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There are almost 72,000 people employed as interior designers in the US.
Are you on your way to joining them?
Well, sooner or later you’re going to need a little inspiration. After all, with thousands of other designers out there, the competition for new ideas is fierce.
Reading is a sure-fire way of sparking your imagination and catalyzing creativity. Within the pages of a book, you can find the answers and inspiration you’re looking for.
But which books are best suited for the job? Which books should every designer worth their salt stack on their shelves at home? We wanted to help!
Keep reading to discover a selection of inspiring interior design books to read right now.
- Beautiful: All-American Decorating and Timeless Style – Mark D. Sikes
No designer’s bookshelf is complete without this classic tome from Mark Sikes.
An interior designer renowned nationally as an inspiration and resource, Beautiful is his brain-child. There’s nothing excessive or extravagant about the designs within these pages. Instead, you’ll discover an unremitting celebration of American style.
Inspired by his origins in fashion, the interiors you peruse are as inspiring as they are approachable. There’s a fair amount of diversity to enjoy too. You find ‘blue and white forever’ designs (a style championed by Sikes), forever-valued neutrality, and a welcome twist of chinoiserie to boot.
A lovely addition to the pages is Sikes’ handwritten notes in the margins. These add a level of personality that other books fail to meet. It’s like reading Sikes’ very own journal.
Navigating the design world is made inherently easier with Beautiful behind you.
- May I Come In? Discovering the World in Other People’s Houses – Wendy Goodman
Goodman knows a thing or two about interior design.
In fact, she’s something of an expert. After all, she’s edited the interior design section of New York magazine for the last 20 years. Goodman’s a veritable authority on the subject. And she’s written a book on it. All budding designers need to read it.
‘May I Come In?’ is a stunning photographic escapade into 75 uniquely-decorated homes. The images immerse you in the interiors; you feel as if you’re wandering the halls and exploring the rooms in person.
Now, these homes aren’t designed in your typical way. They’re included for their intensely idiosyncratic nature. These homes are at the upper end of the design spectrum. For that exact reason, they hold amazing inspiration to anyone who stumbles across the pages.
- Domino: The Book of Decorating – Deborah Needleman (Editor)
Anyone after a how-to guide to interior decorating would do well to start with Domino.
It’s become a classic addition to anyone’s home. To wander through open houses is to see it up on the coffee table.
Domino is upheld as a style manual for individuals aspiring to great design heights. It’s a book for the masses, with information that everyone will find accessible. It proves that design doesn’t have to be difficult, nor a mystery- anyone can do it!
The mission seems simple: help as many people as possible create a beautiful home. Leveraging the wisdom and expertise of industry insiders, Domino showcases what it takes to design the perfect interior.
- A Point of View – Veere Grenney
Grenney’s is another recent tome that deserves a spot on your bookshelf.
His book, A Point of View, complements the ‘how’ with the much-needed ‘why’ of design. Grenney, the award-winning AD100 designer, takes the reader through his vision of design and the purpose it serves.
Anglophiles out there will go wild for this one. Drawing upon his knowledge of the English interior scene, each chapter walks you through a new room in the house. You’ll be inspired by the simplicity and glamour or his living rooms (lounge seating advice doesn’t get much better), entranceways, dining rooms and so on.
Nicely, you gain insight into Grenney himself too. He details his own personal journey from the start of his career, through to the heady heights of success he now enjoys.
Inspiration for interior designers with a penchant for the English doesn’t get much better.
- Inspired Design: The 100 Most Important Designers of the Past 100 Years – Jennifer Boles
Learning about actual interiors is one thing.
But learning about the designers themselves is another entirely. The majority of books tend to hone in on one particular designer. They showcase their work and the theory behind it.
Inspired Design brings you 100 of the most influential designers of the last century. It’s a vital resource for anyone interested in learning more about the profession.
It’s arguably one of the most informative and inspirational books on this list. After all, you gain an insight into the leading minds who’ve helped shape the industry. The interior design industry wouldn’t be what it is without the names on these pages.
You’ll learn all about the individuals, as well as seeing examples of their work. In this way, you’ll gain a greater understanding of interior design as a whole.
Looking backward is the only way to understand the present. Reading about these infamous designers will set current style trends in perspective.
Be sure to have this book in your home. It’s the perfect reference point for forming your own unique design style.
Time to Get Your Hands on These Interior Design Books
There you have it – a selection of inspiring interior design books that any budding designer needs on their reading list.
Tens of thousands of interior designers currently operate in the United States.
That’s a lot of creative people designing and decorating homes around the country.
Do you want to be one of them? If so, then reading up on the subject is a sure-fire way to propel your design understanding and spark your creativity. The same applies if you’re simply looking for some design inspiration for your own home!
Either way, having access to the best books on interior design will help. Hopefully, this post has highlighted a top selection to get started with.
Want more design inspiration? Check out our other room-specific sections on the blog now!
