By far the most challenging part of designing any shelf space is figuring out which styling books I’m going to use to complete the look. I think interior designers all around can agree that finding books that complement the decor and the client without overwhelming the space or looking too forced can be difficult. After decorating and redecorating several spaces in my home, I’ve discovered a solid list of 100 styling books that will look good in any space.
For my own personal style, the built-in bookshelves in my living room have a scattering of brightly colored tomes, from cookbooks to design guides. In Harper’s room, we stuck to blue-toned books that also reflected the surf theme of his room. While decorating both of these shelves, I did a fair share of ordering, returning, re-ordering, browsing, and hunting for the perfect styling books.
Through that process, I developed a comprehensive list of the best 100 styling books that every interior designer needs to know about. All of these books are gorgeous inside and out, and I paid special attention to the spines, which you can’t always see when browsing online. Hopefully you’ll find the perfect styling book or books within this list to make your designs come alive!
For more tips on how to style your bookshelves, check out my comprehensive guide here!

- Elements of Family Style: Elegant Spaces for Everyday Life by Erin Gates
- Beautiful: All-American Decorating and Timeless Style by Mark D. Sikes
- Domino: Your Guide to a Stylish Home by The Domino Editors
- Domino: The Book of Decorating: A Room-by-Room Guide to Creating a Home That Makes You Happy by The Domino Editors
- The Color Teil: Life, Work, and Inspiration by Teil Duncan
- Absolutely Beautiful Things: Decorating Inspiration for a Bright and Colourful Life by Anna Spiro
- Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits by Reese Witherspoon
- Things We Love: Twenty Years of Inspiration, Intriguing Bits and Other Curiosities by Kate Spade New York
- All in Good Taste by Kate Spade New York
- Places To Go, People To See by Kate Spade New York
- Living with Color: Inspiration and How-Tos to Brighten Up Your Home by Rebecca Atwood
- Living with Pattern: Color, Texture, and Print at Home by Rebecca Atwood
- The Finer Things: Timeless Furniture, Textiles, and Details by Christiane Lemieux
- Allegra Hicks: An Eye for Design by Allegra Hicks
- Dream Decor: Styling a Cool, Creative and Comfortable Home, Wherever You Live by Will Taylor
- Surf Shack: Laid-Back Living by the Water by Nina Freudenberger
- Waves: Pro Surfers and Their World by Thom Gilbert
- Surf Tribe by Stephan Vanfleteren
- Island Hopping: Amanda Lindroth Design by Amanda Lindroth
- The Essential Oyster: A Salty Appreciation of Taste and Temptation by Rowan Jacobsen
- Architectural Digest at 100: A Century of Style by Architectural Digest
- The Kinfolk Home: Interiors for Slow Living by Nathan Williams
- Design By Nature: Creating Layered, Lived-in Spaces Inspired by the Natural World by Erica Tanov
- Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave by Joanna Gaines
- Live Beautiful by Athena Calderone

- Escape by Gray Malin
- Italy by Gray Malin
- Beaches by Gray Malin
- Be Our Guest: Not Your Ordinary Vacation by Gray Malin
- The Life and Love of the Sea by Lewis Blackwell
- Ibiza Bohemia by Renu Kashyap and Maya Boyd
- Capri Dolce Vita by Cesare Cunaccia
- Tulum Gypset by Julia Chaplin
- Comporta Bliss by Carlos Souza and Charlene Shorto de Ganay
- Turquoise Coast by Kinay
- Mykonos Muse by Lizy Manola
- Palm Beach by Aerin Lauder
- Chic Stays: Conde Nast Traveller’s Favourite People on their Favourite Places by Melinda Stevens
- Fashion: The Definitive Visual Guide by DK
- Art: The Definitive Visual Guide by Andrew Graham Dixon
- Donald: The Book by Donald Robertson
- Greco Disco: The Art and Design of Luke Edward Hall by Luke Edward Hall
- Impact: 50 Years of the CFDA by Patricia Mears
- Elements of Style: Designing a Home and a Life by Erin Gates
- Tory Burch: In Color by Tory Burch
- Vogue Living: Country, City, Coast by Hamish Bowles and Chloe Malle
- India Hicks: Island Style by India Hicks
- Los Angeles: Portrait of a City by Kevin Starr
- Once Upon A Time by Slim Aarons
- Women by Slim Aarons

- The Stylish Life: Tennis by Ben Rothenberg
- The Stylish Life: Golf by Christian Chensvold
- La Dolce Vita by Slim Aarons
- A Place in the Sun by Slim Aarons
- Poolside With Slim Aarons by Slim Aarons
- A Passion for Blue And White by Carolyne Roehm
- Coastal Blues: Mrs. Howard’s Guide to Decorating with the Colors of the Sea and Sky by Phoebe Howard
- Styled: Secrets for Arranging Rooms, from Tabletops to Bookshelves by Emily Henderson
- Timeless Style by Suzanne Kasler
- Gather at Home: Over 100 Simple Recipes, DIYs, and Inspiration for a Year of Occasions by Monika Hibbs
- Abode: Thoughtful Living With Less by Serena Mitnik-Miller
- Get It Together: An Interior Designer’s Guide to Creating Your Best Life by Orlando Soria
- She Made Herself a Home: A Practical Guide to Design, Organize, and Give Purpose to Your Space by Rachel Van Kluyve
- Beautifully Organized: A Guide to Function and Style in Your Home by Nikki Boyd
- The Decorated Home: Living With Style and Joy by Meg Braff
- The Book of Palms by H. Walter Lack
- Urban Botanics: An Indoor Plant Guide for Modern Gardners by Emma Sibley
- Terrain: Ideas and Inspiration for Decorating the Home and Garden by Greg Lehmkuhl
- The Beekeeper’s Bible: Bees, Honey, Recipes and Other Home Uses by Richard Jones and Sharon Sweeney-Lynch
- Beekeeping: Everything You Need to Know to Start your First Beehive by Joachim Petterson
- The Wes Anderson Collection: The Grand Budapest Hotel by Matt Zoller Seitz
- Hygge and West Home: Design for a Cozy Life by Christiana Coop
- Patterns of India: A Journey Through Colors, Textiles, and the Vibrancy of Rajasthan by Christine Chitnis
- London in Bloom by Georgianna Lane
- Peony: The Best Varieties for Your Garden by David C. Michener

- Handpicked: Simple, Sustainable, and Seasonal Flower Arrangements by Ingrid Carozzi
- Dahlias: Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden by Naomi Slade
- Vintage Roses: Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden by Jane Eastoe
- Peonies: Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden by Jane Eastoe
- Flourish: Stunning Arrangements with Flowers and Foliage for Every Season by Willow Crossley
- Eat Beautiful: Food and Recipes to Nourish Your Skin from the Inside Out: A Cookbook by Wendy Rowe
- The Saltwater Table: Recipes from the Coastal South by Whitney Otawka
- The Kinfolk Table by Nathan Williams
- Sunday Suppers: Recipes and Gatherings: A Cookbook by Karen Mordechai
- Cherry Bombe: The Cookbook by Kerry Diamond
- The Leaf Supply Guide to Creating Your Indoor Jungle by Lauren Camilleri and Sophia Kaplan
- Leaf Supply: A Guide to Keeping Happy House Plants by Lauren Camilleri and Sophia Kaplan
- Wild at Home: How to Style and Care for Beautiful Plants by Hilton Carter
- The Big Book of Chic by Miles Redd
- West: The American Cowboy by Anouk Krantz
- Harper’s Bazaar: Greatest Hits by Glenda Bailey
- Tom Ford by Tom Ford and Bridget Foley
- Valentino: Themes and Variations by Pamela Golbin
- Chanel: Collections and Creations by Daniele Bott
- Chanel: The Vocabulary of Style by Jerome Gautier
- Christian Louboutin by Christian Louboutin
- Dior: The Collections, 1947-2017 by Catwalk
- Yves Saint Laurent Catwalk: The Complete Haute Couture Collections 1962-2002 by Olivier Flaviano
- Prada Catwalk: The Complete Collections by Susannah Frankel
- Louis Vuitton Catwalk: The Complete Fashion Collections by Louise Rytter
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