Update your library with the best design books

Too often the supporting actor in a dish, vegetables are put firmly in the spotlight in the first book by Ceri Jones. After training as a natural chef in California, Ceri now works as a food educator at the Garden Museum, where she pioneered one of the first museum food learning programmes in the country. Passionate about giving people the skills to cook seasonally and sustainably, she’s created 100 fuss-free, delicious recipes (think Kale and Walnut Pesto Green Lasagne or Leek, Roasted Pepper and Cheese Toasties) that celebrate the infinite flavour, colour and fun to be found in vegetables, from the humble to the exotic. £20, pavilionbooks.com

When it’s cold and dark outside, indulge your wanderlust by diving into SJ Axelby’s second book. Pure escapism on every page, it captures in vibrant watercolours some of the world’s most beautifully designed locations, from the San Domenico Palace (the hotel from season two of The White Lotus) to boats, bars, shops and even a stylish train, while the text is packed with insider knowledge and history. It’s the ultimate Grand Tour for an armchair traveller. £35, pavilionbooks.com

From sculptural installations to intimate handcrafted pieces, works stitched in thread and cloth have always told stories. Featuring examples by a diverse line-up including Pacita Abad, José Leonilson, Igshaan Adams and Tracey Emin, this eye-opening survey looks at how contemporary practitioners are reimagining traditional materials, and textile art’s potential to be a force for resistance and repair. £45, prestelpublishing.penguinrandomhouse.de

A comprehensive survey of today’s contemporary design landscape, showcasing 100 of the most exciting product designers. Featuring a mix of rising stars and established names, the list includes Barber Osgerby, FormaFantasma, Martino Gamper, Max Lamb, Sabine Marcelis, Mimi Shodeinde and Bethan Laura Wood. With detailed essays and rich imagery bringing their work to life, it shows that design has never been more exhilarating. £49.95, phaidon.com

Escape into the decadent world of Bryan O’Sullivan via the gorgeous pages of this, the designer’s first book. The darling of the interior-design scene is known for his luxurious yet welcoming spaces at the Berkeley, Connaught and Claridge’s hotels, as well as chic residential projects, and has teams based in London and New York. This volume beautifully illustrates his studio’s aesthetic: an elegant blend of modern and classical references with a healthy dash of old-Hollywood glamour. £50, rizzoliusa.com

No matter how many recipe books you have, it’s time to make room for one more. The latest from award-winning Anna Jones presents 12 hero ingredients in a fresh, compelling way that has garnered praise from the likes of Yotam Ottolenghi and Jamie Oliver. Follow her tips on how to layer flavour, season, reduce waste and use less energy when cooking, and delight in 125 simple, honest dishes from traybake lemon dhal to cherry and chocolate peanut butter sundae. £28, 4thestate.co.uk

Underpaid and underpromoted within their field, shockingly few female architects are household names in the way male counterparts are. This commendable book sets out to redress that imbalance, in 100 illustrated interviews with top women architects from around the world, such as Tatiana Bilbao, Odile Decq, Liz Diller, Julia Gamolina and Farshid Moussavi. It is an invaluable resource that recognises women’s contribution to the built environment. £50, ribabooks.com

Writer and activist Charlene Prempeh is the founder of A Vibe Called Tech, a Black-owned creative agency known for its work with brands such as Gucci and Frieze. Her debut book celebrates a century of groundbreaking work by Black creatives. Organised into three sections, on fashion, architecture and graphics, it explores how Black design has been perceived within culture through the work of names such as Dapper Dan, Ann Lowe and Francis Kéré. £24.99, prestelpublishing.penguinrandomhouse.de

The state of the world can feel bleak, so Stefan Sagmeister’s book provides a welcome alternative perspective. Combining art, design and history with quantitative analysis, he cleverly transforms data sets into colourful artworks to bring encouraging statistics to life. The book includes an essay by design historian Steven Heller and a conversation between Sagmeister and Hans Ulrich Obrist, and concludes that things really are better than before, inspiring us to think more hopefully about the future. You couldn’t wish for a finer companion with which to start the transition into 2024. £29.95, phaidon.com

In the first book exploring the singular story of Chinese socialite, businesswoman and artist Song Huai-Kuei, aka ‘Madame Song’, Pi Li, head of curatorial affairs at Hong Kong’s M+ museum, traces the parallel arcs of Song’s life and the social upheaval of 20th-century China. From her success within avant-garde circles to her efforts to revive traditional Chinese aesthetics, Song’s contribution to contemporary visual culture deserves to be celebrated. £40, thamesandhudson.com

Following a career as a successful fashion designer, renowned for his opulent, jewel-toned clothes, Matthew Williamson has embraced interiors with equal exuberance. His new book is packed with tips, anecdotes and inspiring photography of projects in the UK and abroad, making a compelling case for living cocooned in colour. If you want to break out of a neutral rut but aren’t sure where to start, let this inspiring handbook be the nudge you need. £30, thamesandhudson.com

With playful illustrations in three striking colours, Gaby Bazin’s art book for children translates the magic of the lithographer’s world onto the printed page. Combining science, art and history, it beautifully depicts how a centuries-old printing practice has evolved into the process that is used to make books, magazines, newspapers and posters today. It’s an illuminating exploration of the skill and creativity behind this artistic profession that might inspire budding young lithographers to try it themselves. £15.95, davidzwirnerbooks.com

Anyone who has ever savoured a perfectly mixed Old Fashioned will appreciate cocktail connoisseur, Amanda Schuster’s tribute to the greatest drinks of all time. This comprehensive volume features 200 iconic creations from around the globe and across history. Her criteria for a ‘signature’ cocktail relates to its ability to evoke the nature of a particular time, person or place, and the culture that created it. Even if your Martini is now enjoyed from the comfort of the sofa rather than at Dukes hotel, this book offers a portal into a more glamorous world. £29.95, phaidon.com

Described by Stanley Tucci as ‘actually bellissimo’, this visual feast from restaurateur Russell Norman is a tribute to the unfussy and exceptionally tasty food of Florence. These are the dishes you’ll find at Brutto, the trattoria he opened with the aim of returning to the basics of authentic Italian cuisine. More than just a cookbook (though you will surely want to make the recipes, including penne alla vodka and sausages with braised lentils), it’s a love letter to the city. £32, penguin.co.uk

Few brands have contributed as much to design culture as Cassina; this comprehensive tome captures why its output is so important. The ‘iMaestri Collection’ launched in 1973, reissuing iconic models by 20th-century titans such as Gerrit Rietveld and Frank Lloyd Wright. Collaborations with Gio Ponti, Carlo Scarpa and Franco Albini followed, cementing the collection as the ultimate expression of ‘Made in Italy’. This is a fascinating reflection on how great design can evolve. £65, cassina.com

Flowers have always been important to the Armani universe, and this book puts them centre-stage. With text by Giorgio Armani, Dan Rubinstein, Renato Bruni and Harriet Quick, it explores the designer’s knack for floral composition and how nature inspires his fashion and interiors. The sophisticated volume has a silk cover and Japanese-style inserts, and all proceeds from the royalties will be donated to the Forestami urban-forestry project. £95, rizzoliusa.com

The compulsion to seek out, organise and display rare or unusual things reveals a lot about our nature, and the art of collecting is celebrated in this volume from designer, illustrator and antiques hunter Marin Montagut. In homes, flea markets and ateliers, items as diverse as Grecian plaster casts, bistro chairs and copper dessert moulds are arranged en masse, bringing a fresh perspective to the objects themselves and their surroundings. Photographed by Pierre Musellec, and with moodboards and illustrations by Montagut, it provides a novel angle on French interiors. £30, flammarion.com

Model, photographer and the first female war correspondent to report on the liberation of Paris and the concentration camps, Lee Miller is one of the last century’s most intriguing figures. This book examines her relationship with surrealist artist Man Ray and the influence they had on each other. Through previously unpublished imagery, archive material and contributions from family members, it honours Miller’s pioneering photography and her remarkable life. £32, skira.net