or kick back at home all year long. The book also includes ideas for celebrating and decorating for special gatherings and holidays. Overall, this book is a fantastic gift for anyone looking to make their home inviting and cozy.

PPI NCIDQ Interior Design Reference Manual, Seventh Edition

Ballast FAIA NCIDQ-Cert. #9425, David Kent
PPI a Kaplan Company
Jul 20, 2021
PPI NCIDQ Interior Design Reference Manual, Seventh Edition Cover
PPI NCIDQ Interior Design Reference Manual, Seventh Edition

The PPI NCIDQ Interior Design Reference Manual is a comprehensive review guide for all three sections of the NCIDQ exams, including IDFX, IDPX, and PRAC. The book covers all content areas and provides updated materials for the IBC 2018 changes included in the exam. With over 200 figures, study guidelines, exam tips, and tables, this book is a must-have for interior design students and professionals looking to pass their exams the first time. The author, David Kent Ballast, is a licensed architect and NCIDQ certificate holder with years of experience teaching and writing on design topics. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for those pursuing an interior design career.

Create Your Dream Home on a Budget: Practical Advice, Inspiration, and Projects

Jett, Daniel
Jett, Noell
Thomas Nelson
Nov 8, 2022
Create Your Dream Home on a Budget: Practical Advice, Inspiration, and Projects Cover
Create Your Dream Home on a Budget: Practical Advice, Inspiration, and Projects

Create Your Dream Home on a Budget is a book that provides practical advice, inspiration, and projects for those who want to turn their house into their dream home without breaking the bank. The authors, seasoned home-renovation experts and TikTok stars Daniel and Noell Jett, share their expertise in DIY projects, foundational building, and renovation concepts that can add functionality, beauty, and charm to every room of the house. With beautiful photos and cost-effective tips and tricks, readers will be motivated and equipped to create their own unique living spaces. This book is a perfect gift for anyone looking to improve their home on a budget.

150 Best All New House Ideas

Zamora, Francesc
Aug 23, 2022
150 Best All New House Ideas Cover
150 Best All New House Ideas

150 Best All New House Ideas is a must-have for anyone interested in contemporary home construction and interior design. The book features 150 single-family houses from around the world, designed by renowned architects and designers, showcasing the latest trends and influences in house design. From mini cottages to multi-room manors, each house is not only beautiful and inviting but also energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. This book serves as an inspirational source of ideas for homeowners, interior designers, builders, architects, and students. Overall, it is a visually stunning and informative resource for anyone interested in residential architecture.

F*ck You Chaos: Declutter Your Home, Mind and Finances to Discover More Happiness, Calm, Purpose and Abundance

Choroszko, Dominika
May 19, 2022
F*ck You Chaos: Declutter Your Home, Mind and Finances to Discover More Happiness, Calm, Purpose and Abundance Cover
F*ck You Chaos: Declutter Your Home, Mind and Finances to Discover More Happiness, Calm, Purpose and Abundance

F*ck You Chaos is a self-help book that provides readers with strategies to declutter their home, upgrade their mindset, and manage their personal finances to create joy, ease, and tranquillity in their lives. The author, Dominika, identified three areas that affect our lives the most and developed tactics to take control of them. This book is a great read for those who feel overwhelmed by their circumstances and want to unleash happiness, peace, and fulfilment. The book is unique in its approach to tackling the three areas that affect our lives the most and provides readers with easy, step-by-step strategies to implement in their daily lives.

Love Affairs with Houses

Williams, Bunny
Abrams
Apr 16, 2019
Love Affairs with Houses Cover
Love Affairs with Houses

The book "Love Affairs with Houses" by Bunny Williams is a story-filled monograph that showcases 15 houses she has decorated and loved. Bunny shares her personal secrets for choosing classics and offers advice on how to decorate with flexible pieces that can play more than one role in a design scheme. She takes readers on a journey through her latest phase of her astounding career and shares her approach to decor that evolves with the lives of her clients. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in interior design and looking for inspiration.

#TOP 8

Lighting Design Basics

Karlen, Mark
Spangler, Christina
Benya, James R.
Wiley
Sep 15, 2017
Lighting Design Basics Cover
Lighting Design Basics

Lighting Design Basics is a comprehensive guide for mastering the art of lighting design in interior spaces. The book is presented in a highly visual format with insightful distribution diagrams, floor plans, and real-world case studies. It covers more than 25 different design scenarios with in-depth rationale for proposed solutions, making it an ideal book for both professionals and students preparing for NCIDQ and NCARB exams. The third edition includes new instructor support materials, coverage of computer calculation software, and in-depth discussion on the latest in LED lighting. Overall, this book is an immersive instruction through real-world settings, providing practical guidance suited for immediate application in everyday projects.

#TOP 9

PPI NCIDQ Professional Practice Questions and Mock Exams, Third Edition

Ballast FAIA NCIDQ-Cert. #9425, David Kent
PPI a Kaplan Company
Jul 20, 2021
PPI NCIDQ Professional Practice Questions and Mock Exams, Third Edition Cover
PPI NCIDQ Professional Practice Questions and Mock Exams, Third Edition

This book, titled "PPI NCIDQ Professional Practice Questions and Mock Exams, Third Edition," is a must-have for those preparing to take the Interior Design Professional Exam (IDPX). With 275 exam-like, multiple-choice questions and detailed solutions to every question, this book reinforces theory and application of exam concepts. It also includes a 175-question mock exam that is consistent with the level of difficulty, format, and content areas of the actual exam. The updated edition is current with IDPX exam specifications. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for those seeking to pass the IDPX exam and is highly recommended.

#TOP 10

A House by the Sea

Williams, Bunny
Gil, Schafer
Brechneff, Christian
Wilkie, Angus
Dickey, Page
Garmey, Jane
Robinson, Roxana
Abrams
Sep 13, 2016

A House by the Sea is an invitation from Bunny Williams, one of America's premier interior designers, to explore her Caribbean retreat La Colina. Williams shares every detail of the property, from the lush gardens to the luxurious villa's interiors and collections, making readers feel like they're on a personal tour. The book also includes essays written by friends who have visited the property. This lavish coffee table book is filled with photographs, stories, and advice, and is a must-have for anyone who loves interior design and island living.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What lighting do interior designers use?

Essentially, there are three types of lighting designers use to create style and functionality - general lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting. Simply put, general lighting makes a room visible, illuminating the bulk of the area.

2. What are the three types of lighting in interior design?

Interior designers generally recommend using three key types of lighting in every room: ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting. Each type of lighting is designed to fill a particular need and should be used for a different application or setting in each room.

3. What are the 5 steps in lighting design?

The key steps in the design process are:. Identify the requirements.Determine the method of lighting.Select the lighting equipment.Calculate the lighting parameters and adjust the design as required.Determine the control system.Choice of luminaire.Inspect the installation upon completion.

4. What are the six qualities of lighting design?

These basic qualities of light are; INTENSITY, FORM, COLOR, DIRECTION and MOVEMENT. These are the lighting designer's tools. Almost all visual images can be described, discussed and analyzed in these terms – both physically and psychologically.

Editor's Notes

During our interior lighting design book research, we found 1,000+ interior lighting design book products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 5,397 customer reviews through our big data system to write the interior lighting design books list. We found that most customers choose interior lighting design books with an average price of $27.05.

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.