Read ’em and keep: The eight must-have interior design books

A curated stack of coffee table books is the true hallmark of a sophisticated home. They serve as sources of inspiration, and once read, their beautiful covers double as objets d’art.

For aficionados of interiors, in particular, there is a myriad of books that offer a peek into the world’s most stylish homes. Whether you’re looking to add to your own collection or elevate someone else’s, here are the must-have interior design books that are worth perusing and displaying.

Andrew Martin Interior Design Review, Volume 28 by Martin Waller (teNeues, £59.95)

Furniture and textile design house Andrew Martin’s new Interior Design Review, Volume 28 features work from the world’s top 100 designers of 2024. From clean-lined purity to decadent maximalism, it highlights the most innovative and exceptional spaces of the past year.

An indispensable reference book and abundant source of inspiration, its glossy thick pages of aspirational imagery and textual reflection are sure to delight any design-minded bibliophile.

New English Interiors: At Home with Today’s Creatives by Elizabeth Metcalfe (Frances Lincoln, £28)

Of the countless interior design trends that come and go every year, there is one that endures: the English country house style. It’s an aesthetic that’s rich with colour, pattern and eccentricity.

New English Interiors is a deep-dive into the homes belonging to some of England’s most exciting creatives – ranging from interior designers and illustrators to artists and antique dealers.

With words by House & Garden’s features editor, Elizabeth Metcalfe, and imagery by photographer Dean Hearne, it’s a lesson in how to let our personalities – with their many facets and quirks – guide how we decorate our homes.

Ralph Lauren: A Way of Living by Ralph Lauren (Rizzoli, £60)

Ralph Lauren: A Way of Living showcases the Lauren family’s iconic homes – spanning from a sprawling ranch in Colorado to a Fifth Avenue penthouse overlooking Manhattan’s Central Park and a seaside getaway in Montauk. Each space reflects Lauren’s five-decade career as a master purveyor of the American dream.

Captivating imagery is complemented by essays that intimately express the meaning of home, sharing the inspiration behind and a handful of anecdotes from each residence.

Living Bright: Fashioning Colourful Interiors by Matthew Williamson (Thames & Hudson, £30)

Think beige, grey and white are the only neutrals? Think again. In this practical guide, fashion designer turned interiors expert, Matthew Williamson, makes the case for living cocooned in colour. He guides readers in finding their own bold style and embracing the paint pot – whether designing a castle or a cupboard.

Packed with inspirational images, Living Bright’s sunny yellow cover sits prettily atop a table, sure to brighten up any dark corner.

An English Vision by Ben Pentreath (Rizzoli, £45)

Ben Pentreath is renowned as one of the world’s foremost designers of new traditional buildings and country houses. Essential for fans of English architecture and decoration, An English Vision looks at over 30 case studies – ranging from romantic cottages and colourful London townhouses to grand countryside manors.

Each project displays an effortless sense of comfort and harmony, as though they were always meant to be just as they are.

The Kinfolk Home: Interiors for Slow Living by Nathan Williams (Artisan Books, £27.95)

The Kinfolk Home: Interiors for Slow Living invites readers into 40 homes around the world – from Portland, Oregon, to Copenhagen to Tokyo. Some have constructed shiny urban homes from the blueprints up, while others live in a countryside cottage first occupied by their great-great-great-great-grandparents.

What all these spaces have in common is that they’ve been put together slowly, deliberately, and with great intention. With luscious photographs and insightful interviews, each home tour is guaranteed to inspire.

Every Room Should Sing by Beata Heuman (Rizzoli, £45)

Swedish-born, London-based interior designer Beata Heuman designs exuberant homes, full of bold patterns and textures, and sells her own playful collection of wallpapers, cushions and furniture. This tome is named for her mantra: Every Room Should Sing.

In it, she reveals how to give your home the Heuman treatment, transforming it with cheerful details and bright colours. From how to maximise small spaces to finding your own style, plus why it’s important to value the sentimental, it’s an indispensable guide for design lovers.

Forever Beautiful by Mark D Sikes (Rizzoli, £35)

A-List designer, Mark D Sikes’s classic spaces are beloved by notables like Reese Witherspoon, Nancy Meyers, and Dr Jill Biden, who hired him to redesign her White House office.

In this book, Sikes gives a masterclass in American style – highlighting blue-and-white colour palettes, wicker furniture and preppy gingham textiles. Forever Beautiful has 12 chapters, all organised by month. January begins with a breezy home in Coral Gables, Florida, then June takes us to the Hamptons, and finally, December highlights a ski chalet in Idaho’s Sun Valley.

Each space showcases the inherent liveability of American style – demonstrating Sikes’s philosophy that a home should not only be elegant and inspiring but also truly comfortable.