My 5 Favorite Home Styling Books
I’m a lover of books, especially home styling books. My personal home style leans into color, art, natural materials, comfort and efficiency. And for this post, I wanted to share a few home styling books that I absolutely love and were instrumental (and still are) in bringing my style to life.
As a collection, I leaned into not only their advice but stories.
1. Vern Yip’s Design Wise: The tagline for this book is “Your Smart Guide to a Beautiful Home” and I could attest this book hold true to that statement. This book is my foundation for interior design and styling – everything from rug to room size, how high to hang a chandelier above a table (I recently referenced this book for a chandelier project) and overall guiding principles related to design terms, dimension recommendations and of course how to add your own personal style. Great resource to have on hand.
2. The New Bohemians Handbook by Justina Blakeney: I’m a huge fan of Justina Blakeney’s work as she was the first designer I came across who broke not only design rules but color rules. This book focuses on designing your home around 5 principles: Clarity, Flow, Spirit, Growth and Harmony. And for my divine folks, she includes chapters related to using elements such as astrology, feng shui, crystals and flowers are part of your décor plan. This book is a vibe.
3. Beautifully Organized by Nikki Boyd: This is my go-to for home organizing. Not only is the book visually beautiful but is filled with such great content. Chapters are focused on functional organizational principles by room along with fun ideas such as how to create a coffee bar, how to create a parent-school binder, etc. I also love the fact that part of Nikki Boyd’s philosophy on what makes a “beautifully organized home” also revolves around 5 principles: save time, save money, reduce stress and boost energy, foster personal growth and most importantly – experience happiness. I often reference this book for practical advice and highly recommend.
4. REMIX: Decorating with Culture, Objects and Soul by Jeanine Hays & Bryan Mason: REMIX is another great inspiration resource for me, particularly when it comes to how to implement my own cultural stamp on my home. Beautiful photography and messaging on how to bring your own style to the world versus conforming to traditional design principles and ideas.
5. Living Wild by Hilton Carter: I of course had to include my favorite plant styling book. As you all know by now, incorporating nature is a must in any space I’m in and this book is not only visually stunning but really showcases how plants are part of interior styling. Hilton Carter’s guidance on plant styling different rooms and “designing a living home” has educated me about layering plants, what makes a plant a “designer plant” and how to mirror how you want to feel in a space with the right selection of plants.
So, if you are looking for home inspiration with a focus on wellness, nature, color and vibes I would recommend this list to check out.
