While the right flooring, wall colour and furniture combo can set the foundational design tone in a space, it’s the small touches that really breathe life into a home. Be that an artisan vase with fresh flowers, an abstract oil painting in a bespoke frame, or a curated pile of coffee table books – it’s within the finer details that character lies.
Although given the moniker ‘coffee table books’, eye-catching hardcover books can be stacked or lain anywhere in the home to inspire musing and elevate style – not just upon the coffee table. Sideboards, bedside tables, desks and bookshelves are also your coffee-table-book-oyster.
So, whether you’re looking for a thoughtful gift or you’re wanting to spruce up your interior décor, we’ve gathered some of the best coffee table books that look as good in your living room as they are joyful to flip through.
The best coffee table books to shop in Australia
Ken Done: art, design, life by Amber Creswell Bell, $61.26, Thames & Hudson
Documenting Australian artist and designer Ken Done’s expansive design practice over four decades, this book allows readers in on the catalogue of homewares, fashion and designs that defined an era.
Shop now at Amazon Australia
Wendy Whiteley and the Secret Garden by Janet Hawley, $42.49 (usually $49.99), Penguin Australia
Artist and wife of the iconic late Brett Whitely, Wendy Whitely has created and nurtured a public garden for 20 years at the foot of her Lavender Bay home. This read entails how she used the grief of her husband’s passing to cultivate a harbourside sanctuary – affectionately known as Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden – for everyone to enjoy.
Shop now at QBD Books
Near the Beach by Real Living, $50.96, Are Media
The Aussie sun, surf and sand are integral influences in the 20 coastal homes featured in this book from the team behind Real Living.
Shop now at QBD Books
Woman Made: Great women designers by Jane Hall, $61.56, Phaidon Press
Featuring more than 200 female designers from over 50 countries, Woman Made illuminates the overlooked history of women in the design field – shining light on some of the best designers and their inventions in the industry.
Shop now at Amazon Australia
Portraits of Interiors by Axel Vervoordt, $75.50, Flammarion
Belgian designer Axel Vervoordt imbues nature and art within his interior spaces to cultivate atmosphere spanning from the past to tomorrow. Here, through portraits of 18 recently designed homes, the Belgian designer illuminates his approach to creating a home that fosters a sense of wellbeing.
Shop now at Amazon Australia
The Noma Guide to Fermentation by Rene Redzepi and David Zilber, $41.08, Workman Publishing
This comprehensive guide to fermentation is from the culinary masters from Noma, the Copenhagen restaurant that has been named world’s best restaurant four times. Chef and co-owner René Redzepi and chef of the fermentation lab David Zilber share their step-by-step how-tos for recreating Noma’s extensive pantry of ferments at home.
Shop now at Amazon Australia
Homes for Nomads by Thijs Demeulemeester and Jan Verlinde, $92.56, Lannoo
Belgian writer and photographer Thijs Demeulemeester captures 20 whimsical homes of travellers filled with unique tokens garnered on their overseas adventures.
Shop now at Angus & Robertson
Australian Dreamscapes by Claire Takacs, $67.31, Hardie Grant Books
From semi-arid settings to lush green havens, Claire Takacs profiles gardeners and designers to highlight the diversity of Australian gardens – especially ones that have been nurtured to sit gently within their environment.
Shop now at Amazon Australia
A Place in the Sun by Slim Aarons, $87.35, ABRAMS
Offering a glimpse into the homes and travels of high society, iconic photographer Slim Aaron’s A Place in the Sun documents the elusive playgrounds of the who’s who.
Shop now at Amazon Australia
Sushi Shokunin: Japan’s culinary masters by Andrea Fazzari $165.75, Assouline
If there’s a special spot in your heart (or your tummy) reserved for sushi, Sushi Shokunin is an elegant guide – through detailed portraits and profiles – to some of the finest sushi artisans and restaurants in the world.
Shop now at QBD Books
Architectural Digest at 100 by Amy Astley, $110.25, ABRAMS
Published for the magazine’s 100th anniversary, this special edition book celebrates and highlights the rich visual history of the publication – featuring the personal spaces of notable people like the Obamas, David Bowie, Truman Capote, and David Hockney.
Shop now at Amazon Australia
Stuart Rattle’s Musk Farm by Paul Bangay, $33.99 (usually $39.99), Penguin Australia
With photography by Earl Carter and Simon Griffiths, Australian designer Stuart Rattle takes readers on a journey through his most enduring project: Musk Farm. Bought in 1998, as a labour of love Rattle has transformed a dilapidated Musk schoolhouse and its surrounding grounds to a sanctuary of free creative expression.
Shop now at QBD Books
Visual Feast by Gestalten, $210, Die Gestalten Verlag
The art of food presentation is one that is both experimental and alluring. From maps created with vegetables to lobsters painted gold, Visual Feast captures the ravenous curiosity and creativity of food staging.
Shop now at Angus & Robertson
Principles of Style by Sarah Andrews, $38.50, Simon & Schuster
Designer and brains behind Tasmania’s Captains Rest getaway, Sarah Andrews pens a timeless practical learning tool for styling – including ideas, tips and skills she’s accumulated while working on key projects and her favourite rooms.
Shop now at QBD Books
Garden Life by Richard Unsworth, $30.79, Penguin Australia
Showcasing luscious gardens within all sorts of backdrops, Garden Life by garden designer, owner of outdoor store Garden Life and contributing writer for Belle Richard Unsworth is brimming with advice for incorporating details of his gardens into your own. A perfect read for those with green thumbs.
Shop now at Amazon Australia
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