My favorite design books {part 1}

As a lit major in college, I always relished in receiving book lists from my professors. Book lists only meant one thing: (book) SHOPPING! Whether it was hunting for inexpensive hardbound copies in book sales or the latest, nicest editions in the big bookstores, book shopping gave me such a thrill. And as soon as I had my new (or pre-loved) books in my hands, the first thing I would do was write my name neatly on the fly leaf. Always. I loved lining all my books up on the shelf, and staring at them like I do my own child when she is asleep. (Weird, I know!)
Until now, this is something I do. I feel a strange sense of ownership, like I would absorb its contents better if it had my name on it. I no longer read from the literary canon or bestsellers’ lists (a shame, I know), as nowadays, my book shopping has been confined to the design section. (This is partly due to the fact that I have so many fiction and nonfiction books in my own library that I have yet to start or finish reading.)
A design book was often the one thing I treated myself to on or around paydays, at least when I was still fully employed. I know design and decoration has been written about by countless designers, authors, editors, and bloggers whether in print or online. But every time I go to the bookstore and leaf through new books in the design section, I always find something new to learn—whether it’s a different perspective on asymmetry in interiors, a new combination of hues, or an offbeat way of interpreting a particular design element.

Now I’m no longer employed and don’t get the chance to splurge every 15th or 30th of the month. But whenever I do wrap up a project or win a bid, I often find myself gravitating towards the bookstore to find a new design book to devour.
My collection of home and design books is in no way extensive, but I have amassed quite a few already to literally make my shelves bend and bow under my books’ combined weight. Every now and then, when I’m writing or in need of inspiration (and Pinterest just doesn’t seem to cut it), I thumb through my books looking for inspiration or a refresher.
I thought of sharing with you my favorites from my collection, so far, as these have helped me immensely in my journey towards educating myself in design. While I am taking an online interior design course (from the New York Institute of Art and Design), I still feel like I need to supplement my education with literature. And for my own personal enjoyment too. I also use these as resource materials for when I’m coming up with story lists for my work as a content writer for Cromly, as I don’t like relying completely on online sources (something I learned writing all those papers and essays as a lit major, and later on as an editor for a magazine).
Anyway, here are my favorite design books!
{book cover images either from Amazon or the authors’ personal websites; all other images by me}

1. Novel Living by Lisa Occhipinti

Let me begin with my most recent recruit, something I bought just this morning on what was supposed to be just a quick trip to the drugstore (getting sidetracked is something I’m very very good at).

I haven’t finished reading this one, but from what I’ve read so far, this book is—as the cover says—all about collecting, displaying, and decorating with your books. Being in a household of readers (the babycat has thankfully inherited our penchant for reading), I can tell from a glance that I will be referring to this book often. Right now, our library is exploding at the seams. I don’t see my (slight) obsession with books slowing down any soon, so the suggestions in this book on how to display our beloved literary possessions in other parts of the house will definitely come in handy.