I’m not sure how many hours, days or even years of my life I have lost scrolling through the plethora of inspirational home interiors images on Instagram and Pinterest. Mindlessly flicking through the images, I come away either thinking it’s time to reorganize my boot strewn utility room or with a head exploding interiors clashing overload which to be honest feels rather counter productive! The thing is, it’s all very good flicking through these socially trending images but what are we really learning from them and are they actually helping us to find solutions to our everyday home problems, such as cold rooms, layout issues and awkward misfunctioning bathrooms? It’s at times like these it pays to step away from the screen and grab a good sturdy book.
The best interior design books not only serve to inspire but helpfully guide the reader through their problems and deposit them out the other side with practical solutions and a solid foundation on which to create their ideal interior space. So today I’m sharing my top 5 interior design books which have helped to inspire and educate me along the way and should stand proud on any interior enthusiasts immaculately curated bookshelf.
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KELLY HOPPEN DESIGN MASTERCLASS: HOW TO ACHIEVE THE HOME OF YOUR DREAMS
Regardless of whether Kelly’s style is one you aspire to, this book shares a wealth of easy to follow practical advice which can be applied to almost any space. One of my favourite things about this book is its tips on space planning, zoning and flow which is so often a challenge in the everyday home. It’s also an enjoyable book to read with beautiful imagery which is used to inspire and demonstrate ‘best practice’ whilst calmly and systematically taking you through advice for planning each major room of the home. A great knowledgeable read and it also works well as a hardback coffee table book for your guests to flick through.
If you’re planning a self-build, home extension or renovation this book is really worth a read before deciding on your home lighting scheme. This book can be technical at times but this shouldn’t put you off as on the whole the advice is easy to follow and detailed enough to give you the knowledge you need to arrange a beautiful lighting layout which will elevate your new home design from normal to incredible. It’s important to remember that changing lighting once the building works are complete can be costly and messy, therefore a few evenings with this book is well worth the time and effort.
MAD ABOUT THE HOUSE: HOW TO DECORATE YOUR HOME WITH STYLE BY KATE WATSON-SMYTH
This book demonstrates well why Kate Watson-Smyth is such a successful interiors blogger; packed with tips and tricks, down-to-earth advice for any type of home and budget and full of her characterful writing style. It’s a simple and quick read designed to inspire and maybe to make you a little braver with your decorating choices. Oh and the fact it has a beautiful blush pink hardback with embossed gold writing helps with the sheer joy of reading it!
Let’s face it, what budding interior enthusiast doesn’t want to have a sneak-peak in the homes of some of Britain’s most prized interior designers such as Nina Cambell, Jane Churchill and Kit Kemp? Not only that, this book chats to the designers about how they planned their homes and the thinking behind their design. Inspirational and at time aspirational, another beautiful hardback coffee table book to leisurely flick through on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
It’s no wonder that the Scandi’s get their interiors oh so right when they’ve got the likes of Swedish interiors guru Frida Ramstedt leading the pack. This book is a wealth of technical information and advice, helping with such things as layout, flow and placing. For those hoping for inspirational images this is NOT the one for you but if you’re looking for an insightful read and a certain amount of design demystification then it’s definitely one to add to the list.