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This post shows you a selection of 17 elegant coffee table books to integrate your interests into your home decor.
Coffee table books are an overlooked piece of decor – often overpriced and rarely read, you may consider them a waste of space in the already limited real-estate of your coffee table.
However, coffee table books are a great way to make your interests part of your home decor without sacrificing style. They can serve as a conversation starter with guests, remind you of your passions, and contribute to an elegant and cohesive look for your living room.
Here are some ideas for elegant coffee table books that can make your personality shine and elevate your living room decor.
Coffee Table Books: Where to Start
When choosing a coffee table book, you should consider a few important factors:
- Usage: if you intend on placing a couple books on top of a small coffee table, then you might be looking for thinner, smaller books. On the other hand, if you plan on using them as a support for a vase, to replace a side table, or to be the main decor item in your space, you will need thicker, more sturdy volumes.
- Available space: do you need to fill a large empty spot on an ottoman? Are you working with a small coffee table already filled with other decor? Spend some time reflecting on where you would like your books to be. Having a clearer idea on the size and format that can better fit your needs can help prevent you wasting money on books that will look unproportional to your space.
- Personal goal: what is your goal for these coffee table books? Do you want to have guests read through them or do you imagine them as a look-don’t-touch items? Having a clear goal for your decor helps you make more targeted choices in terms of topic, book size, and even features such as language and placement within your space.
Now that you have a good understanding of how your coffee table books will be used, where they will be placed, and who is going to be looking at them, let’s look at 17 elegant options for you to buy coffee table books that will elevate your home and make your personality shine with elegance.
17 Elegant Coffee Table Books
1. Kay Nielsen, 1001 Nights (Available on Amazon here)
This stunning book contains illustrations by Kay Nielsen of the 1001 Nights stories. Available in German, English, and French, it’s perfect for you if your are passionate about literature and beautiful illustrations. 144 luxurious pages to the touch that will complement any piece of furniture you wish to place this on. 12×12 inches (31.2×31.2 cm), it can be displayed on its own or as a basis for smaller volumes.
2. Miles Redd, The Big Book of Chic (Available on Amazon here)
As iconic as its name, The Big Book of Chic is perfect for all interior decor and elegance fans. This book is filled with wonderful photographs, meaning that it will look just as good openly displayed in your entryway as it will do closed on top of your coffee table. The minimalistic cover and the large bold red letter make it a good fit for all interior styles, from minimalistic to contemporary classic. With a total of 300 pages, 150 illustrations, and numerous quotes, this is the perfect volume to scroll through for guests and also serves as inspiration for your own space.
3. Anne Morin, Christa Blümlinger, Ann Marks, Vivian Maier (Available on Amazon here)
This book consists of a career retrospective of Vivian Maier’s work. An incredibly talented woman who remained relatively unknown until after her death, Vivian Maier is an interesting figure whose story is always sure to captivate those who listen to it. A perfect conversation starter, this book contains all of her most iconic images and it manages, in 256 pages, to walk you through the world uniquely via her lens. Filled with portraits, children, streets, and self-portraits, you will never get tired of looking at these images, serving as a reminder that beauty and talent truly are everywhere.
4. Phaidon Editors, Flower: Exploring the World in Bloom (Available on Amazon here)
Unlike a lot of its counterparts, this flower-focused coffee table book is not simply a collection of pretty flower images. Flower: Exploring the World in Bloom, will walk you through how flowers have been used and celebrated in art, culture, and history. 325 pages of colourful beauty that will bring life to any space, helping you find inspiration on how to use flowers within your own space, no matter wha style you embrace. Scrolling the pages of this book will truly feel like a walk through a garden of elegance and beauty. Perfect from all those with a green-thumb or a passion for flowers and nature. Use this book to introduce some colour into your space with elegance and discretion.
5. Karl Kolbitz, Entryways of Milan (Available on Amazon here)
In Italian , they famously say “fare bella figura“, i.e. making a good impression. This book perfectly encapsulates this concept and applies it to building – nothing makes more of a first impression than the entryway to a place. Perfect for all architecture lovers or avid travellers (bonus points if you have actually visited Milan), this volume is the perfect addition to any coffee table. Filled with stunning photographs, Entryways of Milan will not only make you travel to Italy but also through the history of a city that has always been the centre of design innovation in the world. Note that this book is particularly large, 384 pages for a total of 7.2 pounds – it would be a great fit for an ottoman or a living room sideboard.
6. Susan Shapiro, Barbie (Available on Amazon here)
340 pages of pictures of the most iconic doll ever. This book will remind you that from the very beginning, Barbie has not only wanted to be a pretty doll but also an aspirational figure for all little women across the world. Perfect gift for a girl moving into her first apartment, Susan Shapiro manages to make of this book a celebration of childhood nostalgia and a reminder that, just like Barbie, the world is yours to take (she did have over 250 careers in her lifetime after all). And what is more elegant that being you true, multi-faceted self?
7. Pamela Goblin, Valentino: Themes and Variations (Available on Amazon here)
Almost as classic as its subject, this book, published in 2008, continues to be one of the best fashion coffee table books on the market. 300 pages of beautiful images and history of one of the most celebrated fashion houses in the world. Valentino has always been a synonym with elevated, refined elegance, and this volume perfectly captures the Maison’s spirit, packaging it into a beautiful piece of home decor. Perfect for all fashion aficionados, as well as for those who can appreciate the artisanal work behind haute couture.
8. Pierre Sauvage, Be My Guest: At Home with the Tastemakers (Available on Amazon here)
The coffee table book for you if you love hosting, this volume will take you into the homes of 20 tastemakers to provide all the inspiration you need to make your home a refined and welcoming place for your guests. Filled not only with beautiful pictures but also precious advice and hand-picked recipes, this book will be a delight for your guests to scroll through and a perfect way to refine the artistry of hosting. The smaller format makes it perfect also to display on a bookshelf or a smaller coffee table, while still providing 320 pages worth of beautiful content.
9. Claud Gurney, de Gournay: Hand-Painted Interiors (Available on Amazon here)
Written by the founder of the wallpaper Maison, Claud himself, this book is an enchanting journey not only into the designs and patterns de Gournay has to offer, but also into the meaning of design and its interaction with the natural world these wallpapers so beautifully capture. Scrolling through this book will be a perfect way to escape from your living room into a magical world of birds, leaves, fruits, flowers, and breath-taking landscapes. A great fit for maximalist and more classic households, this volume could be the perfect addition to your coffee table.
10. Architectural Digest, Architectural Digest at 100: A Century of Style (Available on Amazon here)
464 pages worth of insights into how Americans have lived through the lens of Architectural Digest, the iconic interior design magazine. This book serves not only as a celebration of the magazine’s brilliant history, but also as a curated and impeccable source of inspiration for your home. The neutral cover and clean title, make it perfect for all living rooms and styles. A perfect gift for interior-design lovers and a fitting decor piece for a living room that aims to impress.
11. Laura Hawk, Slim Aarons: Women (Available on Amazon here)
A collection of more than 250 images of the high-society, arts, fashion, and Hollywood women that Slim Aarons captured in his life. An ode to the beauty found in the luxurious lives of the upper class, this book also serves as a precious insight into one of the key sources of inspiration for the photographer: women. Scrolling through this book will give you a glimpse into the luxury and elegance of a different time, while serving as an iconic decor piece to your living room.
12. Marin Montagut, Extraordinary Collections: French Interiors – Flea Markets – Ateliers (Available on Amazon here)
Perfect if you love collecting and believe in eclectic decor, in this book Marin Montagut celebrates the beauty in scouting different pieces and bringing them together to create mood-boards that can help you understand how to bring uniqueness and creativity into your own space. 240 pages worth of antiques, unique pieces, and the author’s brilliant ability to show beauty even in objects that may appear random at first. A charming read for any guest who might end up picking this up from your coffee table and a great way to challenge your own style. No need to mention how stunning each image is – the cover is just the beginning.
13. Michael Köckritz, Coolness: The pure elegance of freedom (Available on Amazon here)
Who is cool? The answer to this question for Michael Köckritz seems to be “those who are unapologetically themselves”. A perfect mix between a conversation starter and a walk down memory lane in the 90s – this sleek volume will add an effortlessly chic element to your coffee table. Filled with captivating (and cool of course) images and mixing colour and black-and-white photography, this book will not only elevate your coffee table, but inspire you to lean into your style more than ever before.
14. Kyoto Costume Institute, Fashion History from the 18th to the 20th Century (Available on Amazon here)
A stunning book that will make you travel through time while appreciating the impressive collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute. This volume will surely make your coffee table more fashionable, but it will also serve as a reminder that fashion is much more than pretty clothes, but rather a way of expression that tells not only of society but of oneself too. A staple for all fashion experts and a great way to bring some colour to your coffee table in a subtle and sophisticated way.
15. Neal Treadwell & Hugh Nine, Loving: A Photographic History of Men in Love 1850s – 1950s (Available on Amazon here)
A visual narrative of love that will carry you through 366 pages of tender moments and touching pictures. A perfect book to remind you of the beauty of love and the importance of capturing stolen moments. Given the notable size and weight, this volume will be perfect to help ground a large coffee table of even displayed on an entryway console. You and your guests will find yourself wondering about the lives of the men in the pages of this book, staring at you via the unknown lens of the photographers that captured their love for eternity.
16. Alexandra Senes & Oliver Pilcher, Paris Chic (Available on Amazon here)
The city of light, love, good food, and chic women. This iconic Assouline book, one of their best sellers, will transport you to Paris while sitting on your couch. Perfect for any travel-lover or francophile, Paris Chic is set to elevate your coffee table by bringing to it the sophisticated spirit of the city it’s named after. Over 200 illustration in a chic silk hard-cover that will show you the elegance of every-day Parisian life.
17. Robert Frank, The Americans (Available on Amazon here)
Add to your coffee table this raw and honest love letter to the United States and its people. Filled with beautiful photographs and arranged into a narrative that will capture your and your guests’ attention, The Americans and its black-and-white cover is the perfect addition to any living room. With a vintage feel and a more horizontal format, this book is the perfect element of decor for coffee tables that aim for classic elegance.
How to Choose a Coffee Table Book to Make a Statement
This post showed you 17 coffee table books that you could add to your decor to make a statement. When choosing one, either from this list or by searching further online, remember that coffee table books are important pieces of decor.
They can be an elegant way to integrate your interests into your home, truly making your space speak of you and your personality.
Experiment with your creativity and passions to select the best volumes for your space without sacrificing style and elegance. It’s just a matter of finding your perfect match!