Coffee Table Books to Complete Your Space

Image Source: Harlowe James

Coffee table books come in all colors, styles and subjects and help to tell the story about your home and your aesthetic. Books can complete the look of a room by adding that finishing touch you’ve been missing. We’ve curated a collection of 12 books in a variety of looks that are worth the read!

  1. Dreamscapes: Inspiration and Beauty in Gardens Near and Far– Dreamscapes is a stunning collection of over sixty of the world”s most beautiful gardens from across the globe, photographed by internationally renowned and awarded photographer Claire Takacs. This book will astound and delight you with the diversity and creativity of the gardens featured, all portrayed at that rare moment when they are at their most stunning.
  2. Travel Home: Design with a Global Spirit– A road map for bringing far-flung design ideas back home, Travel Home shows us how to curate interiors that reflect our favorite places and experiences in ways that are beautiful and authentic. Touring the homes of leaders in global design who share a deep affection for travel, the book explores interiors with influences as widespread as Marrakesh, Paris, Cuba, Tokyo, Portugal, and beyond.
  3. Eat Drink Nap: Bringing the House Home– In the 17 years since the first Soho House opened its doors, they’ve perfected the art of entertaining: how to make people feel at home, how to cook food they love, how to make a room stylish but welcoming, how to throw a party, get the lighting right, mix a cocktail, design a bedroom, build an art collection. This sumptuous book with a foreword from founder Nick Jones and newly commissioned photography from leading food and interiors photographers Mark Seelen and Jean Cazals, will share with readers the secrets of the Soho House way of doing things.
  4. HomeBody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave by Joanna Gaines– Joanna Gaines walks you through how to create a home that reflects the personalities and stories of the people who live there. Using examples from her own farmhouse as well as a range of other homes, this comprehensive guide will help you assess your priorities and instincts, as well as your likes and dislikes, with practical steps for navigating and embracing your authentic design style. Room by room, Homebody gives you an in-depth look at how these styles are implemented as well as how to blend the looks you’re drawn to in order to create spaces that feel distinctly yours.
  5. Nick Brandt: On This Earth, A Shadow Falls– In 2001, Nick Brandt embarked on an ambitious photographic project, a trilogy of books memorializing the fast-disappearing natural grandeur of East Africa. Focusing on some of the world’s last great populations of large mammals–elephants, giraffes, lions, gorillas and their kin.
  6. The Healing Power of Plants: The Hero House Plants That Love You Back– Plants make people happy. This gorgeous, modern guide features over 80 indoor plants that will turn your house into a happy, healthy, healing home.Discover plants that will clean the air you breathe, help you get a good night’s sleep, reduce stress and anxiety, help you get well soon, boost your brain power and bring greater joy and wellbeing into your life. 
  7. The Bucket List: 1000 Adventures Big & Small by Kath Stathers– We all have things we’d like to do—one day—but work, family, school, money, and responsibilities get in the way. This invaluable guide to fun, fantastic, and life-affirming activities features an eclectic range of ideas such as self-improvement, sports-related endeavors, natural wonders, cultural experiences, culinary delights, and more. From glassblowing in the Czech Republic to swimming with dolphins in New Zealand, The Bucket List is the perfect gift for the passionate traveler—an around-the-world, continent-by-continent listing of beaches, museums, monuments, islands, inns, restaurants, mountains, and more.
  8. Live Beautiful– Beautiful design isn’t just pleasant to look at; it improves the quality of our lives. In Live Beautiful, the highly anticipated design book by Athena Calderone, the EyeSwoon creator taps into her international network of interior decorators, fashion designers, and tastemakers to reveal how carefully crafted interiors come together. She also opens the doors to two of her own residences.
  9. Plant Style: How to Greenify Your Space– Ferns are back in the bathroom, cacti are sitting on plant stands and hoyas are cascading from hangers. Indoor plants are the ultimate indoor accessory. Softening interiors and readily available, they are a stylist’s best friend. However, it’s their power to transform a sterile space into an urban sanctuary that makes them more than just an inanimate prop –all you need to know is how to use them. From the founders of coveted plant-wares studio, Ivy Muse, comes this charming guide on how to turn your home into a jungle- like retreat. With design- savvy tips and expert advice, you’ll learn all there is to know about decorating with plants and botanical styling plus the necessities like light requirements and when to water and feed. From bathroom to boudoir to every room in between, create your very own green oasis with Plant Style.
  10. Nancy Braithwaite: Simplicity– Interior designer Nancy Braithwaite’s long-awaited first book is a striking tutorial in the power of simplicity in design. In the world of interior design, Nancy Braithwaite is known for her single-minded devotion to the principle that has guided her work for more than forty years: simplicity. Braithwaite’s work is luxuriously minimalist, its beauty inextricably tied to its Shaker-like purity. While her work varies from art deco to country, the underlying rules remain the same: every element should strive to be simple and powerful without compromise, and every room must have a level of power that comes from commanding scale, repetition of elements, subtleties of color, or the sheer beauty of forms. 
  11. SUNDAY SUPPERS: Recipes + Gatherings– With her dinner series Sunday Suppers, Karen Mordechai celebrates the magic of gathering, bringing together friends and strangers to connect over the acts of cooking and sharing meals. For those who yearn to connect around the table, Karen’s simple, seasonally driven recipes, evocative photography, and understated styling form a road map to creating community in their own kitchens and in offbeat locations. This collection of gatherings will inspire a sense of adventure and community for both the novice and experienced cook alike.
  12. Surf Shack– Peek inside the homes of longtime enthusiasts and dedicated newcomers that reflect not just a sport or passion, but also a way of life. Blake and Heather Mycoskie of TOMS, hotelier Sean MacPherson, Gypset author Julia Chaplin, and others have set up their spaces to embrace a casual ease and be the break between the waves. 

Reimagined Spaces: This or That

Many people find themselves stumped when it comes to knowing how to decorate their home. One of the best places to start would be to narrow down what your home decorating style is. You could say the top 10 interior design styles are: Contemporary, Mid-Century Modern, Minimalist, Coastal, Rustic, Farmhouse, Scandinavian, Bohemian, Traditional, and Transitional. Today we are going to take a look at two of those popular design styles so you can see which one resonates with you the most.

Look through the following pictures and decide if the first image is more appealing to you, or the second.

If you’re more drawn to the first images in each set, then Coastal could be the decorating style that you’re attracted to most. Here are some tips on how to achieve the Coastal look in your home:

  • Coastal is not nautical. In the simplest definition, Coastal is beachy. Through use of natural light, soft tones, and a clean aesthetic, it’s meant to evoke the breeziness of the beach.
  • Abundant light is the most important element in this home design. Window treatments should be minimal to not distract from the natural light.
  • To keep the vibe relaxed, incorporate natural elements by way of wicker, rattan and light wood.

If you’re more drawn to the second images in each set, then Farmhouse could be the decorating style that you’re attracted to most. Here are some tips on how to achieve the Farmhouse style in your home:

  • Farmhouse is warm, cozy, relaxing and full of charm and character.
  • A neutral color palette will keep your Farmhouse inspired space fresh, clean and current.
  • Mix and match furniture. Think about balancing out the natural materials in the room with things like plush couches, comfy accent chairs, and cushioned bar stools. You can also enhance the feeling of the room by layerings items like throw pillows and blankets into your design.
  • Add industrial accents. Not only are industrial pieces commonly based on the machinery used for farming, but they also happen to be experiencing a spike in popularity right now, making them the perfect common thread to finish off your look.

If you need some home design inspiration, we would love to help you and feature your space on our blog post series, Reimagined Spaces. We invite you to email us a picture of your space along with a short narrative of your dreams for that space.   If your space is chosen we will send you a short questionnaire that will allow Michaela to understand your vision, likes, dislikes and the design aesthetic that most appeals to you.  Michaela will create a design board and provide it along with links to the materials selected that compliment your space.  All reimagined spaces will be featured through this blog.

Please email us at Reimaginedspacesforyou@gmail.com

Benjamin Moore 2020 Color of the Year

Benjamin Moore announced their 2020 Color of the Year as First Light.

“We selected this hue as the color for 2020 since it represents a new dawn of idealism, design and living,” says Andrea Magno, director of color marketing and development at Benjamin Moore. “First Light 2102-70 reflects a new definition of the home—a shift in mindset from the material thinking to satisfying the core needs in life, such as community, comfort, security, self-expression, authenticity and ultimately, optimism.”


“We’re always looking at years past and evolving,” she says. “Last year’s Metropolitan was neutral and we did that on purpose. We said, let’s a step back, relax, and find the comfort in our own homes. Once we’ve done that, we’re really ready for the next step.”

“Now, let’s use color to express ourselves, be a little more upbeat, and happy,” she concludes. “We all need that optimism in our lives.”

Watch now: See Where Benjamin Moore Tests Over 20,000 Paint Shades

It’s not too late to submit your space to Reimagined Spaces! To see how we would transform your room using First Light, email us at ReimaginedSpacesforyou@gmail.com.