If you need a quick way to make your apartment appear more sophisticated, coffee table books are your new best friend. There's nothing like a small stack of colorful, interesting art books to elevate your living space. For the list below, I've picked out 19 coffee table books that will give your apartment new life, so grab a couple to decorate your space, pronto.
I love coffee table books. I own just a pinch too many to comfortably sit on my coffee table all at once, so finding other ways to display them — such as stacking them on my desk — is key. If you don't own any oversized art books, though, you can just purchase two or three, stack them attractively in your living room, and wait for the compliments to pour in.
Even if you don't get complimented on your taste in coffee table books, placing large, interesting tomes in a space that welcomes interaction will give your guests something to do while you make a beer run, check on dinner, or walk your dog. Visitors won't find your apartment boring, and might even start conversations amongst themselves, thanks to the new additions to your coffee table.
If you're still wondering whether or not you should buy a few of these large books, know this: Coffee-table books make excellent conversation starters. Jessifer and Danthony will love talking to you about the art and design aesthetics you like, even if your apartment still looks more like a dorm room.
'Writers and Their Cats' by Alison Nastasi
Perfect for the well-read cat lover — or the cat lover who wants to appear well-read — Writers and Their Cats contains photos of 45 famous authors, including Lilian Jackson Braun and Haruki Murakami, and the cats they've loved.
'Queer Eye: Love Yourself. Love Your Life.' by Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Jonathan Van Ness, Bobby Berk, and Karamo Brown
The Fab Five wrote this coffee-table book just for you! OK, maybe not, but that's how you'll feel when you flip through all of its Hip Tips, which will help you to elevate every aspect of your life.
'Pink: The History of a Punk, Pretty, Powerful Color,' edited by Valerie Steele
If millennial pink has given you a newfound appreciation for this "girly" color, you need this cultural history of pink, which moves across the globe and throughout the centuries to examine our relationship with this strange and whimsical color.
'Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents' by Pete Souza
President Obama's White House photographer Pete Souza compares that administration to its successor in this art book, which juxtaposes portraits of the Obama presidency with tweets and quotes from the Trump era.
'Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop' by Vikki Tobak
Hailed as one of the best music books of 2018, Vikki Tobak's Contact High chronicles the history of hip-hop music from its beginnings in the late 1970s through to the modern day rap scene.
'Literary Chickens' by Beth Moon
This strange little book is sure to raise a few eyebrows in your home. Beth Moon's Literary Chickens positions photos of high-bred farm fowl next to quotes from great works of literature, such as Pride & Prejudice and Faust.
'Sofas: 340 Iconic Designs' by Agata Toromanoff
If your idea of a wild Friday night involves HGTV and Wayfair, this coffee-table book will bring you intense satisfaction. Containing 340 sofa designs from the 1900s and today, Sofas also includes advice on how to buy your own sofa and style a room around it. Pretty snazzy, right?
'Woodstock: The 1969 Rock & Roll Revolution' by Ernesto Assante
With the 50th anniversary of Woodstock bringing a new concert festival to the U.S. this year, Woodstock: The 1969 Rock & Roll Revolution will make a timely addition to your living room décor.
'Luisa Spagnoli: 90 Years of Style' by Sofia Gnoli
Ninety years after she trademarked l'Angola Spagnoli, Italian fashion icon Luisa Spagnoli receives a lavish celebration in this coffee-table book, which features photos of her creations and design sketches.
'Modern Spaces: A Subjective Atlas of 20th-Century Interiors' by Nicolas Grospierre
If you love the modern design aesthetic, pick up a copy of Nicolas Grospierre's Modern Spaces: A Subjective Atlas of 20th-Century Interiors to inspire your next home reno project.
'Empresses of China’s Forbidden City, 1644–1912,' edited by Daisy Yiyou Wang and Jan Stuart
A bit different from the other books on this list, Empresses of China's Forbidden City, 1644-1912 contains profiles of the Qing Dynasty's most powerful women, including their wardrobes and living quarters.
'Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Guide to Hogwarts' by Matthew Reinhart and Kevin M. Wilson
Want to bring some low-key Potter vibes to your living room? Then you need this Pop-Up Guide to Hogwarts, which will keep you and your guests entertained for hours.
'Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany' by Jane Mount
This "illustrated miscellany" contains lists of fictional meals, authors' writing spaces, and gorgeous bookstores from around the world. You'll always find something new and interesting to read about when you pick it up.
'The Electric State' by Simon Stålenhag
Named one of the best books of the year by NPR, Simon Stålenhag's The Electric State combines photography and digital painting to tell the story of a girl and her robot journeying alone across the western U.S. in the late 1990s.
'Iris Apfel: Accidental Icon' by Iris Apfel
Everyone's favorite fashionista grandma shines in this coffee-table book, which includes Iris Apfel's observations on life, love, and fashion, as well as photographs of her best ensembles.
'Leaf Supply: A Guide to Keeping Happy House Plants' by Lauren Camilleri and Sophia Kaplan
Plant parents will love this monstera-adorned coffee-table book, not only because it offers practical advice on caring for 100 common houseplants, but also because its delightful cover brings some green whimsy to your living room.
'Kehinde Wiley: Saint Louis' by Simon Kelly and Hannah Klemm
President Barack Obama's presidential portrait artist, Kehinde Wiley has made a name for himself in the modern-day art scene with his vivid, pattern-heavy creations. Published specially for a solo exhibition in the titular city, Kehinde Wiley: Saint Louis makes an excellent, artful addition to your living space.
'The New Bohemians Handbook: Come Home to Good Vibes' by Justina Blakeney
Set up your space to refill your spiritual well with this book, which will help you to upgrade your apartment's impression on all five senses.
'Who's Afraid of Pink, Orange & Green?: Colorful Living & Interiors' by Irene Schampaert and Iris De Feijter
If you want to decorate with color — or justify an already bright space — but don't know where to start, pick up Who's Afraid of Pink, Orange & Green?: an exploration of how we can live with color without being overwhelmed by it.
