They say don’t judge a book by its cover, but I have to admit, I love a pretty book! Books are a great device for styling your home, whether placed on a coffee table, stacked up neatly under a candle, or given as a special gift this Christmas.
Here is a round-up of my favourite coffee table books that are packed full of great content and are super stylish to have on display around your home.
Please note that there are some affiliate links in this post.
Interior Design and Architecture Books
As a lover of interiors, I have a lot of design books around my home. One of my absolute favourites is Mad About The House: How To Decorate Your Home With Style. The book, written by Instagram legend Kate Watson-Smyth, is packed full of fantastic information and tips for creating the perfect home, including buying furniture, choosing colours and hanging art. It’s been available for a couple of years now and is still a go-to resource for me when I’m designing.
Next up is Home Sweet Rented Home by blogger and Instagrammer Medina Grillo. If you are renting your home or simply decorating on a budget, this book is full of fantastic tips and advice on how to transform your home simply and effectively with amazing ideas.
Resident Dog is, for me, the perfect coffee table book. Full of photographs of beautiful architecture, amazing modern homes, and the cute dogs that live in them – you can’t go wrong!
Food and Drink Books
Cookbooks and cocktail recipe books are great to display on your kitchen shelf and also make lovely gifts for food lovers! Every year, my family go on a holiday to the small town of Dunkeld in central Scotland. One of my favourite places to visit in the town is the Aran bakery for lovely cakes. The bakery is owned by GBBO star Flora Shedden, who has recently released a cookbook filled with amazing recipes from the store, along with stories and inspiration from the Scottish countryside so you can make their delicious bakes at home.
Gin Galore is a perfect book for any gin lover. The book shares the history behind the top Scottish gins, along with the perfect way serve each gin with garnishes and tonics to suit the unique flavours.
Eat, Drink, Nap: Bringing The House Home from Soho House is a combination of yummy recipes, interiors tips and beautiful photography. The simple and elegant cover also makes the book is the perfect book for styling up your coffee table or kitchen shelf too.
Plants and Flowers Books
Plants and greenery have been a huge trend in homes for the past few years, and there are plenty of books available for the plant-obsessed too! We all know a Crazy Plant Lady, and this book by Isabel Serna makes a great gift for that friend who has an addiction to buying new plants. The book is full of funny illustrations and amazingly accurate observations of those who love their greenery.
The Flower Fix is written by Swallows and Damsons florist Anna Potter, with beautiful photography, floral inspiration and easy step-by-step guides to creating beautiful floral arrangements at home.
I love to have plants in my home, but I am terrible at keeping them alive… The book Prick has been a great resource for me to help me to care for succulents. This book also makes a brilliant gift for friends too!
Travel Books
I can’t talk about coffee table books without mentioning travel books! Perfect for flicking through and daydreaming about escaping to a far off land. Lonely Planet publishes a fantastic book every year with their top places to travel, and this book is as amazing as always, with lots of beautiful photography to get you dreaming and planning!
I am a big fan of Tommy Clarke’s aerial photographs, and his latest book Up In The Air showcases his collection of travel photography taken from a helicopter over some of the worlds most beautiful landscapes including the beaches of Australia and Utah’s salt lakes. This beautiful book will look fantastic in the home of any traveller or photography lover.
Lastly, we have the lovely book Coorie Home by Beth Pearson. The meaning of Coorie Home is “the place where one lives in contentment and conviviality; most especially a pleasant haven from the wild Scottish elements.”
Similar to the Danish term ‘Hygge’, this beautiful book showcases ‘Coorie’, including how to live the Scottish way and make your home a cosy retreat and what it’s like to live in the traditional Scottish landscape. The book also includes lots of interiors tips for creating a cosy haven and delicious local recipes for entertaining guests. This is the perfect book for any home lover!
So there you have just some of my favourite books that are perfect for gift giving this Christmas, or as a little treat for your home! Let me know of any other books you love in the comments below!