Monday, April 2, 2012

5 Coffee Table Books Every Woman Should Own





There's only one thing I collect- coffee table books!  I love to use them in my decor.  I have a stack in nearly every room in my house, and I love to flip through them from time to time.  Since I have so many and have looked through them all, I thought it would be fun to share my top 5 coffee table books. 

This book showcases our era's most well-known icons, women recognized all over the world for their style and elegance. I love this book because many of the photos show women with strong poses and obviously strong personalities.  Many of the photographs were taken before the feminist movement, yet you can tell these women knew their value.  I love that!




This book shows icons of the past and present in their swimwear, as well as dreamy beach destinations.  The book focuses on style while on vacation- which can be something hard to achieve!   "Resort fashions beguile because they were originally designed with no ulterior motive; they were truly made for fun." -Caroline Rennolds Milbank



Chanel is actually a collection of 3 books- Chanel Perfume, Chanel Fine Jewelry, and Chanel Fashion.   Gabrielle Chanel has always enchanted me.  She was a visionary in her time, able to predict women's contemporary fashion.  Her legacy and design style is still prominent today.  I found all 3 of these books to be intriguing and beautiful, showcasing some of Chanel's best products and the evolution of each.  The books also divulge details about Gabrielle's personal life and story.

4.) The Hermes Scarf

{A page from the book showing Grace Kelly and her sister at a racetrack in New Jersey}

This book has such a fun bold cover, but even more intriguing is the text regarding the history of the Hermes scarf.  This book has less images than the others, so if you are not interested in the background of Hermes, I wouldn't buy this book to read it.



This weekend, I wanted to up the glam factor in my own room.  I was flipping through The Allure of Women, and found this 60s Brigitte Bardot photograph from the set of one of her movies.  Isn't it striking?  I tore it out of the book (Crazy! I know!) and put it in an inexpensive 8x10 frame on my bedside table on top of Glamorous Rooms.  Instant glam!


Do you have a favorite coffee table book?  Do share!  I always love new suggestions!

28 comments:

  1. I'm thoroughly intrigued by this "Resort Fashion" business. Fun fun fun!
    Thanks for sharing!!!

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  2. I got Glamorous Rooms for Christmas and we have it on our coffee table. My 3 year old flips though it all the time and is so bothered that there are no people in it, 'just one doggie' hehe

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  3. LOVE this decor idea! I have been eyeing the Chanel book for awhile now (hoping to get it as a gift and have been hinting at it...may have to send this post to my mom or boyfriend as a hint :)).
    XX
    Celina
    www.StyleByCelina.com

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  4. I love decorating with coffee table books too and I love your suggestions! The Hermes scarf + Chanel books are high on my wishlist! xx

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  5. I have a lot of favorites! But one of them is Domino Book of Decorating
    http://www.amazon.com/Domino-Decorating-Room---Room-Creating/dp/1416575464/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333404192&sr=8-1

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  6. Great line up of books. They are also so pretty stacked up on the cocktail table.

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  7. Love the picks! Chanel and Glamorous Rooms have been on my list to get!

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  8. love, love coffee table books & ur nighstand is gorgeous! can't wait to have ur post up tomorrow at the blog! :)

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  9. You read my mind! This is actually on my list of to do's over the next few weeks. Just today I was thinking about what books to get to style my coffee table. Thanks for the advice! Glamorous Rooms and The Allure of Women look like two to get me started! Great glam on your table!

    Andrea
    the-blonde-ambitions.blogspot.com

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  10. I've had my eye on that Hermes scarf book! One of my coffee table book staples is Domino's The Book of Decorating. So good!

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  11. oh how I love coffee table books! I need all of those :)

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  12. I love your roundup- I think I need the Chanel and Hermes book. What a great idea for your frame on your bedside table, it looks fab! xo

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  13. Okay I'm going to share a secret with you... there's a place in Houston called Craftex... you can only shop there if you have a tax ID number, so try to find someone with one ha, my mom thankfully does. Anyway, they have THOUSANDS of books - I'm talking design, fashion, travel, cook books, history, vintage books - you NAME it. The best part is -- they're all like 40-50% off the regular price at Barnes and Noble or where ever! They're like a big party supply store and have other neat things but I always go there to get my coffee table books :)

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  14. Great post! I am obsessed with coffee table books and surprisingly I don't own any of your top 5! Adding to my list!

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  15. Love this post. I am going to try and get a hold of all of these. So gorgeous.

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  16. Like you, I'm a collector of coffee table books. Needing to add a few of these to my ever growing stack!!

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  17. Okay. You win at life! After you posted about Vignette's last week, I have been oh so inspired. I literally JUST got off the phone telling my mom I want to re-do my coffee table (she works at Pottery Barn and I love getting her input). I just sent her your post to show her my source of inspiration. On the backside, I have been searching on Amazon for coffee table books and been quite perplexed on what to get. It is seriously like you read my mind! Wow I am totally rambling, this maybe should have been an email. Whoopsies! Any who, thanks so much Miss Sam! xoxo

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  18. Oh no! I don't own a single one of those! But now they will all be placed onto my wish list! Love coffee table books! So curious now as to what else you hold in that collection of yours :) XO brynn

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  19. My coffee table is currently without any books! I should definitely pick up some of these, they look so chic!!

    xx

    Jen

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  20. I have a ton of wonderful coffee table books too! That Hermes one is on my current list to get :)

    Abbey x

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  21. I do like the sound of Glamorous Rooms! another one for my must-buy list.
    http://missbbobochic.blogspot.com/

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  22. The Resort Fashion book is on my wish list! Great suggestions!

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  23. Excellent selection of coffee table books darling!

    Eda ♥

    www.candyflosscurlscupcakesandcouture.blogspot.com

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  24. I definitely need to get an amazing fashion book collection going. Have a couple but really need to get those classics!!

    <3Amanda
    feast.fashion.faves

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  25. I love coffee table books, with huge pictures and almost no text :) haha

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  26. i LOVE this! i am a total coffee table book collector. I personally love all of jonathan adler's "happy chic books"

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What say you? I'm all ears.

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