Five Books that will elevate your coffee table
The phrase ‘never judge a book by its cover’ is usually true but with coffee table books it’s definitely an exception. Something you can just pick up and just very easily breeze through in your spare time. If you’ve recently redecorated and think your living or drawing room might be missing something then simply adding some books will give a finishing touch to sit atop your coffee table. They double as home decor, and some people consider them to be objets d’art. We can easily lose ourselves in the enticing world of coffee table books, with their engaging imagery or in-depth ideas. They also make perfect gifts for any occasion, whether it’s for a birthday, a new house or even a wedding present.
Here’s some of our favourite coffee table books:
AD at 100: A Century of Style
This book is in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Architectural digest. This is such a classic coffee table book, its so great for interior inspiration. AD has always been an authority figure in the world of interior design and architecture, leading the way with their coverage of interior designers, innovative architects and even landscape designers. Shows homes from around the world from country homes in England to modern homes in Brazil. AD 100 Features photographic work of Bill Cunningham, Horst P. Horst and many other amazing photographers.
Once upon a time by Slim Aarons
Slim Aarons work always takes you into another more nostalgic world with jet set scenes from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. The photography throughout the book is a celebration of a life well-lived. The images he created are warm and inviting from a bygone era. Aarons has described his own work as documenting “attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places”. Aarons work was regularly featured in Town and Country magazine.
Gathering : Setting the Natural Table By Kristin Caissie
This book beautifully celebrates everything entertaining and hosting. Caissie brings mindfulness and considered living to another level with creating aesthetically pleasing tablescapes. The book takes you through the seasons, bringing the outdoors indoors. I find this book so wonderful whenever I ever need any inspiration for decorating, I’m organising a dinner or have a celebration. Caissie even discusses how to decorate a table with things bought from the farmers’ market.
Bright Young Things by Cecil Beaton
Cecil Beaton documents his friendship group who were known as the Bright Young Things. The group featured regularly in society gossip columns at the time during the 1930’s. Beaton’s images draw you into a world you desire to be a part of where bohemian tendencies meet frivolousness. Bright Young Things created elegant yet surreal scenes at lavish parties where his friends would dress in decadent costumes or pose with eccentric props.
Curate by Lynda Gardener and Ali Heath
Gardener and Heath teamed up to show how to make a house down to earth and unique through different elements: textiles, nature, palette, lighting, mixing old & new, art and collecting. They make the perfect combination of bringing a house to life whilst also creating a cosy atmosphere. Curate gives you inspiration if your home needs a refresh or if your moving house. One point that I loved in Curate was that nature immediately adds life and vitality to a space, it completely transforms your home and elevates your home. The importance of buy once and buy well is repeated throughout the book. Buying quality items will always stand the test of time and worn antiques add character.
Some additional bookazines we have on our coffee table:
Good Future
This one is actually a limited Bookazine. It is filled with positive content including stories, sustainable projects, new innovations and creative entrepreneurs all of which can bring important ideas for a better future. It really makes you feel positive whilst turning through the pages. Good future even features writings from Joan Maloof and Thich Nhat Hahn.
Cereal
It’s a biannual magazine, created by Rosa Park and Rich Stapleton, with the idea of being the first thing we read each day (hence the back of a cereal box) with a focus on design, travel, art and fashion. Cereal exudes a sense of timelessness and calmness through their clean aesthetics. It features consciously curated subjects and images with work from freelance journalists and photographers. Cereal has a series of features, interviews and thought provoking essays. (The one featured on our coffee table is Volume 20, which features imagery from Richard Gaston, as well as visiting Hiroshi Sugimoto’s Enoura Observatory or the Atacama desert).
We hope that you find inspiration from this and check out some of these lovely books!
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