24 Beautiful Coffee Table Books That Will Start a Conversation

Add some visual and literary flair to any drab tabletop in your home this fall!

By Jake Thompson, Emily Spain Aug 25, 2021 7:15 PMTags
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When we think of fall reading, we tend to gravitate towards the latest fiction must-haves or spooky suggestions we hear from co-workers to feed our brain. However, what about feeding your soul with a gorgeous new coffee table book (or three)? 

Coffee table books are perfect for starting a conversation, adding some visual flair to an otherwise drab tabletop, and creating literary interest to your fall decor. And above all: they're beautiful to look at. Maybe you're a cat person who loves photography or an architectural snob who lives for an artful design. Either way, adding a few coffee table books to your autumnal aesthetic will warm up any room in your house. And, you can totally show off to your guests how cultured and cool you really are! 

We've handpicked twenty of our favorites that will help zhoosh up any space in your dwelling (or great for gift giving) this season.

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Slim Aarons: Women by Slim Aarons

We don't know about you, but we are obsessed with Slim Aaron's photography. This book includes over 200 images of his most influential images and features notable subjects like Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, Diana Vreeland and Marilyn Monroe.

Architectural Digest at 100: A Century of Style

Design fanatics, this book is a must for you. Architectural Digest editors rounded up the most captivating personal spaces of dozens of private celebrities from past issues like Barack and Michelle Obama, David Bowie, Truman Capote, David Hockney and Michael Kors.

Ibiza Bohemia

If you don't already have one of Assouline's uber-popular and colorful books from their travel collection, you're missing out. Each one will transport you to a different scenic destination without having to leave home. The Ibiza Bohemia edition offers breathtaking images showcasing the Mediterranean hot spot loved by artists, creatives and musicians through over 200 illustrations.

Virgil Abloh. Nike. ICONS by Virgil Abloh

Add a pop of color to your tablescape or bookshelf with this insightful read detailing Virgil Abloh's work with the iconic shoe brand and the process behind his revolutionary designs.

1000 Record Covers by Michael Ochs

Flip through nearly 600 pages featuring the best rock album covers of the '60s to '90s. Not to mention, it would make a great gift for fans of that musical era.

The Finer Things: Timeless Furniture, Textiles, and Details by Christiane Lemieux

Garnering insights from the world's greatest tastemakers, Christiane Lemieux gives readers a lesson in fine décor and a glimpse into hundreds of elegant home interiors.

Escape by Gray Malin

Feast your eyes on famed photographer Gray Malin's breathtaking images of destinations like Bora Bora, Aspen, NYC and more, plus behind-the-scenes anecdotes and journal entries.

Iris Apfel: Accidental Icon

Personal style meets witty anecdotes on age and fashion in this tell-all book on the 99-year-old accidental icon. 

Taschen Cats: Photography 1942-2018 Book by Walter Chandoha

We never met a Taschen book we didn't like. (And who doesn't love cats?) Start a conversation with a great big coffee table book.

Grace: Thirty Years of Fashion at Vogue

Ever wondered what Naomi Campbell was really like? The woman behind Anna Wintour gives behind-the-scenes insight into many famous images and fashion personalities during her formative years at Vogue.

Anti Glossy: Fashion Photography Now

Capturing contemporary trends and forecasting the look of the future, this dazzling anthology collects the work of the most cutting-edge photographers working today.

Shtetl in the Sun: Andy Sweet's South Beach 1977–1980

Shtetl in the Sun features previously unseen photographs documenting South Beach's once-thriving and now-vanished Jewish community—a project that American photographer Andy Sweet (1953–82) began in 1977.

Off the Grid: Houses for Escape

The ultimate escapist collection of environmentally sustainable houses, cabins, and retreats, this book circles the globe to find the best eco-architecture in the most stunning and remote locations.

La Grotta: Ice Creams and Sorbets: A Cookbook

More than 75 recipes for bold, fruit-forward ice creams, sorbets, and granitas—all made with fresh, natural, minimally processed ingredients.

Alfred Hitchcock. The Complete Films

For the Hitchcock lover in your life, this complete guide traces the master of suspense's life and career from his earliest silent films right through to his last picture in 1976, Family Plot

Bubbletecture: Inflatable Architecture and Design

Bubbletecture brings together inflatables in every conceivable size, shape, and hue across the realms of architecture, design, art and fashion.

Space Utopia: A Journey Through the History of Space Exploration from the Apollo and Sputnik Programmes to the Next Mission to Mars

This exhilarating collection of photographs features over ten years of collaborations with the most important space and research centers in the world, resulting in a one-of-a-kind story of the human race to the stars.

An Atlas of Rare & Familiar Colour: The Harvard Art Museums' Forbes Pigment Collection

This gorgeous coffee table book celebrates over 2,500 pigments of color that will be visual candy on any countertop in your home! 

HausMagick: Transform Your Home with Witchcraft

Channel your inner witch this Halloween season with this must-have coffee table book! Harness the power of magic to create a beautiful, healing living space with this unique illustrated guide from the founder of HausWitch, the popular Salem, Massachusetts, store and online lifestyle brand.

Brian Eno: Visual Music

If you're a music person, chances are you've heard a Brian Eno production! Visual Music is a one-of-a-kind guided tour through the visual art of the creative polymath icon.

Salad for President: A Cookbook Inspired by Artists

The creator of the immensely popular Salad for President blog presents a visually rich collection of more than 75 salad recipes, with contributions and interviews by artists/creative professionals like William Wegman, Tauba Auerbach, Laurie Anderson, and Alice Waters.

Pink: The History of a Punk, Pretty, Powerful Color

Pink lovers unite! This beautifully illustrated volume explores the cultural history, especially in fashion, of the color pink from the 18th century to today.

William Wegman: Being Human

Fashion meets dog lovers in this surrealist visual treat of a coffee table book. William Wegman shares his entire Weimaraner dog collection in this must-have collector's item!

Still in the mood to shop for your home? Check out these creepy cool Halloween décor items.

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−Originally published on Monday, Oct. 14, 2019 at 9:21 a.m. PST.