It’s the time of the year when we retreat indoors and cosy up inside – what better way to embrace the new season than with a pile of new reading material.
Here I’ve rounded up nine of the best new interior and design books for autumn. There’s creative ideas for small space living and rental homes, inspiration for pared-back neutral homes and sustainable housekeeping, as well as beautiful coffee table books packed with aspirational interiors and sensual spaces. Get your nose in a book and enjoy!
For the Love of White book by The White Company founder Chrissie Rucker, published by Mitchell Beazley, £30
Published to mark the 25th anniversary of British brand The White Company, For the Love of White offers a guide to creating a home in light, neutral tones. With beautiful, new photography, it showcases 12 inspirational homes, sharing tips and styling ideas for decorating in white, whether you live in a compact city apartment, a cosy country cottage or an elegant town house. Buy here
[disclosure: I received a preview copy of this book]
Green Housekeeping: Recipes and solutions for a cleaner, more sustainable home, by Christina Strutt, £10.99
Green Housekeeping by Cabbages & Roses founder Christina Strutt offers small lifestyle changes and solutions to help create a healthier, more eco-friendly home. There’s advice for cleaning clothes and furniture, as well as growing vegetables, making jams and chutneys, and soothing, homemade bath oils. Buy here [affiliate link]
The Scented Candle Workshop book by Niko Dafkos and Paul Firmin, published by Octopus, £20
Earl of East London are known for their signature scents and candle-making workshops, held in their Kings Cross store at Coal Drop’s Yard (I’ve been to one and can attest it was very good!). The founders Niko Dafkos and Paul Firmin have now written a book, The Scented Candle Workshop, divulging the secrets to making beautifully fragrant candles at home. They run through the basic steps for pouring and preparing candles, but they also share some advice on building a scent and combining different essential oils to capture a memory or feeling. Buy here
Home Sweet (Rented) Home by Medina Grillo, published by Octopus, £15
DIY and home improvement blogger, and self-confessed upcycling junkie, Medina Grillo of Grillo Designs has penned an invaluable guide to transforming your rented home on a budget. Home Sweet Rented Home has inspirational tips and DIY how-to projects a plenty, from removable wallpaper to making your own rug. It’s full of practical ideas to help you create a stylish space easily and affordably. Buy here [affiliate link]
[disclosure: I received a preview copy of this book]
Shared Living by Emily Hutchinson, published by Thames & Hudson, £19.95
Another one for renters, Shared Living uncovers the potential of shared spaces. Illustrated by 21 shared homes across the world – from London to Sydney – there’s practical tips for merging styles, upcycling furniture and scouring flea markets for unique, one of a kind finds. Like Home Sweet Rented Home, the focus is on budget-friendly ideas and creative thinking to help maximise small spaces. Buy here [affiliate link]
Finn Juhl: Life, Work, World by Christian Bundegaard, published by Phaidon, £69.95
Finn Juhl: Life, Work, World is the first comprehensive monograph on Danish architect, interior and industrial designer Finn Juhl. One of the pioneers of the Modernist movement, he was known for sculptural wooden chairs, and interiors for the United Nations Headquarters in New York and the ticket offices for Scandinavian Airlines. The book explores his journey from teenage art fanatic to design success, set within a broader narrative of Denmark’s culture for simplicity and craftsmanship. Buy here [affiliate link]
The Home Upgrade: new homes in remodelled buildings, published by Gestalten, €39.90
The Home Upgrade looks beyond big budget builds to architects working with existing spaces, tight budgets and even tighter urban plots. These imaginative and inventive projects turn constraints into opportunities. One example being a home in Brooklyn, refurbished after Hurricane Sandy to raise the living space high above the water line. Buy here [affiliate link]
Atlas of Mid-Century Modern Houses by Dominic Bradbury, published by Phaidon, £100
This hefty tome offers a fascinating, unprecedented survey of the very best mid-20th-century homes around the world. Atlas of Mid-Century Modern Houses profiles 400 glamorous homes by more than 290 architects, including Alvar Aalto, Marcel Breuer and Richard Neutra. The perfect tome for the design aficionado. Preorder here
The Touch – Spaces Designed for the Senses by Kinfolk and Norm Architects, published by Gestalten, £40
The Touch by Kinfolk and Norm Architects celebrates spaces that have been designed with the human senses in mind. It features 25 haptic interiors, from homes and design hotels to museums and shops, by the likes of Ilse Crawford, Arne Jacobsen and Le Corbusier. Through beautiful photography and interviews with industry leaders, the book explores how light, colour, community and materiality can imbue our everyday life with a richer, more meaningful quality. Buy here
[disclosure: I received a preview copy of this book]
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