Coffee table books, also known as cocktail table books, can be used for display, entertaining guests, and educating readers. Whether you plan to use coffee table books as your favorite new decoration, a conversation starter at your next dinner party, or as an interesting read while drinking your morning espresso, it’s important to choose the right pieces.
Books about minimalist design, such as works detailing the iconic work of designers such as Piet Boon and John Pawson, are timeless classics. Let’s dive into a few of our personal favorites.
John Pawson: Anatomy of Minimum by Alison Morris
John Pawson: Anatomy of Minimum by Alison Morris is a powerful monograph that explores showcasing the defining elements and architectural anatomy in Pawson’s work.
Google Books describes the piece as a monograph that “hones in on the essential details that mark his [John Pawson’s] distinctive architectural and aesthetic style. It groups a selection of his recent works into domestic projects, including his own house in rural England; extended sacred spaces; and repurposed structures.”
Throughout the piece, Morris showcases Pawson’s unique approach to minimalism. Additionally, Morris captures Pawson’s interesting use of doors, walls, windows, light, and proportion.
Piet Boon 1 by Joyce Huisman
Piet Boon 1 by Joyce Huisman discusses the timeless design, functionality, and sustainability of the Piet Boon work and legacy. The piece presents nine Piet Boon projects through insightful photography.
The Kinfolk Home: Interiors for Slow Living by Nathan Williams
In The Kinfolk Home: Interiors for Slow Living, Kinfolk founder Nathan Williams explores “how embracing that same ethos—of slowing down, simplifying your life, and cultivating community—allows you to create a more considered, beautiful, and intimate living space.”
The piece brings readers inside 35 homes around the globe, ranging from Japan to Scandinavia, the United States, and more. While some projects were freshly built from a blueprint, others grew with a long history. No matter their age or design, each of these homes was created with great intention and a slow, purposeful process.
This is Home: The Art of Simple Living by Natalie Walton
This is Home serves as a back-to-basics guide on creating authentic, wholehearted interior design. The piece defines living simply as “finding the essence of what makes you happy at home and creating spaces that reflect your needs with style.”
This book is an excellent resource for designers or homeowners without a significant budget to create minimalist spaces. This is Home showcases creative spaces, resourceful decor, and innovative methods to transform your home.
Google Books summarizes the piece with the note “featuring 16 case studies from Australia, the US, and Europe, and nearly 200 color photographs, This is Home will inspire you with beautiful, authentic places you want to be – today.”
Minimum by John Pawson
Minimum by John Pawson presents an array of photographs that embody the idea of less. Pawson explores minimalism as a way of finding clarity and simplicity. This concept, clear throughout Pawson’s range of work, is explained in greater detail throughout the pages of Minimum.
Phaidon Press describes Minimum as “an extended visual essay exploring the idea of simplicity in architecture, art, and design across a variety of historical and cultural contexts.”
This piece organizes images into themes such as essence, expression, light, and structure.
The Japanese Garden by Sophie Walker
The Japanese Garden by Sophie Walker is a new classic that has graced countless coffee tables since its publication in 2017. In this piece, Walker presents a brilliant compilation of essays to explore the lasting style, 800 years of history, and vast global significance of Japanese gardens.
As a garden designer herself, Walker provides a unique perspective as well as interesting insights into Japanese culture.
Piet Boon 2 by Joyce Huisman
After the first international bestseller Piet Boon 1, Studio Piet Boon creates Piet Boon 2 to display its new projects. The piece aims to show, through a collection of color photographs, that the Studio Piet Boon creations are enduring and timeless.
Studio Piet Boon states “the studio’s modern classic and austere style retains a classical touch as a consequence of its obvious affinity with pure, traditional building materials and architectural styles.”
Looking for Inspiration for Your Minimalist Designs?
Specialty Hardware + Plumbing can assist with pricing, design options, and finish match recommendations for the COCOON Collection. For samples and more, stop by our Los Angeles showroom or send us an email for more information.
