Coffee Culture and Reading

Best Coffee Table Books

Coffee Culture

What you choose to display on your coffee table says a lot about you. For some, it’s simply a place for popping their cup of coffee each morning, others it’s used in lieu of a footstool, but there are also those that use it to showcase coffee table books.

Whether you’re wondering what defines a coffee table book to begin with or are looking for inspiration on what to display, keep reading as we’ve got you covered with options for animal lovers, fashion enthusiasts and adventurers alike.

What is a coffee table book?

A coffee table book is a large, usually hardback book that’s designed to sit on a coffee table and serve as entertainment, inspire conversation and also provide decoration. There’s a huge variety of types out there from art to fashion coffee table books, but most will have large, glossy images which are perfect for flicking through whilst sipping your cappuccino or latte.

Our top 12 best coffee table books

1. For the doggy devotee

If you love nothing more than gazing upon pictures of cute canines, The Year of the Dogs by Vincent J. Musi is the best coffee table book for you. Musi’s ability to capsulate and showcase each individual character of dog breed is captured with love, and has created a wonderful and captivating book. With stunning portrait like photos, this coffee table book is a true tribute to man’s best friend. There is truly no better book to enjoy a flat white with.

2. For the fashion fanatic

Admirer of all thing’s couture? Get your hands on a copy of Yves Saint Laurent Catwalk. Featuring striking images from their Haute Couture Collections from between 1962 and 2002, this fashion coffee table book boasts eye-catching images and delves into the influences and highlights of the stunning collections. With its minimalist, yet eye catching bright pink cover and glossy pages, it’ll look gorgeous displayed on your coffee table too.

3. For the tattoo lover

Love the idea of a tattoo, but not ready to get one? Well, we have the book for you. Let your love of tattoos run wild with Frederic Claquin’s 1000 Tattoos. The book of creative and new design ideas from the world’s leading artists and designs from up-and-coming talent. This book showcases the worlds best, most state-of-the-art and inspired tattoo creations.

4. For the keen traveller

Want to know how to travel around the world with advice from the best? Check out the best travel book yet, The Bucket List: 1000 Adventures Big and Small. If you’re looking for some inspiration for your next trip away, or just want to escape daily life for a minute, then this bucket list book, full of the best beaches, museums, monuments, islands and so much more is the perfect book for your coffee table.

Book Pantone Twentieth Century in Colour Cover

5. For the trend setter

If you find yourself fascinated by how colours have influenced everything from décor to fashion choices over the years, Pantone: The Twentieth Century in Colour is the perfect coffee table book for you. Looking at how colour trends have defined the past 100 years, the amazing book matches art, products, décor and even fashion pieces to official Pantone colour palettes, analysing trends, shifts and resurgences of hues throughout time.

6. For the budding architect

Whether you have a keen interest in architecture or just love snooping around truly interesting homes, Art Deco Style by Jared Goss, published by Assouline is a worthy addition to your coffee table. This book showcases the growing appetite for a new design language, featuring 200 illustrations across its 300 pages of the decorative influence that is Art Deco. Sit back with your favourite coffee, and immerse yourself in some truly inspiring décor.

7. For the proud feminist

Let your living space showcase how incredible women are with Slim Aarons: Women by (photographer) Slim Aarons and Getty Images, text by Laura Hawk. Comprising of over 200 powerful female-focused images including women such as Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, Diana Vreeland, and Marylin Monroe, this book showcases the true beauty of women, at the most glamourous in some remarkable locations across the globe.

8. For the interior design admirer

Sick of trawling through Pinterest to get your interior design fix? Pick up a copy of Mad about the house by Kate Watson-Smyth, published by Pavilion Books. This coffee table book is an interior design dictionary, packed with ideas and inspiration for every budget. It’ll provide a stunning focal point for your coffee table too, as there are three other Mad about the house book options, for you to let your interior buzz run wild.

9. For the hostess with the most-ess

Are you a lover of hosting big dinner parties, but are struggling to find inspiration for you next one? Well, you need to get your hands on Entertaining Beautifully by Aerin Lauder. Organized by season Lauder sets out ways to make every dinner party unforgettable in style, much of her inspiration was taken from her childhood and her grandmother, Estee Lauder. So, if dining in impeccable style in the comfort of your own home is up your street, then this is the perfect coffee table book for you.

10. For the conscious adventurer

Prefer your adventures off the beaten path? Then Off the Grid: Houses for Escape, by Dominic Bradbury is the best coffee table book for your home. Featuring some of the most innovative off-grid homes, that reveal some of the most cutting-edge architecture and houses that are almost fully self-sufficient. This bucket list worthy guide includes everything from snowbound cabins in the far Northern Hemisphere to coastal retreats.

11. For the beauty expert

If you are all about appreciating diverse art, through the representation of women, then look no further, get you hands on a copy of Diverse Beauty by Alexi Lubomirski, published by Damiani. The inspiration behind this book is the representation of diverse beauty, which came after Lubomirski was photographing the actress, Lupita Nyongo. The book represents all beauty and aims to dismiss all beauty standards, and puts every type of beauty on a pedestal, so that no matter race, size, colour, or sexual orientation, all women are identified as beautiful.

12. For the chic lovers

Get a glimpse into some truly calming and peaceful spaces at home. The perfect coffee table book for those that love a pale interior aesthetic, this is the book for you, For the Love of White: The White & Neutral Home by Chrissie Rucker & The White Company, published by Mitchell Beazley. The book is a guide on how to use white to highlight texture, natural light and decorate a home to feel cosy, and calm.

That’s our guide to the 12 best coffee table books. Want more great reading suggestions? Check out our guide on the best books about coffee, next.

Home

Best Coffee Table Books

What is a coffee table book?