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Give the gift of inspiration this Christmas with our pick of the best design books of 2025
Celebrating the creativity of Tadao Ando, Sally Mann, Alison Roman and more, our edit will see you through winter and beyond
Whether you’re updating your library or looking for a thoughtful (and easy-to-wrap) present, a book is an investment in knowledge and beauty. This, our extended end-of-the-year edit, has something for everyone, from simple and delicious recipes to make with the contents of your store cupboard, to a celebration of brutalist interiors. Buy for others – or treat yourself...
Art Work: On the Creative Life
Sally Mann is one of America’s most renowned photographers and also a brilliant writer. Her new book shares insights from her career, from the hazards of early promise to the challenges of distraction. While there are tips on composition and knowing when a picture is ‘right’, there’s also advice on dealing with failure, family and rejection, all delivered with empathy and wit. £25, penguin.co.uk
Brutalist Interiors
This volume moves past the concrete façades to consider how the most uncompromising of architectural styles shapes interior spaces. Edited by Derek Lamberton, it takes in more than 100 interiors in 30 countries, with essays by architectural historians and critics on topics ranging from Tadao Ando’s concrete interiors in Japan to Denys Lasdun’s work in Ghana, exploring how brutalism’s core materials have been used to create sculptural and rich spaces. £35, bluecrowmedia.com
Courtyard Homes
Joann Plockova takes us inside 20 residences across the world, each of which centres around a courtyard – private outdoor spaces that bring nature and light into the heart of a home. Featuring the work of Leckie Studio, Práctica Arquitectura, Pham Huu Son Architects and Breakspear Architects, with examples including twin oculi punched into a concrete dwelling in Mexico and a plant-filled retreat in Australia, it demonstrates how innovative design and architecture can enhance our connection to the land and sky. £39.95, phaidon.com
Something from Nothing
Alison Roman is known for her relaxed approach and unfussy, flavourful dishes. Now, she’s turned her attention to the ingredients that can be found in the average cupboard and has come up with more than 100 simple, delicious, stylish recipes that make them work a little bit harder. Chapters cover everything from snacks to stews, soups, salads and pasta, with classic-with-a-twist recipes such as ‘Creamy Brown Butter Orzo’ and ‘Long-Cooked Sticky Zucchini’. In a hectic world, serving yourself and your loved ones a tasty, nutritious meal is something to be savoured. £27, penguin.co.uk
Eight Decades of British Design
Industry voices including Penny Sparke and Deyan Sudjic reflect on the quietly subversive nature of design in Britain, consistently championed by the Design Council. Taking in aspects of the world from Margaret Calvert and Jock Kinneir’s road signs to James Dyson’s domestic innovations, via the radical fashion of Vivienne Westwood and Zaha Hadid’s extraordinary architecture, it’s a thorough portrait of what makes British design so special: chiefly, that boundary-pushing attitude, relentless curiosity and global influence. £39.95, designcouncil.org.uk
New Photography of the Flower
Expect to have any preconceived notions of what floral photography ‘should’ look like firmly challenged by this anthology. With words by Lucy Davies and projects from a global array of photographers, such as Cig Harvey, Luke Stephenson and Ken Hermann, it presents wildflowers, tropical plants and gardens in a contemporary light. Shot on location and in the studio using abstract techniques, the striking images pay tribute to the beauty of the natural world in a refreshingly modern way. £16.95, hoxtonminipress.com
From Louis to Vuitton
With a foreword by Pietro Beccari, president and CEO of Louis Vuitton, Arthur Dreyfus’s book delves into the fascinating history of the luxury maison, from its founding in 1854 to the present day. The story starts when a 14-year-old Louis Vuitton left his village for Paris, where the luggage-maker soon became synonymous with the spirit of travel and French style. The book explores the house’s blend of innovation and craftsmanship, its iconic creations – and the stores they are displayed in – as well as the Asnières workshop and contributions of its artistic directors. £145, assouline.com
Tadao Ando, Sketches, Drawings and Architecture
‘Drawings are an architect’s words,’ says Tadao Ando, the only architect to have won the discipline’s four most prestigious prizes: the Pritzker, Carlsberg, Praemium Imperiale and Kyoto Prize. Born in Osaka in 1941, Ando started out as a boxer before deciding to pursue architecture. He is known for buildings such as the Church of Light, Azuma House and the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, as well as his poetic approach to concrete. Delve into this definitive collection of his sketches and drawings to gain a deeper insight into the mind of one of the greats. £150, taschen.com
The Story of the Interior
Taking the long view, Professor Graeme Brooker dives into the history of how humanity has shaped the spaces we inhabit and how they, in turn, have shaped us. From Ancient Egyptian tombs to Baroque palaces, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater to The Prada store in Marfa, Texas, this is a fascinating exploration of how interiors have evolved across cultures and over the centuries. Drawing on history, culture and design, and considering the basic elements of inside space – walls, doors, windows – he asks us to think about why these elements matter more than we realise. £65, thamesandhudson.com
Vintage Motels
From movies to music videos, the motel is an icon of Americana. In this dreamily escapist book, author Ellie Seymour takes the reader on a nostalgic road trip, visiting 40 mid-century examples scattered across the United States. Every one of these roadside gems from the 1950s and 60s has been lovingly restored with their vintage charm retained and modern comforts incorporated. Archival imagery, contemporary photography and thoughtful essays bring the spirit of each to life on the page. £35, lusterpublishing.com
Vitra: The Anatomy of a Design Company
The story of 20th-century design can’t be told without Vitra. From the 1950s to today, the Swiss family-owned company has shaped the world of design like no other, championing generations of talent, from Charles and Ray Eames to Ron Arad, Jasper Morrison and Virgil Abloh, while preserving the archives of Luis Barragán and Alexander Girard and creating one of the world’s key design museums in the Vitra Campus. Written by Deyan Sudjic, with contributions by Karen Stein and photographer Iwan Baan, this volume covers it all. £59.95, phaidon.com
Waka Waka
Nigerian visual storyteller Ernest Danjuma Enebi’s debut traverses 21st-century Africa, from Lagos’s hectic markets to the coast of Lamu via revolutionary Khartoum. Featuring more than 300 photographs capturing scenes of everyday life, architecture and figures such as Burna Boy, Didier Drogba and President Paul Kagame, it’s a bold attempt to present a counter-narrative to the conventional portrayals of Africa. This is one insider’s perspective on a continent in flux. Approx £45, denda.works
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