The Best Books on Modern Interior Design
Interior design is in an exciting place at the moment. It’s more inventive, pioneering and diverse than it has ever been. But how do you get to grips with the numerous trends, styles and movements making waves in 2020? A good book, of course!
There’s no better way to understand or develop a deeper appreciation for a subject. Instagram and Pinterest are great for visual inspiration but to truly know a topic, you just can’t beat a good book.
The following list includes some of the best books on modern interior design. Kate Groes, founder of LOT helped compile this list, and she shares why each book is so special to her. Hopefully it inspires you to pick one up!
Herman Miller: A Way of Living
Herman Miller has produced some of the most iconic furniture designs of the last century. The US-based company has worked with some of the best-known names in furniture design including Isamu Noguchi, Charles and Ray Eames, and George Nelson.
This fabulous book chronicles the fascinating 100-year history of this company through ten chapters and thousands of illustrations.
“This compelling read offers an eye-opening insight into the pioneering world of furniture design. It is an absolute must for anyone who appreciates good design,” explains Kate.
Maximalism by Sig Bergamin
Architect and designer Sig Bergamin is a self-confessed maximalist. Anyone familiar with his work will know how he meticulously combines pieces from all over the world to create a vivid, vibrant and yet somehow cohesive design. He rebels against the minimalism movement in the most chic way possible.
“The book captures Sig Bergamin’s work and design ethos beautifully,” says Kate, “It is an outstanding coffee table book with high-quality photographs you could spend hours over.”
Homes for Our Time: Contemporary Houses around the World
This book covers the world’s finest contemporary homes, from small cottages to vast villas and beach houses to forest refuges. Inside you’ll find homes in Australia, China, the United States, Ecuador and Costa Rica. It offers a fantastic view of global architecture and design, revealing that homes around the world have much more in common than we realise.
“This book includes the work of such talents as MVRDV, Marcio Kogan, Xu Fu-Min and Shunri Nishizawa. It is a complete and complex survey of the modern home – and the photography is phenomenal,” says Kate.
Interiors: The Greatest Rooms of the Century
Now for a bit of history... this excellent book includes more than 400 living spaces from the past 100 years. Featuring 300 influential designers and creators, it highlights the incredible rooms designed by artists, style icons, film stars and fashion designers.
Kate says, “This book provides endless interior inspiration. The spaces contained within span decades, styles and personalities, so there’s a lot to take in. It’s the sort of book you pick up for a quick flick-through and end up spending hours submerged in.”
Bauhaus by Magdalena Droste
100 years on from its founding, this book celebrates the trailblazing but short-lived Bauhaus movement.
For fourteen years, Germany’s Bauhaus school of art and design changed the face of modernity. Combining fine art, craftsmanship and technology, the school applied it’s ethos across textiles, ceramics, film, photography, sculpture, design and architecture.
“This book offers an in-depth look at the history of Bauhaus and its enduring influence on design. A must-read for anyone intrigued by this important movement,” Kate Groes.
Green Architecture
This book covers some of the world’s best environmentally-friendly and sustainable buildings. It includes work from celebrated architects like Frank Gehry and Norman Foster, as well as up-and-coming creatives. It’s stuffed full of plans, proposed projects and architectural photography, making it a veritable encyclopaedia of green design.
Including examples of residential and commercial design, this is a fantastic resource for anyone even remotely interested in sustainable design.
“This book shows how a deep environmental awareness can result in some of the most exciting and innovative architecture,” says Kate.
Jean-Michel Frank
Jean-Michel Frank was a French interior designer. He was an iconic figure; self-made (he never attended a school of design) and mysterious, with his own distinct style. His unique approach combined minimalist design with luxury details like gold, silk, marble and parquet flooring. His work became the standard for Art Deco sophistication.
“This book attempts to demystify the artist, telling his story and showing the creations of one the most influential art deco designers. His work, despite being nearly a century old, remains relevant today and he continues to inspire interior designers around the world. This is a fantastic read,” Kate Groes.
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