Our Favorite Coffee Table Books

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We love books. We love reading them. We love how they feel and smell, as well as how the right ones can elevate your interior style. Coffee table books are a great way to add style and elegance to any living space. They can add that hint of color, some much-needed texture, variety, or become a statement piece on your coffee table or a credenza. Here we list our favorite coffee table books and how to style with them.

There are many ways to style with books. A couple of tricks I learned in my staging years in New York City were to choose the appropriate size of books for the piece of furniture like a coffee table, if you place books that are too small for a large coffee table, they will disappear and have no impact. If you choose books that are too large for a side table you are styling, they will weight down the table and make it look awkward. You want to make sure the books and the piece of furniture you are styling work in harmony.

Some great ways to style with books is to stack two or three books with another stack, an open book in the opposite corner of the table or use a book stand which adds a little height and variation.

I'm sure most of you know this, but I will still mention it. While styling an area with coffee-table books, make sure you place the larger-book on the bottom. The book placed on top can be the same size as the book underneath. I prefer for the top book to be a half an inch smaller on each side. I like books to be similar in thickness. As for the colors, you can keep it neutral (whites, grays, blacks, beiges) for additional layers of texture and sophistication, or you can add a pop of color that ties to your accent pillows or that favorite side chair for some interest and fun.

We have combed through a lot of books out there and chose some great picks to help you elevate your style game.

Gondwana Images of an Ancient Land

assouline.com

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After receiving a grant from the National Science Foundation in 2012, art photographer Diane Tuft traveled to Antarctica to study and document the effects of ultraviolet and infrared radiation on the landscape. Gondwana: Images of an Ancient Land chronicles the extraordinary results of that expedition, with over 50 stunning images that capture Antarctica’s raw, untouched splendor with colors, textures, and compositions that verge on the surreal. Named for the mega continent that once contained what is now Antarctica, Gondwana presents a living re ection of hundreds of millions of years of Earth’s history, a mythical land as it has never been imagined before. The book includes a foreword by Elisabeth Sussman, Curator and Sondra Gilman Curator of Photography at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

$95.00

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Vanity Fair 100 Years

potterybarn.com

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Since its creation 100 years ago, Vanity Fair has presented the modern era as it unfolds, showcasing personality and power, art and commerce, crisis and culture. This sumptuous book takes a decade-by-decade look at the world with groundbreaking imagery from the greatest photographers, artists, and illustrators of the day.

$70.00

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World Whiskey Leather Book

potterybarn.com

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A nation-by-nation guide to the amber-hued elixir, this leather-bound edition of World Whiskey is perfect for experts and newcomers alike. A thoughtful gift for the whiskey lover in your life, this book talks aroma, tasting notes, production, and even a map to plan a tasting trip around the world.

$129.00

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Valentino Mirabilia Romae

amazon.com

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Valentino: Mirabilia Romae brings readers into creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli’s extraordinary world of inspiration, revealing their vision of the Valentino woman, exploring the Eternal City that fuels their passion and creativity, and explaining their impact and contributions to fashion as creative artists. Original photography by Laziz Hamani includes Chiuri and Piccioli’s most beloved Roman landmarks plus the spectacular inspiration boards created for every collection and the intricate paper patterns constructed for each showstopping couture gown, carefully preserved in the house archives.

$799.99

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