The Best Interior Design Books

STILL – THE SLOW HOME

This one showcases inspiring interiors from around the world by homeowners embracing SLOW living. According to Natalie Walton, each home offers a unique story of intentional choices and simple pleasures, guiding readers to create spaces that nurture calm and well‑being.

STYLED

One of my first interior design books. It offers a fresh and approachable guide to decorating your home with personality and ease. Emily Henderson shares expert tips and creative ideas to help you mix styles, colors, and textures confidently. The book inspires readers to create spaces that feel both stylish and truly personal.

HOME BY THE SEA

Another book by Natalie Walton. Her book takes you on an intimate tour of homes in the creative Byron Bay communit. From laid‑back surf shacks to serene hinterland retreats, each reflecting the owner’s connection to place, simplicity, and creative living. Natalie Walton combines personal storytelling, a celebration of community, and light-filled to showcase how intentional design and regional identity can shape warm, meaningful homes. Be sure to check out her other interior design books as well.

JUNGALOW DECORATE WILD

One of the best interior design. books for anyone who loves color, bold and vibrant designs.

It is a vibrant celebration of bold, colorful interiors filled with plants and eclectic style. Justina Blakeney invites readers to embrace creativity and nature, turning any space into a lively, joyful sanctuary. It’s an inspiring mix of design tips and personal storytelling that encourages fearless decorating.

THE KINFOLK HOME

It showcases serene, minimalist interiors that emphasize simplicity and intentional living. Nathan Williams highlights spaces where natural light and thoughtful design create calm, welcoming environments. The book encourages readers to find beauty in everyday moments and meaningful surroundings.

THE ART OF HOME

Shea McGee combines her decade of Studio McGee design experience with stunning visuals and practical guidance, walking readers through each room. From entryways to utility spaces, with step‑by‑step instruction and personal anecdotes. The book teaches how to achieve an elevated yet approachable home by blending aesthetic sophistication with livable functionality, making high-end style accessible on any budget.

DOWN TO EARTH

A thoughtful look at how natural materials, lived-in details, and intentional choices can create spaces that feel grounded, calm, and deeply personal.

OASIS – MODERN DESSERT HOMES AROUND THE WORLD

Invites readers to create peaceful, restorative spaces that serve as personal retreats from the chaos of daily life. Tillet Wright blends design inspiration with practical advice to craft environments that nurture calm and wellbeing. The book emphasizes the importance of balance, comfort, and intentional simplicity.

THE INTERIOR DESIGN HANDBOOK

This is one of the best interior design textbooks according to some friends. It’s a bit more technical as it It breaks down design principles into simple, actionable advice for creating balanced and functional spaces. The author guides readers through practical tips that help transform any room with confidence and clarity. It’s a go-to resource for both beginners and enthusiasts looking to design thoughtfully.

LIVE BEAUTIFUL

One of my favorites and best interior decoration books I like to reference. It combines stunning visuals with expert advice to inspire creating elegant, comfortable, and personalized living spaces. Athena Calderone shares tips on styling, organizing, and designing homes that reflect your unique lifestyle. The book encourages embracing beauty in everyday surroundings with warmth and sophistication.

PACIFIC NATURAL AT HOME

Warm, minimalist, and deeply connected to nature. The book offers a look into serene, intentional living through earthy interiors, seasonal rituals, and a holistic approach to home. It’s a calming guide to creating spaces that feel grounded, effortless, and inviting.

HOME BODY

A a practical and inspiring guide to designing a home that reflects your personal style and story. Joanna Gaines shares her signature approach to creating inviting, functional spaces filled with warmth and character.

ARRANGING THINGS

Show the method of crafting beautiful, simple vignettes using objects already in your home. Through visual essays and personal stories, the book explores how scale, texture, palette, and negative space can transform everyday items into meaningful compositions that feel both intentional and effortless.

NOMAD AT HOME

Explores how travel-inspired style can shape the spaces we live in. With interiors reflecting moods and textures gathered across the globe. Hilary Robertson introduces imaginative “tribes” of wanderers such as Adopters, Escapists, Serial Wanderers and shares interiors from richly styled homes, paired with a curated global sourcebook to help readers bring destination-inspired decor into their own rooms.

JAPANESE INTERIORS

This book soffers an in‑depth look at 28 private homes across Japan. From serene mountain cabins and coastal retreats to streamlined urban apartments. Mihoko Iida (alongside editor Danielle Demetriou) highlights how Japanese residential design balances minimalist elegance with practical living, weaving natural landscapes and traditional craftsmanship into contemporary spaces.

SURF SHACK

Invites you into authentically relaxed homes inhabited by surfers and water-loving creatives around the globe. The author showcases how these interiors reflect a deeply personal, nature-centered lifestyle: lived-in, unpolished, and built for comfort over perfection. It’s one of the best interior decorating books if you’re looking for that beach vibe in your home.

SACRED SPACES

This one is a deeply human and visually stirring collection that brings readers into different homes, each transformed into a sanctuary shaped by resilience and renewal. One of the interior design books where Carley Summers combines striking photography with intimate stories of trial, healing, and growth, and highlights spaces to illustrate how design becomes part of a journey toward peace and restoration.