Donald Robertson “Cover Girl”

So, you have a coffee table, now what? You style it! There are many ways to style a coffee table, and a blog post on that is coming soon. But for today, we are talking about must have coffee table books. I have come up with 6 categories that will be suitable for pretty much everyone, and I’m sharing my favorite books in each category.

I have included 6 top categories to start: art, design, photography, architecture, fashion, and quirk. The goal of coffee table books is to express yourself; they are literally a display of what’s inside your mind. So being expressive and creative is a must! That’s why I have included the “quirk” category, so you have permission to add something fun and unique to your collection. Remember the ‘Book of Freaks’ Larry David gifted in Curb Your Enthusiasm? Larry knows about the quirk category.

These books are statement pieces that promote conversation. There are other categories you can certainly shop from, depending on your interests. If you are really into history, add some of those. Science? You betcha. Tech? FOR SURE. You can pepper in more specific books that speak to your individual interests. Today, I’m sharing the must have coffee tables books that are suitable for the masses; you know, so you can start collecting right now without much effort on your part.

Must Have Coffee Table Books

Art

Art is a deeply personal choice. If you’re like me, you just don’t have the wall space (or money) to feature all the art you wish to collect. Enter: coffee table books. You can feature many different art books including some with explicit images (like Jeff Koons) which wouldn’t be appropriate for wall hanging for some people, but housed in a book is just fine. This is also a great opportunity to pay homage to a sculptor you enjoy, since a book of sculptures is much less expensive than buying an actual sculpture.

Having a good collection of art books shows you’re cultured, creative, passionate, and enjoy life. Marveling at pretty things is something humans have done since the beginning of time. Hello, cave paintings! Art books are the biggest must have coffee table books.

1. Damien Hirst
2. The Essential Cy Twombly
3. Anish Kapoor
4. Andy Warhol: Seven Illustrated Books

Design

We all enjoy design. Everything around you has been designed by someone; isn’t that amazing? Even what you’re wearing and the tools you use to cook with are objects of a designer’s mind. Curating a cool blend of design books is pretty easy. I especially love going to old book stores and browsing their interior design section. You can usually find some great gems there.

In this category, I have included my favorite design books that you might not be familiar with. Adding a couple design books to your collection of must have coffee table books is always a good idea because design appeals to everyone. Design books show your attention to detail, appreciation for the visual arts, and ability to see the world around you. Why wouldn’t you want to share your passions with your guests?

1. Miles Redd: The Big Book of Chic
2. The Art of Looking Sideways
3. Dream Spaces
4. Kelly Wearstler Rhapsody
5. 100 Interiors Around the World
6. Jean-Louis Deniot: Interiors
7. Black and White
8. The Kinfolk Home

Photography

This category is where things can get interesting. My favorite is pairing modern and vintage photography books. One of my design rules is to always have something vintage; it displays depth, history, and a story. So be sure you seek out what types of photography interests you, and then curate that. For you, this could be photos of architecture, old neighborhoods (NYC has some great old photos), animals, scenery, people, what have you. My new favorite thing is drone photography and I’ve included a couple of those to pepper in to your collection. Mix old and new and tell a story with your collection.

1. Overview
2. Helmut Newton: Pages from the Glossies
3. 100 Photographs: The Most Influential Images of All Time
4. Dronescapes
5. National Geographic The Photo Ark
6. Gray Malin Escape

Architecture

Do you remember the episode of How I Met Your Mother when Barney became “Ted Mosby, architect” for a night and it was a big hit? It’s because people love cool architecture. Every civilization has cared about the style of their dwellings. Keep that tradition going.

1. Hadid
2. Frank Lloyd Wright
3. New York Deco

Fashion

I’ll admit, I’m not that into fashion. Like, I care what I wear and everything, and I do admire all the fashion week looks, but I’m not actively seeking inspiration. That being said, when I was an interior design intern here in 2011, I waited in line for 6 hours to see the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the MET. It was amazing. So, I guess I admire high end fashion the most because it has been so meticulously designed. I am drawn to unique and thoughtful design.

So, in this list of fashion must have coffee table books, I have included ones that fit the bill for being more stylistic and modern, not just “OMG DIOR AND VERSACE”. You know? It’s one thing to get a fashion book because the cover is cool, the images are striking, and the entire book is aspirational, but it’s another just to get it because it’s a certain brand. That’s tacky; don’t be tacky.

1. Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty
2. Grace: Thirty Years of Fashion at Vogue
3. Tom Ford
4. Kate Moss by Mario Testino
5. Carine Roitfeld: Irreverent 
6. Helmut Newton: SUMO
7. Peter Lindbergh: A Different Vision on Fashion Photography 

Quirk

This is where you can really let your personality shine! Embrace your quirk, your weirdness, your “you”. Find some crazy funny books, some oddities, some books you enjoy but don’t know why. Think of your quirky books like your “elevator pitch”. This is the quickest way to show people the real you.

Do you have a unique hobby like model train building or flying remote controlled helicopters? Are you obsessed with WWI? There’s probably a cool book about it. Anything you enjoy needs to be on your coffee table. The funnier or more unique, the better. This is where you shine.

1. Donald: The Book
2. Houseplants and Hot Sauce: A Seek and Find Book for Grown-ups
3. Underwater Dogs

Remember, coffee table book curation is much like art curation. These books tell others about your unique interests and they are so valuable! Some of these must have coffee table books are large hardcovers, so they are an investment. But, they are also a standout art piece for you to style.

Do you have any must have coffee table books that aren’t on this list? I would love to know how your coffee table books reflect your personality! Happy hunting and stay tuned for a how to style your coffee table post pretty soon.

-Kristen