The books interior designers read for inspiration
The books that line interior designers' shelves are invaluable sources of reference and inspiration. Whether they're collections of the work of great predecessors and contemporaries, books that guide the philosophy of design, or insights into another world entirely that informs the aesthetic behind a room they all contribute vastly to a designers' work.
Yet with so many coffee table books and volumes on offer, how do you find the gem amongst the glass? To find the best of the bunch, House & Garden asked a group of top designers to tell us about their favourite books and why they're so important to their work.
1/13"I’ve always enjoyed The Interiors of Chester Jones - his rooms are luxurious and practical, following traditional rules but with a contemporary sensibility. He was the protegé of the great Tom Parr of Colefax & Fowler and you can feel that coming through in his work." - Adam Bray, interior designer
"There's a lesson on every page." Wendy Nicholls, Managing Director at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler
The Interiors of Chester Jones, by Henry Russell (Merrell, 2014)
2/13"A study of interior decoration in the 20th century, by the eminent architectural historian John Cornforth, discussing some of the main players, with a large section devoted to John Fowler. Fascinating." - Emma Burns, Director at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler
The Inspiration of the Past: Country House Taste in the Twentieth Century by John Cornforth (Viking, 1985)
3/13"I’m always looking at photography books from the great fashion photographers of the 20th century like Guy Bourdin and Richard Avedon. I think it helps when you’re trying to muster up a fictional life for someone in three dimensions - there are so many details in those images, unexpected colour combinations, styles you don't see anymore, and it encourages me to try something new." - Adam Bray
Richard Avedon: Photographs 1946-2004, (Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2007)
4/13"I am fascinated by stairs from the 16th-18th century and their intricate ironworks by virtuosi blacksmiths. I find captivating the powerful shapes from that era, their aesthetic force and obvious functionality in interiors; the balance between inventiveness, harmonious propositions and true ergonomics. This book is an overview of the techniques, the blacksmiths and the trends over two centuries, as well as little anecdotes about the sponsors of the works. It is a true insight into the art of ironwork and the techniques used, prior to welding and the ‘new technologies’ of the time, showing off their inventiveness and master craftsmanship. Moreover, the book includes some very beautiful pictures of examples of those Parisian staircases, their ornaments and banister styles along their flowing steps." - Rabih Hage
Escaliers Parisiens sous l'Ancien Régime, (Somogy Editions, 2011)
5/13"Still as fresh, relevant and inspirational as when it was written. Still wish he had called it 'A Blue Print for Design' as a nod to his innocent (!) obsession for blue and white..." - Emma Burns, Director at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler
Inspirational Interiors: Colefax and Fowler, by Roger Banks-Pye (Ryland, Peters & Small, 1997)
6/13"A must-read is Harmony by HRH The Prince of Wales - a very prophetic book given the current situation. He shares views on how mankind's modern challenges are rooted in disharmony with nature and emphasises the importance of a holistic vision for designing and planning sustainability." - Tara Craig
Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World by HRH The Prince of Wales with Tony Juniper and Ian Skelly (Harper Collins 2010)
8/13"Marvellous photographs and interiors, full of conviction and brilliant varieties of style. Plus, flights of fun and fancy as well as useful ways to understand tricky spaces." - Lucy Hammond Giles, interior decorator, Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler
The World of Madeleine Castaing by Emily Evans Eerdmans (Rizzoli, 2010)
11/13"My go-to book is Eighteenth Century Decoration, Design and the Domestic Interior in Englandby Charles Saumarez Smith. I love the references to architecture, design, art, fashions and lifestyle of the period, and the colour palette of the prints, all of which influence and inspire my own work." - Max Rollitt
Eighteenth Century Decoration, Design and the Domestic Interior in Englandby Charles Saumarez Smith (Weidenfeld & Nicolson), 1993
12/13"Chester Jones' book on Colefax & Fowler is still an incredibly useful reference to our beautifully finished interiors after all these years." - Daniel Slowik, Associate Director, Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler
Colefax & Fowler: The Best in English Interior Decoration by Chester Jones, (Bulfinch Press, 2000)
13/13"A master class in sophisticated simplicity. My desert island book to save from the waves." - Emma Burns, Director at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler
"For the sheer joy of decoration, you must see John Stefanidis' Living by Design." - Wendy Nicholls, Managing Director at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler
Living by Design: Ideas for Interiors and Gardens by John Stefanidis (Rizzoli, 1997)
