Style and Substance: Our Top 20 Interior Design Coffee Table Books Revealed

When trying to find the best interior design coffee table books, you really want to tick two boxes: amazing inside, but equally gorgeous on the cover and spine.

We’ve taken the hard work out of the search for you with this carefully curated list of the best design books on the market, that are not only informative but can be used to elevate the look of your tabletop vignettes.

These interior design coffee table books are jam-packed with design tips and design history, inspiration, and breathtaking photography that are sure to spark your creativity. Enjoy the roundup. Hero image above via Cate St Hill.

1. Live Beautiful

Live Beautiful discusses all things design, and how a good design can dramatically improve the quality of our lives.

In this interior design coffee table book, authors Athena Calderone and Amy Astley detail exactly how to layer a room. Think textures, patterns, collated pieces, plus tips and tricks to truly elevate your space.

Industry reviews have described this book as a “voyeuristic adventure” and “full of inspiration.” This divine hardcover book can be found at any Booktopia store or online.

2. The New Traditional

The New Traditional hardcover book presents 15 beautiful homes and tells the story of the modern and traditional design style.

Author Barclay Butera also discusses how surrounding yourself with the things you love, in a well-designed home, can have a positive influence on your life.

This book displays alluring and luxurious architectural homes that are sure to inspire you to start your own journey toward creating a dream home.

3. Architectural Digest at 100 – A Century of Style

Architectural Digest at 100 – A Century of Style showcases a rich design history for the magazine’s 100th anniversary.

This book showcases a variety of past and present home designs, a wide range of interior styles, and also includes an inside look at some of the most private homes in the world.

It’s packed with so much style that we’re simply obsessed with it here at TLC Interiors.

4. The Kinfolk Home

The Kinfolk Home Coffee Table Book’s minimal design is just one of the reasons it’s so aesthetically pleasing. Flip open this hardback and discover what else makes it so special.

Gorgeous photography, insightful design information, and the sheer variety of homes on offer are just some of the best bits.

Homes in this release range from cottages in the woods to contemporary and sleek cityscape apartments. There’s quite literally something for everyone!

5. Minimalista

Calling all hoarders: this one’s for you! Minimalista by Shira Gill will help you transform your life one room at a time.

This interior design coffee table book is jam-packed with decluttering and organising tips and tricks that will have you achieving long-lasting order at home.

Not only is this title super practical, but it’s also visually appealing. Style this book from amongst your favourite decor pieces to add interest to your coffee table.

6. Design Lives Here

The cover of the Design Lives Here book is evidently more colourful than the others in this roundup, making it the perfect choice for lovers of a bolder coffee table moment.

Showcasing some of Australia’s best residential properties, this book is a true testament to local designers.

An interior design coffee table book that’s both an amazing read and a beautiful accent for decorating; this is the one!

7. Belle Beautiful Australian Homes

As the name suggests, Belle Beautiful Australian Homes is filled with gorgeous and lavish properties from across Australia.

This stylish interior design coffee table book is not only extremely affordable from stockists like Kmart, but is just one of three in the collection. Collect the trio and make your coffee table styling stand out.

8. Make Life Beautiful

Make Life Beautiful by Syd & Shea McGee is an autobiography on the success, struggles and transformations the McGee’s have faced, both in life and in business.

This book will not only provide an insight to their journey, but also include advice on how you can create a beautiful home in their signature style.

If you’ve watched their Netflix series, grabbing this coffee table book is the next logical step.

9. Elements of Style

You know how much we love transparency at TLC Interiors, and this book by Erin Gates provides just that! Elements of Style offers a raw and honest insight to the world of interior design, as well as lessons learnt along the way.

If that wasn’t enough, this book features a lavish line-up of design photography and interior inspiration; helping you make more informed decisions for your home!

This hardback is an affordable option, and its striped spine will add some much-needed pattern to your coffee table book stack.

10. Made for Living

Made for Living by Amber Lewis features a beautiful collection of residential interiors, as well as styling advice that you can translate into your own home.

This insightful book focuses on all things Californian cool design, breaking down the secrets to achieving this popular style.

From kitchens to bathrooms, living to bedrooms, there’s style to steal for every room.

11. The Foraged Home

The Foraged Home focuses on creating beautiful spaces through furniture pieces that have been recycled, restored and repurposed.

It presents ideas and techniques on how your home can reflect your personal style, and tell a unique story. This coffee table book is an affordable one, filled with ideas to help you stay stylish all while remaining eco-friendly.

12. Hare and Klein Interior

A luxurious selection of design photography, attention to detail and useful information; Hare + Klein Interior by Meryl Hare is a great book to flick through over a coffee or glass of red.

Indulge in a signature blend of textures, colours and scale, in a book that’s filled with just as many teachable moments as it is stunning spaces.

13. Home By The Sea

Home by the Sea uncovers a wide range of diverse and inspiring hinterland hideaways in the rapidly flourishing Byron Bay.

This book showcases eighteen homes that belong to designers, artists and creatives who live in this iconic town, and take you on a journey of living intentionally while loving where you live.

This coastal inspired book is a must-read for anyone looking to immerse themselves in a little seaside style.

14. The New Mindful Home

The New Mindful Home educates its readers on the power of interior design, and how it can dramatically improve your life for the better.

Author Joanna Thornhill elaborates on how you can make more intentional decisions when designing your home.

Be it through the colour, material or texture of the pieces you’re introducing, the overall focus here is on creating a calming environment that feels harmonious.

15. Japanese Interiors

This recent release provides an insider’s look at the intricate details on the art and craft of the Japanese Interior.

Explore how this design style has evolved over the years, and the philosophy behind integrating natural landscapes into the home.

Japanese Interiors is packed with some truly impressive photography, showcasing beautiful homes that have been designed by some of Japan’s top architects.

16. Rose Uniacke At Home

An interior design coffee table book like no other, this masterpiece by Rose Uniacke comes wrapped in pure new wool. This makes it more than a book. It’s a collector’s piece you’ll treasure for years to come.

Not only is its design light and airy, but its natural colour palette makes it easy to work into most design styles at home.

Rose Uniacke at Home is truly one of a kind; an investment we guarantee you’ll be glad you made.

17. Down to Earth

Nature, easy living and approachability are the three key elements to author Lauren Liess’s design aesthetic. And in her second book Down to Earth she delves into how to achieve all three in your own home.

This release is packed with compelling photographs and insightful design, giving you easy to digest help so you can inject some of her laidback modern style into the pockets at your place.

18. Curate

If you love monochromatic style and find yourself drawn to interiors inspired by nature, Curate is the coffee table book you’ll find hard to put down.

Authors Lynda Gardener and Ali Heath explore the eight components that give a room life: palette, nature, fabrics, lighting, a combination of old and new, storage, collections, and art. 

This release covers off all the important stuff, while showcasing some truly stunning imagery to help you tell your own unique style story.

19. Travel Home

Travel Home by Caitlin Flemming explores the homes of 20 designers, all influenced by their international adventures abroad. Think of it as how-to on bringing design ideas back home. 

There are loads of great ideas in this book, with global inspiration from destinations like Marrakesh, Paris, Cuba, Tokyo, Portugal, and more. 

If you’ve been wanting your home to tell a more personal story, showcasing your own keepsakes and quirky mementoes, this book will inspire you to do it.

20. Abode

Last but not least in our list of must-have interior design coffee table books is Abode by Serena Mitnik-Miller.

In it, she explores the concept of living with less; a life of pared-back purity that evokes calm and serenity inside. The book also champions handmade items and craftsmanship, to give your strip-backed home a sense of soul.

This is a minimalism book for sure, but the rooms featured are filled with warmth.

Did we miss a title from this list of best interior design coffee table books? Let us know what your fave release is in the comments below so we can add it to this roundup!