Bring a little art gallery aesthetic into your home.
11 Art Books to Make Your Coffee Table Truly Shine
Bring a little art gallery aesthetic into your home.
Even the most minimalist of living rooms will feel incomplete without at least one stunning coffee table book resting atop the coffee table. It's true – books can be a highly effective décor element when it comes to styling your living room, which is just one of the reasons we love collecting art books.
Not only does a good coffee table book offer the occasional precious moment or two away from the many screens that typically hold our attention all day, but it will also elevate the style of any room by just being there and provide plenty of inspiration.
Brains and beauty? That's what it's all about. Here are 11 art books that will make your coffee table truly shine.
1. Assouline Tuscany Marvel by Cesare Cunaccia
This tome really is the next best thing to an Italian holiday. From the domed churches of Florence to the rolling green hills of wine country this dreamy book surveys the romantic region of Tuscany in all its glory. Find 200 photographs and illustrations that depict both the ancient history of the region to its burgeoning fashion roots and the incredible food and wine that Tuscany is famous for.
2. Kahlo (Taschen Basic Art Series 2.0) by Andrea Kettenmann
Published by renowned art book publisher Taschen and curated by art historian Andrea Kettenmann, this edition celebrates feminist icon and Mexico's most famous artist, Frida Kahlo. On the cover, a self-portrait by the artist as a Tehuana, which refers to the matriarchal society based in Mexico's Oaxaca State. Inside, you'll find page after page of her powerful paintings and insights into her tumultuous life.
3. Polaroid Now by Steve Crist
A picture-perfect gift for avid photographers, Polaroid Now chronicles the first and foremost instant imaging camera system and how contemporary artists continue to work with the medium today. This striking book features snapshots from the likes of Andy Warhol and David Hockney, as well as emerging artists.
4. Raising the Roof by Agata Toromanoff
Architects and design admirers alike are sure to swoon over this title written by art and design historian Agata Toromanoff. This delightful book celebrates the women who have shaped the architecture scene with their jaw-dropping designs. Raising The Roof features a double-page spread on each trailblazing figure including big names like Zaha Hadid and Olajumoke Adenowo.
5. Down to Earth by Lauren Liess
Those partial to cosy, neutral-toned interiors will be right at home with this inviting tome. Inside, interior designer Lauren Liess shares practical advice you can apply to your own space to create natural, laid-back, and approachable aesthetics. This volume introduces six guiding design principles and demonstrates how they can be used in different homes, no matter their architectural style or location.
6. Slim Aarons: Women by Laura Hawk
Celebrating the iconic works of American photographer Slim Aarons, this glossy coffee table book, curated by writer Laura Hawk, who worked with the photographer for a decade, captures more than 200 images from his archive. Noted for his images of socialites, jet-setters and celebrities, this book features photographs of Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and Jackie Kennedy alongside in-depth captions detailing the backstory of these unforgettable photographs.
7. Flora Photographica by William A. Ewing
This beautiful book is the next best thing to a fresh bunch of flowers sitting in your home. Featuring works by more than 120 contemporary photographers, Flora Photographica showcases the very best of flower photography from the past thirty years. Vibrant and abundant with myriad species of flora, this book makes for an elegant display on any coffee table.
8. Live Beautiful by Athena Calderone
Multidisciplinary creative and the brains behind revered Instagram account EyeSwoon, Athena Calderone is admired for her effortlessly chic style. Her stylish book Live Beautiful unpacks how the carefully-crafted spaces she creates come together. Each page takes us inside the homes of her stylish friends, along with two of her own residences, and breaks down the details that make them sing – from textures and patterns to the placement of an eye-catching vignette.
9. Architectural Digest at 100: A Century of Style by Amy Astley
Architectural Digest has been the undisputed arbiter of interior style since 1920, and design aficionados will swoon over the pages of the iconic magazine's coffee table book. Celebrating the rich visual history of the publication, this impressive book offers a glimpse inside the homes of Barack and Michelle Obama, David Bowie, David Hockney, and more.
10. Assouline Palm Beach by Aerin Lauder
Written by Palm Beach local and social fixture Aerin Lauder, this beachy tome welcomes you into the luxurious enclave of this resort town from the spectacular houses to the restaurants and designer boutiques. With its stylish cover, this book is sure to make a beautiful (and conversation-starting) statement in any living room.
11. The Kinfolk Garden by John Burns
Green thumbs are sure to love this verdant book curated by much-loved lifestyle magazine, Kinfolk. After previously casting an eye on the subjects of dining, interior design and work, editor-in-chief John Burns explores how we might better live in commune with nature.
