2023 home renovation ideas: beautiful books to add to your mood board for decor inspiration

‘gallery right’ ‘gallery right’

‘gallery right’ ‘gallery right’

Photo 1 of 2 A garden featuring the Carpe sculpture by Les Lalannes in the pond. (Photography: Oliver Pilcher)

Photo 2 of 2 The cover of Lalanne: A World of Poetry (Image: Assouline)

The book pictures some of their most notable work, which have been commissioned by fashion legends the likes of Hubert de Givenchy, Karl Lagerfeld, Yves Saint Laurent, among many others. From their most recognizable flocks of sheep to transformable copper pieces that blur the boundaries between furniture and sculpture, the couple’s spellbinding creations made art part of everyday life while taking inspiration from mythology, craft techniques, and the natural world.

Available from January from assouline.com

2. House of Joy – Playful Homes and Cheerful Living

Above One of the homes pictured in House of Joy – Playful Homes and Cheerful Living, a book published by Gestalten

Above The cover of House of Joy – Playful Homes and Cheerful Living, published by Gestalten

For design lovers drawn to vibrant spaces, this book will provide ample visual inspiration; even if you’re colour-shy, it might just spur you into giving brighter hues a try, too. Published by Gestalten, House of Joy – Playful Homes and Cheerful Living shines a spotlight on abodes and venues that boast a spirited mix of colours, materials and textures.

Above A vibrant kitchen in another home pictured in the House of Joy – Playful Homes and Cheerful Living book

Some striking examples include spaces with bold stripes and patterns that recall the retro influences of Italy’s Memphis design movement, as well as interiors that allow vibrant furnishings to take center stage. These include a memorable resort with spaces realized by French designer Camille Walala in Mauritius, and a candy-coloured burger joint in Italy. Interspersed between the maximalist gems are some comparatively understated designs that show lively ways to introduce a hint of color to an interior scheme.

Available at shapes.com and leading bookstores

3. Yves Saint Laurent at Home

Above House plant parents should take a cue from this beautiful winter garden, which is home to flowering varieties as well as palm trees and ferns, and was a place where Saint Laurent often entertained his guests (Photography: Marianne Haas)

Above A photo of Château Gabriel, Deauville, France. The interiors are realized in collaboration with Luchino Visconti, who decided on the rows of doors, curtains and chandeliers. (Photography: Marianne Haas)

“Fashions fade, style is eternal”—that was the famed mantra of Yves Saint Laurent. The French couturier is known not only for his lasting impact on the runway, but also for his exquisite taste in home design. Yves Saint Laurent at Home, a new tome published by Assouline this December, offers insights into the fashion designer’s way of life through the beautiful abodes that Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Bergé, had furnished throughout the years.

Photographs taken by Marianne Haas are accompanied with an introduction by fashion journalist Laurence Benaïm, along with quotes from French actress Catherine Deneuve, Brazilian-born model Betty Catroux, interior designer Jacques Grange and other close friends of the creative duo. The stunning homes featured include the exuberant Villa Oasis in Marrakesh, Morocco as well as the art deco-influenced Rue de Babylone apartment and Château Gabriel in France; the latter boasts rooms named after characters in Marcel Proust’s classic novel, In Search of Lost Time.

Above On the easel in Yves Saint Laurent’s Rue de Babylone apartment in Paris is Francisco de Goya’s Portrait de Luis María de Cistué y Martínez (The Boy in Blue) from 1791; the new book published by Assouline (Photography: Marianne Haas)

These interiors are handsomely layered and decorated with objects sourced from all over the world. “It’s a mishmash… Still, it’s an expression of the times and, probably, a statement about myself,” said Saint Laurent of his eclectic decorating style. As evidenced by these characterful abodes, a thoughtfully conceived interior offers much insight into its inhabitant’s personality and life, and one as richly lived as that of the subject of this book would provide visual inspiration for years to come.

Available at Assouline, assouline.com

4. Arthur Casas. Architecture

Above The cover of Arthur Casas. Architecture, published by Rizzoli

Above The LAB house in Bertioga, Brazil (Photography: Fernando Guerra)

Looking to construct the abode of your dreams? Take a cue from the inspiring work of Brazilian architect Arthur Casas. For Casas, the goal has always been to design multi-sensorial spaces, be it through light, colours, scents, sounds, or textures. “Each detail matters when a comprehensive experience is at play,” he says.

The founder of São Paulo-based Studio Arthur Casas has released a monograph, published by Rizzoli. Arthur Casas. Architecture discusses 20 of over 500 projects that the studio has completed, as lensed by celebrated Brazilian photographers Fernando Guerra, Filippo Bamberghi, and Mauro Restiffe.

Above An apartment in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Photography: Filippo Bamberghi)

From elegant houses in the woods, a bevy of beautiful restaurants to a modern hotel with a fiberglass latticework facade, these spaces are the perfect embodiment of the firm’s creative philosophy, showcasing experiential spaces that connect the interior spaces with the great outdoors.

Throughout, an interdisciplinary approach can be keenly felt. As the architect remarks: “To design a building or a chair is the same thing, I face the same difficulties and I apply the same principle that simply results in expressing the same aesthetic language.”

Available at Rizzoli; rizzoliusa.com

5.Pop Art Style

Above The cover of Pop Art Style, published by Assouline

Above In gallery owner Leo Castelli’s apartment, circa early 1980s, is Roy Lichtenstein’s Head with Blue Shadow, 1965. (Photography: Estate of Roy Lichtenstein)

Among the other vibrant finds that will make a beautiful addition to your shelves is Pop Art Style, a coffee table book published by Assouline. Accompanied by an introduction penned by Julie Belcove, the book not only highlights key works and quotes by leading figures from the movement that started in the fifties; it also features an inspiring array of photographs featuring a mix of contemporary art, furnishings, and objects from various eras that continue the legacy of pop.

Above This vibrant home is filled with vibrant artworks by the likes of Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin. (Photography: Kris Tamburello, from the Pop Art book published by Assouline)

As pop icon Andy Warhol would put it: “You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you.” The Pop icon’s maxim aptly captures the youthful and subversive spirit of the art movement, which became an intrinsic part of pop culture; and the movement’s influence continues to endure. Above all, this eye-catching tome celebrates the movement’s indelible impact on the design world, providing a trove of inspiration for both art lovers and the design curious.

Available at assouline.com and leading bookstores