35 Coffee Table Books You'll Actually Want to Read

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Coffee table books can pull a living room together in an instant. They accessorize your spot, whether you rest one on top of a media console, vintage coffee table, or on a side table between two comfy accent chairs. They come with beautifully designed covers that inspire you to learn something new, and after thumbing through a few pages, maybe even travel or redecorate. The books can look extra beautiful next to some sculptural art or a floral arrangement too.

When you have guests over, they may thumb through your coffee table books, thus sparking conversations. Or, on a rainy day when you don't feel like watching TV and want to go phone-less, you can pass the time by reading. When curating your coffee table book collection, make sure you choose ones that show off your special interests or knowledge about a topic. It's a seamless way guests can learn about you, and having thoughtful reads (versus books you don't actually care about) makes your space feel more personalized. Some ideas of what to buy? Opt for travel books that inspire wanderlust or recipe books if you love food. Of course at House Beautiful, at the top of our must-have list are books about interior design and architecture too.

To start curating your coffee table book collection, shop our top recommendations ahead. We found a good mix of selections that will ignite conversations and keep both you, and your guests, occupied any day. Plus, these books will look beautiful in your space, no matter what your home decor style is.

Surf Style at Home

Who says surf style has to stay on the coast? In this book, California-based interior designer Raili Clasen provides a guide to bringing the beach house aesthetic to your home, no matter where you're located. Flip through photos of colorful, striped and checkerboard designs to get all the inspo you need for a laid-back home.

A 1000 X Better: A Rebel by Design * Interiors

Interior designer Kirsten Blazek walks through her sustainable design philosophy, combining the contemporary and the vintage. With a decade of experience, she advises on how to bring eco-friendly pieces into your interior decorating. Learn how to be kind to the planet and make your home beautiful in the process.

Live Natural: A Relaxed Approach to Creating Healthy Homes

One of our favorite pastimes at HB is perusing photos of beautiful, luxurious homes. This collection of images from interior designer Alison Davin and photographer Lisa Romerein is paired with a mindful approach to design. Davin shares accessible tips that are easy to act on, so consider this your guidebook to a home that limits waste and prioritizes wellness.

Kusama: Cosmic Nature

Engross yourself in images of Yayoi Kusama’s sculptures that are situated in natural settings. The renowned artist is known for her use of polka dot patterns in her artwork, colorful enough to capture the attention of any reader. The cover of this book will definitely stand out in your home, no matter where you place it.

Down to Earth: Laid-back Interiors for Modern Living

For little touches to add to your home that don't feel pretentious, flip through this for inspiration. HGTV's Lauren Liess shares an approachable decorating style full of simplicity. You can even just leave the book out as a reminder to give your abode that TLC when needed.

Mayumu: Filipino American Desserts Remixed

Abi Balingit's guide to Filipino desserts combines her Filipino heritage with her experiences of living in the United States, resulting in delicious confections like yema Buckeyes. The brightly colored ube featured in many recipes is so beautiful to look at, so this book belongs on the coffee table just as much as in the kitchen.

The Art of Pixar: The Complete Colorscripts from 25 Years of Feature Films

Pixar films can hold such nostalgic memories, and this book invites you to experience them in a new light. Flip through the color schemes of beloved Disney films and gain a new appreciation for animation as a medium.

Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave

Joanna Gaines packed her eye for design and expert tips in a coffee table book that is sure to inspire. If you're a newbie to interior design, she walks you through the beginner steps, explaining the difference between farmhouse and modern decor and just what an entryway needs.

The Art of Ruth E. Carter: Costuming Black History and the Afrofuture, from Do the Right Thing to Black Panther

Ruth E. Carter is the costuming wiz behind iconic movies highlighting Black culture such as Black Panther and Do The Right Thing. Dive deeper into her creative process and admire how her intricate designs come together.

Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic

Kehinde Wiley’s paintings combine floral scenes with vibrant portraiture of people of color in displays that you simply can’t look away from. His talents were even trusted to paint former President Obama’s official presidential portrait, so a book that takes you on a journey through his work is worth the investment.

Remarkable Football Grounds

For a collection of images sure to surprise even the most devoted football (or soccer) fan, check out this collection of photographs of football fields in historic or unlikely places, from a Venezian field you reach by canal to a pitch on top of a castle.

Glamour: 30 Years of Women Who Have Reshaped the World

Glamour's Women of the Year awards have been championing excellence for over 30 years, celebrating the likes of Michelle Obama and Malala Yousafzai. This book reflects on three decades of recognition and just how much change exemplary women have brought to society.

Home Therapy: Interior Design for Increasing Happiness, Boosting Confidence, and Creating Calm

This book is equal parts interior design inspo and a self-help guide. Licensed therapist turned interior designer Anita Yokota argues for incorporating wellness throughout your home and guides you through designing functional, rejuvenating rooms.

Accidentally Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson is known for a very distinct look in his films, and this collection of real life places bear an eerie resemblance to his sets and filming locations. Take in the uncanny symmetry and quirky landmarks in a list approved by the director himself.

Nitehawk Cinema Presents: Movie-Inspired Menus from Brooklyn's Dine-In Theater

For the chef and the movie buff, this coffee table book is the best of both worlds. Gathering cocktail and meal recipes from historic dine-in theater Nitehawk Cinema, this is a guide to movie night dinners on a different level, all captured in vivid photography,

Resident Dog: Incredible Homes and the Dogs Who Live There

What's better than an interior design book? An interior design book that combines beautiful home decor with the cutest dogs you've ever seen of course. A bunch of nonchalant pups lounging in the center of amazing architecture will keep anyone entertained.

Stepping Out: The Unapologetic Style of African Americans over Fifty

From church hats to sharp suits, take note from your elders in this book celebrating the most stylish ones around. The vibrant read explores cultural and historical contexts when it comes to Black fashion, and does so with incredible photography.

Hayao Miyazaki

Hayao Miyazaki's award-winning Japanese animated films are inspiring works of art, and this career retrospective explores his Studio Ghibli portfolio through rich illustrations and thorough research.

New York Bars at Dawn

Despite being the city that never sleeps, it turns out New York's nightlife centers look pretty cool at dawn. This photo book from Daniel Root explores how the city looks when the bars empty out after closing, just before sunrise.

Behind the Screens: Illustrated Floor Plans and Scenes from the Best TV Shows of All Time

For the budding architect in your life, gift this book that imagines intricate floor plans of iconic architecture across TV, from the Friends apartment to the building facades on Sesame Street.

The Photo Ark: One Man's Quest to Document the World's Animals

This collection of photography from National Geographic's Joel Sartore is a guide to the rare and the beautiful life that comprise Earth's animal kingdom. Portraits of endangered animals are gathered by Sartore in moments that feel so personal.

Floral Libations: 41 Fragrant Drinks

Go beyond the typical cocktail book with this collection of floral nightcaps. Not only is this inspiration to take at-home drinks to the next level, but the imagery is almost romantic in how its displayed.

Designing Broadway: How Derek McLane and Other Acclaimed Set Designers Create the Visual World of Theatre

Ever wonder just how the high-flying Wicked stage came to be? Let Broadway's set designers spill all their secrets in these sprawling spreads. Everything from schematics to stunning performance photography is included.

Pit Bull Flower Power

Sometimes, the best coffee table book is just plain cute. Sophie Gamand's portraits of pit bulls adorned with flower crowns is one of those books. Gamand's photos aim to decry the stereotype of pit bulls as angry and dangerous by showing their softer, cuter energies.

The New Black West: Photographs from America's Only Touring Black Rodeo

Follow an exciting story with this tale of a rodeo on tour celebrating the achievements of an often overlooked figure: the Black cowboy. Over a decade of photography from Gabriela Hasbun highlights the lives of Black cowboys and cowgirls and the community they love.

Game Changers: The Video Game Revolution

For the gamer in your life, this is a necessary encyclopedia. Track the evolution of video games through 260 games and 20 consoles that collectively defined and advanced the system.

The Secret Language of Astrology: The Illustrated Key to Unlocking the Secrets of the Stars

The amateur astrologer will love consulting this book for the secrets in their own birth chart, or finally explaining to their friends just why their Scorpio moon is so important to pay attention to.

1000 Record Covers

Keep this one on the shelf underneath your record player or alongside your vinyl collection. It's a collection of striking vinyl cover art that any collector would be thrilled to flip through.

Vogue and the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute

The Met Gala is like the fashion industry's Super Bowl event of the year. This book is a retrospective of the exhibits from year's past, from 2005’s Chanel to 2018’s Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination themes. If you love all things fashion, or have a friend who does, you need to thumb through this read.

Great Escapes USA: The Hotel Book

Plan your next road trip with this guide to the best hotels the United States has to offer. Visit hot springs in Colorado, sprawling glamorous estates in Texas, and an urban paradise in Arizona. The book will inspire intense wanderlust in any reader who picks it up.

More Is More: Get Loose in the Kitchen

Molly Baz has earned a cult following for cooking that celebrates maximalism: measure with your heart on seasonings and go all-out. Her book More Is More is a delightful way to shed any inhibitions about the kitchen, learn to loosen up, and find the joy in food again.

Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History

Fresh off the heels of hip-hop's 50th anniversary, take a deep dive into a little appreciated aspect of it: the jewelry. Learn about the significance of "ice" in hip-hop culture, with insightful quotes from rap legends like LL Cool J and Slick Rick.

Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones

Any Dolly devotee will be proud to display this on their coffee table. More than 450 photographs take you into her private costume archive, so you can enjoy every rhinestone the country music legend has ever worn.

1,000 Places to See Before You Die: The World as You've Never Seen It Before

If you and your friends can't decide on the next trip to take together, good news: This book is basically the ultimate travel bucket list. From Southeast Asia to Greece, see photos and descriptions of hidden gems that will make you want to book plane tickets right away,

Gray Malin: Italy

Explore all the wondrous places of Italy, from Lake Como to Portofino, through the lens of famed photographer and artist Gray Malin in this colorful, large-scale book. Indulge in Italy's beauty wherever you are, even if that's simply from the comfort of your own couch.

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