As a child in Los Angeles, I was a bookworm because I was a lonely child and could get lost in the fantasy world of books. My parents encouraged me to read, and I read as much as I could. As an adult, I’m still a voracious reader, and a fast reader to begin with. There’s nothing like the tactile feel of the weight of a book in your hand and the action of turning the pages. For me, it is a loving tribute to the written words and beautiful images found on the pages of a book.
That’s why I have a huge collection of books at home, most of them design books of course. Not only are they valuable sources of knowledge and inspiration that I return to repeatedly, but they provide an ease of use that simply isn’t available on the Internet or in an e-reader. Unlike a novel, which is read from the first page to the last, design books are meant to be flipped through. And you just can’t flip through a handheld device like you can a book.
So with that, here are my six favorite design books:
1. Judith Miller, “Furniture: World Styles from Classic to Contemporary.” Without a doubt, the best book on style identification. Full of details, details, details. Information on materials, why something looks the way it does, juicy facts, the people and events that influence furniture design. This is the book I wish I had written! it’s my bible
2. Christopher Payne (general editor), “Sotheby’s Concise Encyclopedia of Furniture.” Christopher Payne is British and has the crisp and charming way of writing that the British are known for. This is one of my favorite books for quick, concise information on a particular style.
3. Metropolitan Museum of Art, “Period Rooms in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.” Exquisite images of the Met’s fabulous period rooms, from the Jacobean to Frank Lloyd Wright.
4. Frederick Litchfield, “Illustrated History of Furniture: From the Earliest Times to the Present.” I have the 1893 edition that I printed of Project Gutenberg, and it’s fabulous! Incredibly detailed illustrations of period furniture and rooms. There are no photos, only detailed illustrations. Lots of juicy details about various designers and historical figures.
5. Mario Praz, “An Illustrated History of Interior Decoration: From Pompeii to Art Nouveau.” Mainly illustrated through period paintings, but a great resource of complete room plans seen through the eyes of the artists.
6. Virginia McAlester and Lee McAlester, “Great American Houses and Their Architectural Styles.” Beautiful photographs and floor plans of some of the best examples of American architectural styles.
