With the Internet at your fingertips, sometimes it’s easy to forget one of the most inspiring resources for interior designers: books! From how to grow your business, incorporating timeless styles, and working with difficult clients, books can help in more ways than you can imagine.
If you’re looking for some inspiration or afternoon reading, here’s a list of the five best interior design books you’ve got to read.
1. Visual Notes for Architects and Designers – Norman Crowe, Paul Laseau
For interior designers, keeping a visual notebook is an absolute must. Visual Notes for Architects and Designers showcases the many ways and reasons why quick sketching can improve both creativity and productivity as a designer. Crowe and Laseau dive deep into the relationship between note-taking, visualization, and creativity, and the practical ways it can improve your awareness and better serve your creative process.
On the more practical hand, the book also covers tips on how to improve your sketching techniques, as well as the types of notebooks that are best suited for sketching.
2. The Design Process – Karl Aspelund
For designers of any kind, Karl Aspelund’s The Design Process is at the top of any reading list, making it one of the best interior design books to read. Aspelund acts as a guide, taking readers through the seven stages of the design process. From inspiration, conceptualization, to communication, this book covers everything a designer should consider as they dive into the creative process.
For interior designers, this book helps organize the process of creating a room, from initial inspiration to the creation of the final product. For further learning, this book also includes end-of-chapter exercises that help move design thinking from the world of imagination to your everyday life.
3. The Perfectly Imperfect Home: How to Decorate and Live Well – Deborah Needleman
As the editor and chief of domino magazine, Deborah Needleman is an expert in home design and perfect furnishing. She’s seen it all: the good, the bad, and the ugly. This book covers a range of topics every designer should consider, from finding the perfect sofa to attention-grabbing pieces.
While it may not be as philosophical as some of the other best interior design books, this piece is perfect for translating style into everyday rooms that are perfect for living.
4. Home Decor Cheat Sheets: Need-to-Know Stuff for Stylish Living – Jessica Probus
Sometimes, as a designer, it’s hard to know if what you’re creating follows timeless design rules. Thanks to Jessica Probus, there’s a cheat sheet for all your design questions. Home Décor Cheat Sheets: Need-to-Know Stuff for Stylish Living is the ultimate guide and cheat sheet for achieving a timeless and perfectly coordinated living space.
Complete with easy-to-understand illustrations, this book includes everything you need to know to beautifully furnish, arrange, and decorate any room. Organization is vital to the success of any interior design business and this books fits into any designer’s bookshelf or bag for quick reflection on the go, easily making it one of the best interior design books for your collection.
5. The Big Book of Chic – Miles Redd
The Big Book of Chic is exactly as it sounds—a big book of chic designs. Written by internationally acclaimed interior designer Miles Redd, this book easily fits onto the list of best interior design books and will likely stay there for a while.
Lavishly illustrated and uniquely written, this book serves as design inspiration for anyone looking to elevate his or her designs into a more electric and cozy glamour. Totally different from traditional design books, Miles Redd shows readers how to include unconventional pieces, challenge the status quo, and add a little bit of quirkiness to everyday living spaces.
To get your reading list to a good starting point, don’t forget to include the best interior design books and get your inspiration flowing.
