Looking for inspiration for your home? Here are the top books packed with great ideas

Scandinavian style has long been a barometer for good interior design and the functional, pared-back aesthetic many aspire to. The Nordic Home (Gestalten) showcases the best in modern interiors, each home built to satisfy the needs of its inhabitants while sharing a minimalist simplicity and beauty born from considered design. There’s the concrete and wood cabin in Denmark that works as well as a summerhouse retreat as it does in winter, when the surrounds are blanketed by snow, and a Swedish stable conversion that’s now a family home making the most of a small space.

The Nordic Home; The Flower Room; Big Garden Design; Outside In. Credit:

Colour, pattern and texture are signature elements in Charlotte Coote’s sought-after interior designs. In her second book, The Flower Room (Thames & Hudson), the Australian designer focuses on the floral and antique textiles that are an integral part of her work. Including fascinating stories about famous floral rooms (such as Jackie Kennedy’s orange chintz White House guestroom, designed by Bunny Melon) and interviews with other designers, this beautiful book is a masterclass in using bold botanical wallpaper, floral fabrics and pretty patterns to make a home sing.

Landscape designer Paul Bangay takes on only large projects in his latest book, Big Garden Design (Thames & Hudson), and the country estates will appeal to city dwellers looking to escape while providing endless inspiration for garden enthusiasts. For instance, a Barossa Valley winery boasts beds brimming with herbs and flowers that counteract the rigid grid of grapevines, while a more formal approach is taken for a country manor in Bathurst with meticulously manicured lawns and stone archways. There are also magnificent hedging, rolling green hills, lush lavender fields and not a cramped courtyard in sight.

Outside In (Smith Street) by Lauren Camilleri and Sophia Kaplan pays homage to homes inspired by nature, where the line between inside and out is blurred and plant life is as important as furniture. Creating a house around the concept of green space is an appealing prospect in today’s world and impressive examples include a greenhouse-inspired structure stripped back to its bare essentials and a brutalist guesthouse concealed by the surrounding landscape.

Retreat: Inspired Homes and Ways of Living; The Natural Gardener; The House of Green; Assemblage: The Art of the Room. Credit:

Motivated by her own tree change to a rural surf haven in Victoria, Lucy Glade-Wright’s new book, Retreat: Inspired Homes and Ways of Living (Hardie Grant), showcases 24 unique homes in dreamy locations outside the big cities. From a converted bus called Gloria to a Californian concrete and metal fortress as well as an elegant country cottage, this beautiful tome proves there are more ways than one to live a balanced life away from the rat race.

In The Natural Gardener (Thames & Hudson), Richard Unsworth encourages rewilding, bush regeneration and the planting of species native to the local environment, nurturing the trees, shrubs and grasses that are beneficial to birds and insects rather than choosing them for their aesthetic appeal. He argues that what we do with our garden spaces, from a council nature strip to an abundant backyard, can help our planet cope with the ravages of climate change. Working with nature rather than against it, Unsworth showcases gardens he’s created, including a lush inner-city oasis, a coastal retreat, a rooftop garden in the sky and a parcel of bush in the Blue Mountains.

The House of Green (Gestalten) demonstrates that homes built with nature in mind are also endlessly rewarding for their inhabitants. Showcasing spaces that blur the boundaries between man-made and Mother Nature, it also highlights the importance of sustainable living spaces in the modern world. Ranging from Bali to Belgium and beyond, this book celebrates biophilic homes that make an impact.

For Assemblage: The Art of the Room (Thames & Hudson), author Annie Reid and photographer Shannon McGrath take on the daunting yet enviable task of seeking out Australia’s most striking interiors. The result is a stunning tome that explores how the curation of objects – from art to books, furniture to lighting – bring a house to life. Tapping into the expertise of some of the world’s best designers, it’s both a handbook for creating beautiful spaces and a delicious peek into some of the country’s most magnificent homes.

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