Love modern interior design? Get inspired and stack these modern design books on your coffee table!
Clean, sleek, and uncluttered. The main concept of modern design includes keeping your décor simple while accentuating industrial design material. Patterns, textures, and organic elements have a place, as well!
But how do you incorporate these design elements into your space?
Lucky for you, modern and mid-century modern design books are a treasure trove for interior design inspiration and visual guide.
We scoured the internet to find the best design books to help you get started on your project or upgrade your decorating skills. From desert homes to pet-friendly luxury abodes to spaces with rustic touches, you’ll never run out of inspiration.
But if you’re simply looking for a book or two to add to your desk, coffee table, or bookshelf, then this list is for you too!
The Best Books About Modern Design
MCM design embodies a carefree perspective on life. And with the best artists and interior designers sharing their beautiful creations, you can integrate that into your living space, too.
So, whether you’re revamping your home or want to create an elegant living room, a cozier bedroom, or a calming bath, our selection of MCM design books will help you curate your dream space.
Oasis: Modern Desert Homes Around the World by iO Tillett Wright
Authored by iO Tillett Wright, the actor/TV host/activist highlights the essence of desert living. He describes it as a culture that values living simply, artistically, and in harmony with nature. If you are tired of the hustle and bustle in the city, coming to a cozy, elegant home in the middle of nowhere can be a nice retreat.
His home is mighty proof that you can totally build a home as lovely as Wright’s, even in extreme and challenging locations like the high desert and with very limited resources.
Wright’s Oasis home has the perfect blend of clean lines, and modern, and natural elements he helped build by hand.
One of our favorite features is the massive rock in one of the home’s bedrooms. The rock is rustic and so huge that it nearly took up the entire space. Yet, it’s there without being dominating. It serves as the room’s centerpiece.
Through the lens of partnering photographer Casey Dunn, this 288-page book will take you to the home’s soothing havens. Each refuge will teach you which aspects help achieve the balance of intentionality, relaxation, elegance, and functionality that such houses emanate.
If you’re frustrated by the constraints on calmness that city living brings, an elegant home in the desert will allow you to escape the buzzing hub of the city.
Down to Earth: Laid-back Interiors for Modern Living by Lauren Liess
In Down to Earth, interior designer Lauren Liess tackles things beyond the basics. The designer invites you to combine the key components of her signature design aesthetics. She uses nature, simple living, and approachability to create spaces that spark creativity and practicality.
With this 256-page book, you’ll learn how to adapt six guiding principles to six different styles of homes. Think of a new farmhouse, classic American historical home, lakeside contemporary houses, modern villa, and turn-of-the-century American Foursquare. How about a cedar and glass abode on a cliff?
And yes, each home has its unique architectural style. But you’ll see the Liess’s down-to-earth aesthetic in each.
This book is an exhibition of interiors that beautifully combines dark colors and neutrals. It also introduces elements of nature that you’ll definitely appreciate if you’re into the outdoors. Every photograph in the book evokes a tropical feel. And we think it succeeds in its purpose.
While some find the decorations and artwork ideas a little too much for the budget, we think they’re easily incorporable. There’s the option to go to auctions and affordable art shops. And injecting creativity (of course) into the design process might help you adapt this design style to meet your budget.
Made for Living by Amber Lewis & Cat Chen
Amber Lewis, known for her effortless elegance, collaborates with designer Cat Chen to reveal the secrets of layering with more than 250 breathtaking pictures of her unique, modern interior spaces.
The book highlights the key to designing spaces with all the emotions is to layer your home décor. That is, mixing your space’s elements such as your cushions, mid-century furniture, fabrics, and fixtures makes it feel more finished.
Famous for her eclectic approach, Lewis puts your sight on choosing the ideal shades of paint. Thinking of freshening up your space? Find the ideal white!
Since white walls serve as a canvas for most modern spaces, we appreciate that it has a detailed chapter talking about the pros and cons of various white paints. This book explains how important it is to consider how color interacts and reflects off itself.
The book will also teach you how to mismatch patterns, mix linens and cushions, and blend neutrals. As well as how to pick a stone finish for modern countertops.
So whether you’re designing your first home or updating your place, this book will show you that layering different elements can work beautifully with modern spaces. Made for Living will help you in creating a home that is meant for living. With this book, you’ll be able to create a home that’s elegant and timeless.
Resident Dog (Volume II) by Nicole England
Architecture photographer Nicole England realized that the sessions she loved most consisted of those that included dogs. After all, who doesn’t love an adorable dog lying on a cozy rug?
And no matter how impressive the design, some mischief from your doggo friend can instantly provide a sense of friendliness and joy into the space. This is what inspired England to launch her book Resident Dog: Incredible Homes and the Dogs Who Live There.
Volume two features over 25 of the world’s most incredible residences and the dogs who live in them. It highlights the beautiful contemporary architecture, featuring homes from Mexico to Sydney, London, New York, and LA.
We appreciate England’s artistic approach and patience in producing inspirational photographs of modern spaces. Snapping photos of dogs isn’t always easy!
But the dogs’ playfulness is what makes the photographs looser and more spontaneous. The book also tells you that every dog has its own personality, and so does every home.
Pacific Natural at Home by Jenni Kayne
This book by Jenni Kayne will show you how to curate spaces that inspire living in comfort and style. Pacific Natural at Home offers stunning and inspirational interiors as well as functional room ideas.
Kayne is a well-known trendsetter and style expert who works in fashion, interior design, and entertainment. And his talent oozes in each one of her creations. Her style reflects an earthy and fuss-free aesthetic that is known for modern design.
It’s something that is intentional. A space where you’ll see beauty and sincerity in every detail. Her designs are inspired by organic textures, careful use of a minimalist approach, and natural landscapes.
In the 256-page book, Kayne reveals her beautiful creations, featuring homes of other creative women who share the same design aesthetic. Each picture in the book shows how these women adore their abodes, with each discussing their design concepts and ideals of living well at home.
It features each home by location, encompassing various landscapes and design features. Think of homes by the sea, desert-style settings, mountain dwellings, and urban living. They’re all so beautiful. And we love all the modest decorating pieces highlighting their collections and items that meant a lot to the owner.
So, with a mix of these visual inspirations and realistic ideas, you’ll be able to create lovely spaces. Spaces that allow you to live joyously and consciously, addressing life’s minutiae with imagination and attention.
After taking cues from her designs, you should be able to create your own style. In the same way that the featured homeowners in the book did.
Live Beautiful by Athena Calderone
As the title of the book explicitly suggests, the pages inspire you to create beautiful spaces. Live Beautiful is a peek at how creatives curate spaces. It features some of the most beautiful modern interior designs. And they’re all from different roots and locations.
The author, interior designer Athena Calderone, traveled between the East and West coasts and to Copenhagen and Lyon, to visit a variety of tastemaking homes for her book. Calderon, along with photographer Nicole Franzen, was charmed by the stunning photos.
As soon as you open the pages, you’ll understand that beautiful interiors don’t make it into books or magazines for simply being that—it’s also in the mood they evoke. It’s almost as if you’re in the same room with them. The space’s functionality, comfort, and vibe make them worthy of the pages.
In this book, Calderone talks with homeowners of each featured home about their original spark of creativity that ignited their aesthetic journey. The designer explores and dissects the homes’ intricacies. This includes layered textures and patterns, and treasured artifacts. As well as bespoke vignettes that personalize the spaces.
She also provides practical tips on how to incorporate those elevated components into your own space. The book is a showcase of both excellent design and a guide to creating beautiful, well-thought-out spaces.
Rustic Modern by Chase Reynolds Ewald
Open floor plans, modern furniture, and preserved and exposed natural architectural elements. These are some of the defining features of modern rustic design. With the right décor and pieces, you can create a space where modern and rustic beautifully coexist.
Rustic Modern by designer writer Chase Reynolds Ewald features 15 of the West’s most beautiful rustic modern homes. The book’s 212 pages will give you a glimpse of rustic modern homes throughout the Mountain West and Cali.
Ewald teamed up with photographer Audrey Hall to explore contemporary interior design to traditional log cabins and sustainable projects. As well as artist studios and spaces for play.
The unique interiors and exteriors are all wonderfully shot. And they’re detailed in beautiful words that spark your imagination. In Rustic Modern, Ewald steers the storytelling with viewpoints from the people that brought these different spaces to life.
We think this is a fantastic modern design book since it delves into the minds of the people that create each space: the homeowner, architect, and designer. Their unique perspectives on design and ideas can help you integrate these two design approaches into your space.
We also appreciate that a lot of the photos are full-page. This gives a wider view of each room, which tells a different story. In these spaces are rustic fabrics, warm living areas, and handcrafted chandeliers dangle from vaulted ceilings. As well as breathtaking views from every window.
Want to recreate these inspiring interiors?
Now is your turn to create a space you’ll love!
