No stylish home is complete without a strong selection of coffee table books.
When decorating any space, it’s the small details that can make a big difference. While choosing the perfect sofa, armchair or table can be a costly endeavour, you can really transform a room with a well-placed rug, plant or candle - which comes in particularly handy for pre-furnished rentals.
Whether you see it as an objet d’art, a statement of your taste or simply something intellectually-stimulating to peruse - or even all three - coffee table books are an easy way to inject your living room with a dose of sophistication.
They can act as a visual ode to your favourite city, photographer, brand or hobby, bringing your passion to life with beautifully glossy photographs and the accompanying text. There’s something for design buffs, plant parents and style savants. Even better, if you’re looking for a gift that’s both touchingly personal and timelessly chic, a coffee table book is the way to go - and will proudly sit on the lucky recipients side for years to come.
The good news? Whatever topic arouses your curiosity there’s sure to be an anthology to match. Fashion! Architecture! Music! You name it, there’s a coffee table book to suit.
Your first port-of-call should be publishers like Assouline, Taschen and Phaidon Press for a beautifully curated selection that spans a huge range of topics. Then, the classic booksellers like Waterstones, Blackwell’s and Foyles have a comprehensive range that won’t break the bank, either.
From a photographic homage to London including images by the likes of Slim Aarons and Linda McCartney to a collection of photos from the iconic Capitol Records archives, including everyone from The Beatles to Katy Perry, every option in this list will be looked upon with respect by even the most discerning house guests.
So, without further ado, it’s time to let your literature do the talking with the best coffee table books below.
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Jacquemus Images
We’re sure you’re familiar with cult favourite fashion label Jacquemus. From Pamela Anderson as the face of the brand’s holiday 2022 campaign to the spring/summer 2020 collection that was shown in lavender fields, creative director Simone Porte Jacquemus knows how to create hype.
It’s no wonder, then, that the brand’s coffee table books, which are a collection of the designer’s iPhone imagery taken since 2010, are a hit success. Out of the 85,041 photos in his library, he selected just 321 for this second collection.
And, if you follow his Instagram, @jacquemus - which already boasts 5.5M followers and counting - you’ll be able to see the aesthetic that the designer creates on the daily.
Buy now £40.00, Jacquemus
Taschen London. Portrait of a City
Would an Evening Standard coffee table round-up be complete without a book about London? We didn’t think so, either.
A ode to our capital city, from Victorian London to the Swinging 60s, expect iconic photographs by the likes of Slim Aarons, Eve Arnold, David Bailey and Linda McCartney.
Buy now £50.00, Taschen
Architectural Digest at 100: A Century of Style (Hardback)
Published for Architectural Digest’s hundredth year anniversary, this book is a rich visual portrayal of the magazine’s first century.
It’s a collection of the best from the magazine’s pages, from personal spaces of celebrities like Barak Obama and David Bowie to the work of top designers and architects like David Hicks and India Mahdavi, it’s a feast for the eyes of any fan of architecture, interiors and design.
Buy now £90.00, Waterstones
I Can Make You Feel Good: Tyler Mitchell
One of America’s most distinguished photographers right now, Tyler Mitchell’s beautiful candy-coloured aeshtetic fills the pages of his first published monograph.
Mitchell’s imagination of a black utopia, its 206 optimistic pages unify and expand on the photography and film from his first US solo exhibition at the International Center of Photography in New York.
Buy now £33.65, Amazon
Annie Leibovitz Wonderland
Described in Anna Wintour’s foreword as ‘nothing less than America’s greatest living photographic portraitist’, Annie Leibovitz’ anthology, Wonderland, is not one to be missed.
Featuring over 350 photos of a wide range of subjects, from Serena Williams to Lady Gaga, RuPaul to Karl Lagerfeld and including many previously unpublished images, it’s a beautiful collection that’s sure to garner some respect from any discerning house guest.
Buy now £69.95, WHSmith
Taschen Capitol Records
When it comes to record labels, it doesn’t get better than Capitol Records.
From introducing the Beatles to America and the Beach Boys to the world, since 1942 a whole host of era-defining artists have passed through the doors of the iconic Hollywood landmark - and this book features hundreds of images from its impressive archives, all the way until the present day. An unmissable milestone for music lovers.
Buy now £60.00, Taschen
Phaidon Press Atlas of Mid-Century Modern Houses
Since the mid-century itself, the aesthetic of the era has never been more popular than it is now. Featuring over 400 homes from 40 countries, it showcases those built between the 40s and 60s, and will provide great inspiration for any stylish space today.
Buy now £72.00, Farfetch
Assouline Moschino
After spending 10 years at the helm of Moschino, Jeremy Scott, who transformed the brand with his daring collections laced with pop culture references and rebellious humor, is parting ways with the house. There’s no better time, then, to invest in a book that celebrates the best from his time as creative director.
A treasure trove of all things Moschino, including campaigns, editorials, fashion shows, and backstage photos, as well as the all important front row and party pictures, it’s the fashion book you never know you needed.
Buy now £250.00, Assouline
Assouline Art Deco Style by Jared Goss hardcover book
A compilation of illustrations and photography, Assouline’s Art Deco Style hardcover book documents the historical design style that originated in the 1920s - and still remains popular today.
Compiled by Jared Goss, a former curator at MOMA, it’s a 300-page celebration of the unique aesthetic that includes a range of skyscrapers, automobiles, ocean liners, fashion and more.
Buy now £85.00, Net-A-Porter
Axel Vervoordt: Portraits of Interiors
Known for his art and antique dealing empire, as well as his impressive interior design, Axel Vervoordt is an Belgian entrepreneur worth knowing about - as proven by this beautiful collection of his eighteen recently designed houses. By incorporating nature, art and timelessness, he encourages self-reflection and positivity.
Buy now £47.35, Amazon
