They say to never judge a book by its cover, but when it comes to coffee table books, this is not necessarily true.
A book for the coffee table is as much a decorative item as it is an educational one, proudly displayed or stacked with others in the living room. It invites people to pick it up, thumb through its glossy pages of gorgeous people, places, culture & art and turn a basic lounge room environment into a space of personalities & passions.
So, whether you’re adding to the pile or starting a collection from scratch, we’ve compiled a list of 20 coffee table books that are both trendy & timeless…
1. Dior Catwalk: The Complete Collections – Alexander Fury
This cloth–bound book about the haute couture & ready-to-wear collections of French luxury fashion house Dior is a must–have for fashion fanatics. It features front–row, runway photographs, design sketches, designer biographies & more.
2. Architectural Digest at 100: A Century of Style – Amy Astley
Love interior design? Then you’ll love this 100th anniversary celebration of Architectural Digest. A curation of the best stories, subjects & images from their archives, it includes the homes of Bowie, Capote & Obama, and the works of Hockney, Hicks, Cunningham & more.
3. 10 – Celebrating 10 Issues of the Local Project – The Local Project
If you like supporting design that’s close to home, coffee table books like 10 are a great buy. It compiles highlights from the magazine’s first 10 issues and their favourite architectural efforts from around Australia & New Zealand.
4. Tom Ford 002 – Tom Ford
American fashion designer Tom Ford’s bold, black & white book is full of photos of his most dazzling designs, from cosmetics & eyewear to menswear & womenswear, editorials from Delevigne & Hadid and some of his most famous advertising campaigns.
5. Portraits of Interiors – Axel Vervoordt
Belgian artist & architect Axel Vervoordt’s 320 page coffee table book covers 17 projects from around the world. Interiors range from penthouses in New York and retreats in Ibiza, to palazzos in Venice, barns in Flanders & much more.
6. Greco Disco: The Art and Design of Luke Edward Hall – Luke Edward Hall
British designer Luke Edward Hall’s style is playful & cheerful. This book – his first – takes readers on a journey through his artistic process, and features diary entries, literary excerpts and 200 photographs & illustrations.
7. Live Beautiful – Athena Calderone
If you like coffee table books that tell you where designers get their inspo, this is for you. Decorators from around the world reveal how they put looks together and provide helpful hints for others on how to elevate their homes.
8. Accidentally Wes Anderson – Wally Koval
Whether you’re a fan of filmmaker Wes Anderson’s unique style, or you just love a bit of quirk & colour, this book is visually gorgeous. It’s a collection of photos & stories of real–life places that look straight out of one of Anderson’s films.
9. 1000 Record Covers – Michael Ochs
There are many coffee table books out there for music lovers, but this is one of the best. It’s cover–to–cover photos & captions of some of the most iconic rock album covers of all time, from the 60s to the 90s.
10. Annie Leibovitz – Benedikt Taschen
Portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz has snapped some of the world’s most famous faces. In this behemoth of a book, she compiled over 40 years of work, from her time at Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair & Vogue to never–before–seen shots.
11. Destinations of a Lifetime: 225 of the World's Most Amazing Places – National Geographic Society
This is the ultimate, hardback travel guide. From the comfort of the couch, you can tour the world with vivid, full–page images by world-class photographers. See everything from ancient streets to city skyscrapers, rainforests, beaches & so much more.
12. Resident Dog: Incredible Homes and the Dogs Who Live There – Nicole England
For many people, a house is not a home without a pet. Featuring photos of stunningly designed houses, from apartments to beach houses & everything in between, it shows how dogs brighten up any space.
13. Pools From Above – Brad Walls
Australian aerial photographer Brad Walls’ book puts a fresh perspective on a summer staple: the pool. Using drones, Walls captures the beauty & symmetry of a diverse array of pools from all around the world.
14. Gray Malin: The Essential Collection – Gray Malin
The cover alone should make you want to own this book by bestselling photographer Gray Malin. It features vibrant, stylised images taken across all 7 continents – most notably, of some scene stealing, four–legged friends.
15. Woman Made: Great Women Designers – Jane Hall
This is the most comprehensive, illustrated volume on women designers ever published. With over 200 women represented from the early 20th century to today, it’s a stunning celebration of female ingenuity & imagination.
16. The Big Book of Chic – Miles Redd
Vogue interior designer Miles Redd is known for his cosy brand of glamour. If you love coffee table books that shine a light on the elegant & eclectic, this is the book for you.
17. Humans of New York: Stories – Brandon Stanton
Based on the viral blog of the same name, this hardback bestseller features 400 images of some of New York’s larger than life characters and their incredible – and sometimes crazy – stories.
18. Old Vintage Melbourne – Chris Macheras
If you’re a proud Melburnian, this book of photos from 1960 – 1990 shows how it has looked over the decades. See the changes to the city & suburbs and the iconic sights that have remained.
19. Simple – Yotam Ottolenghi
If you like dishes that use less than 10 ingredients and take under 30 minutes, Simple is a must–have. Another bestseller cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi, it’s 130 easy recipes that can be made all year round.
20. The Bartender's Manifesto: How to Think, Drink, and Create Cocktails Like a Pro – Toby Maloney
You can’t enjoy good food without a good drink, and this book will teach you how to make cocktails with great balance, texture & aroma with step-by-step illustrations & expert tips.
