7 Best-Selling Interior Design Books Millions Love

Top picks from Amber Lewis, Cat Chen, and Shea McGee highlight proven, best-selling Interior Design books valued for their expert insights and reader acclaim.

Updated on June 28, 2025
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There's something special about books that both critics and crowds love — and in interior design, this means guides that marry style with livability. Interior design has never been more relevant as we seek spaces that support comfort and personal expression. These seven best-selling books distill expert wisdom and practical methods that have helped countless people shape homes that truly feel like their own.

Leading experts like Amber Lewis, known for her laid-back California style and retail ventures, and Shea McGee, whose Studio McGee firm has designed hundreds of homes and inspired millions through Netflix, champion these selections. For instance, Amber's Made for Living invites readers to create layered, balanced interiors that evolve naturally, reflecting her hands-on approach from her design firm and collaborations.

While these popular books provide proven frameworks, readers seeking content tailored to their specific Interior Design needs might consider creating a personalized Interior Design book that combines these validated approaches. This way, you can blend expert strategies with your unique style and goals to craft a home that’s truly yours.

Best for blending style with comfort
Martha Stewart Living, a respected voice in lifestyle and home design, praises this book for its inviting portrayal of interiors that feel both bright and comfortable—qualities many seek amid today’s living demands. Their endorsement highlights how this book resonates with those wanting spaces that balance style with ease, aligning perfectly with popular taste. "Made for Living invites you into dreamy homes that are light, bright, and—key these days—comfortable," they note, capturing the book's essence in creating homes meant to be truly lived in.

Recommended by Martha Stewart Living

Made for Living invites you into dreamy homes that are light, bright, and—key these days—comfortable. (from Amazon)

Amber Lewis, a seasoned interior designer known for her laid-back California style, shares her distinctive approach to creating homes that feel effortlessly lived-in and inviting. In this book, you learn how to layer textures, patterns, and materials to achieve a balanced, comfortable aesthetic that evolves gracefully over time, from selecting paint shades to mixing unexpected décor elements. Her advice is rooted in experience with her design firm and retail ventures, offering readers practical insights into making spaces that reflect personality without rigid rules. If you're seeking guidance on blending style with comfort in your home, this book will speak directly to your design sensibilities.

National Bestseller
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Best for mastering design principles
The Independent, a respected British news publication, highlights the book as "[A] useful and easy approach to interior design." Their endorsement carries weight for anyone navigating home styling, especially as it aligns with widespread reader enthusiasm for straightforward, principle-based guidance. This approach helped clarify design fundamentals without overwhelming, making it a go-to for those aiming to harmonize their living spaces. Additionally, Publisher's Weekly praises it as "A first-rate way to ensure decorating success," further reinforcing its practical value for diverse readers.

Recommended by The Independent

[A] useful and easy approach to interior design. (from Amazon)

Frida Ramstedt challenges the conventional wisdom that interior design is mainly about choosing the right objects. Instead, she focuses on the principles behind why certain arrangements work, teaching you how to think about space, proportion, and balance. You’ll learn practical guidelines like the golden ratio, optimal furniture sizing, and lighting placement, illustrated clearly throughout the chapters. This book suits anyone wanting to create a cohesive and stylish home without being overwhelmed by trends or shopping lists. If you prefer understanding design logic over quick fixes, this will align well with your approach.

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Best for personal design plans
This personalized AI book about interior design is created based on your experience level, specific style interests, and design goals. Using AI, it combines popular, effective design techniques with insights tailored to your unique challenges and preferences. This focused approach helps you avoid generic advice and instead dives into the methods that suit your tastes and spaces best. It's like having a design expert guide you through concepts that matter most to you, making your learning both efficient and deeply relevant.
2025·50-300 pages·Interior Design, Space Planning, Color Theory, Material Selection, Styling Techniques

This tailored book explores proven interior design techniques personalized to match your unique challenges and goals. It reveals how to create stylish, functional spaces by integrating popular, reader-validated methods with your own preferences. The content focuses on essential design principles, spatial planning, color coordination, material selection, and styling tips tailored specifically to your background and interests. By concentrating on what matters most to you, this book transforms complex design concepts into accessible, inspiring guidance. It offers a custom journey through interior design that highlights both timeless and contemporary elements, helping you craft spaces that reflect your personality and lifestyle with confidence.

Tailored Content
Design Integration
1,000+ Happy Readers
Best for authentic personal expression
Erin T. Gates is an interior designer and blogger whose New York Times bestselling book offers a candid and colorful guide to designing a home that truly reflects who you are. Featured in major publications like O, The Oprah Magazine and Elle Décor, she brings both professional expertise and personal insights, sharing lessons from her own home renovations alongside practical design advice. Her approachable style makes this a valuable resource for anyone ready to start their own decorating journey.

What happens when a seasoned interior designer turns personal experience into a decorating guide? Erin Gates, drawing from a decade in the design industry and her popular blog, offers a fresh perspective on making your home a true reflection of your personality. You’ll navigate practical choices—from kitchen counter materials to sofa selection—while absorbing candid stories about her own renovation mishaps and family life. This book suits anyone eager to balance style with authenticity, especially those embarking on their first serious home decorating venture.

New York Times Bestseller
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Best for creating inviting, lived-in spaces
Joanna Gaines is a New York Times bestselling author and co-founder of Magnolia, known for her influential role in home design and media. Raised in Texas and inspired by her time in New York’s boutique shops, Joanna developed a passion for creating spaces that feel both beautiful and lived-in. This book reflects her dedication to helping you shape a home that mirrors your life and stories, backed by her extensive experience and heartfelt connection to family and place.

Joanna Gaines invites you into the art of making your home genuinely yours, steering clear of trends in favor of personal expression. She draws on her experience running Magnolia and her own farmhouse to help you uncover what makes a space feel authentic to you, with chapters dedicated to identifying your style and blending different influences. For example, she offers guidance on balancing rustic charm with modern touches, and her design template at the book’s end gives you a hands-on tool to plan your rooms. If you’re someone who wants a home that tells your story and feels welcoming, this book offers a thoughtful approach without overwhelming you with jargon or rigid rules.

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Best for layering textures and patterns
Athena Calderone is the creator of the lifestyle site EyeSwoon and author of the James Beard award–winning cookbook Cook Beautiful. Based in Brooklyn, New York, she brings a refined eye to the art of living beautifully. This book reflects her deep understanding of how design can elevate everyday life, blending her expertise with inspiring photography and practical insights to help you style your home with intention and warmth.
Live Beautiful book cover

by Athena Calderone··You?

What started as Athena Calderone's desire to capture the art of living beautifully evolved into a thoughtful exploration of how personal style shapes the spaces we inhabit. In Live Beautiful, you’ll uncover how textures, patterns, and curated collections come together to create interiors that feel both stylish and deeply personal. Calderone draws from her experiences as the creator of EyeSwoon and shares insights from international tastemakers alongside intimate looks at her own homes, offering you concrete ideas on layering design elements and crafting meaningful vignettes. This book suits those who want to enrich their living spaces with intentional details rather than just surface aesthetics.

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Best for rapid design action
This AI-created book on interior design is tailored specifically to your unique style preferences and experience level. By sharing your background and design goals, you receive a book that focuses on the exact topics and steps you want to explore. Unlike general guides, this personalized approach helps you quickly apply design principles that matter most to you, making the process of transforming your space more approachable and effective.
2025·50-300 pages·Interior Design, Home Styling, Furniture Arrangement, Color Selection, Lighting Design

This tailored book explores a step-by-step approach to interior design, crafted specifically to match your background, interests, and design goals. It reveals how to translate popular design concepts into clear, actionable steps that fit your unique style and space, focusing on practical applications that bring rapid results. By combining widely valued design principles with your personal preferences, the book provides a tailored learning experience that helps you navigate choices like color palettes, furniture arrangement, lighting, and decor, making the design process both manageable and inspiring. It emphasizes achievable progress over 30 days, giving you a personalized path to transform your home with confidence and flair.

Tailored Guide
Style Personalization
1,000+ Happy Readers
Best for stylish home organization
Nikki Boyd is a professional organizer and founder of athomewithnikki.com, where she brings beautiful order to homes worldwide through her business, blog, and YouTube channel. What began as a hobby has blossomed into a successful organizing enterprise with thousands following her straightforward style. Her expertise and warmth shine through in this book, guiding you to create spaces that are both functional and inviting, making your home a place for treasured memories.

When Nikki Boyd noticed how many people struggled to balance style and function in their homes, she crafted a method that simplifies organization without sacrificing beauty. Drawing from her experience running a popular home organizing business and blog, Boyd lays out five straightforward steps to transform any room into a calm, welcoming space. You’ll find practical guidance on decluttering and creating atmospheres that invite family and friends, accompanied by inspiring photography that illustrates each concept. This book suits anyone eager to enhance their daily living environment with both order and warmth, rather than those seeking solely minimalist or purely aesthetic approaches.

Selected as Best Coffee Table Book by Stylecaster
Featured in The New York Times and Real Simple
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Best for elevating approachable design
Shea McGee founded Studio McGee with her husband in 2014 and has since designed hundreds of homes nationwide. Their design portfolio, combined with a popular Netflix series and a strong online following, underscores Shea's expertise in making high-end interior design accessible. Her book distills this experience into a guide that invites you to envision and realize a beautiful, approachable home, reflecting her firm’s light-filled aesthetic and innovative approach.

Shea McGee's decades of hands-on experience with Studio McGee and her Netflix series Dream Home Makeover culminate in this guide that breaks down interior design into approachable steps. You learn how to apply high-end design principles to every room, from entryways to utility rooms, using her personal projects as real examples. Chapters like the kitchen and living room sections offer specific frameworks for blending style with livability. This book suits anyone eager to elevate their home's look without sacrificing comfort or accessibility, especially those who appreciate design rooted in both vision and practicality.

Instant New York Times Bestseller
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Conclusion

These seven books collectively emphasize thoughtful design principles, personal expression, and functional beauty, reflecting approaches widely embraced by both experts and readers. If you prefer proven methods grounded in design fundamentals, start with The Interior Design Handbook or Made for Living. For validated approaches that blend style with authentic living, combine Elements of Style and Homebody.

For those seeking to harmonize organization and warmth, Beautifully Organized offers practical steps with flair. Alternatively, you can create a personalized Interior Design book to combine proven methods with your unique needs. These widely-adopted approaches have helped many readers succeed in transforming their spaces into homes that reflect their lives and dreams.

Frequently Asked Questions

I'm overwhelmed by choice – which book should I start with?

Start with Made for Living if you want practical advice on blending comfort and style, or The Interior Design Handbook to understand core design principles. Both offer approachable frameworks that set a solid foundation for your design journey.

Are these books too advanced for someone new to Interior Design?

Not at all. Books like Homebody and Elements of Style are especially friendly to beginners, offering personal stories and clear guidance that make design accessible without jargon or overwhelm.

What's the best order to read these books?

Begin with foundational books like The Interior Design Handbook for principles, then explore more personalized styles in Live Beautiful and Elements of Style. Finish with specialized topics like organization in Beautifully Organized.

Do I really need to read all of these, or can I just pick one?

You don’t have to read them all. Each book offers a unique angle—choose one based on your current focus, whether it’s mastering basics, personal style, or home organization. Combining two or three can provide a richer perspective.

Which books focus more on theory vs. practical application?

The Interior Design Handbook leans toward design theory and principles, while Made for Living and Homebody emphasize practical application with real-life examples and actionable tips.

Can personalized Interior Design books complement these best sellers?

Yes! While these expert books offer valuable insights, personalized Interior Design books tailor proven methods to your specific needs and style. This combination helps you apply expert strategies effectively. Learn more here.

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