8 Home Design Books to Read This Fall

10.08.2023 - 13:47 / bhg.com

Read McKendree

With so many must-read home design books available, it can be tricky choosing just one. So we took the guesswork out and compiled a list of eight great books, all available this fall, that will help you find your personal decorating style—and explain how to achieve it.

Carson Downing

Interior design journalist and consultant Amy Moorea Wong showcases 20 homes to demonstrate how to add color in a way that’s sophisticated yet accessible. 

Buy It: Kaleidoscope: Modern Homes in Every Colour by Amy Moorea Wong, $50, Hardie Grant

Willemijn de Leeuw

Mixing darker and lighter shades of the same color family unites a room without looking too matchy. It lets you introduce a fun color like purple without it being overwhelming. In this room designed by Nicole Dohmen, the pale pink table feels like a neutral that anchors the space.

For me, interiors have always been about self-expression and creativity—the place where we live offering a blank canvas, a chance to do something interesting and reflect who we are.

A room with all angles can be too rigid, while nothing but rounded shapes can be too soft. The oval table, arched dining chairs, and orbs in the chandelier balance the long lines of the drapes, windows, and ceiling panels. 

Carson Downing

Celebrating the timelessness of traditional styles, this guide from experts at Schumacher, the iconic fabric company founded in 1889, shows you how to make chintz, toile, and needlepoint look totally fresh today.

Buy It: Charm School: The Schumacher Guide to Traditional Decorating for Today by Emma Bazilian and Stephanie Diaz, $55, Phaidon

Read McKendree

Wrapping a room in botanical paper doesn’t have to overwhelm, especially if the background is neutral and the pattern delicate. It