Decorating your home should feel exciting, not overwhelming. But where do you start when you’re new to design? The answer is simple: with the best interior design books for beginners.
These helpful books are like having a designer friend by your side—guiding you through color theory, layouts, and creative ways to bring your personal style to life.
Books are a helpful way to learn design ideas, get practical tips, and discover creative ways to make your home feel like you. Many of these are inspirational design books filled with photos and guidance, while others are more of an interior design handbook or field guide with step-by-step advice.
Recently, I reached out on Instagram asking for recommendations. My community suggested so many good books, and along the way, I discovered a few new favorites of my own.
Since then, I’ve kept this list updated, and for 2025 I’ve added fresh titles from Joanna Gaines, Emily Henderson, Shea McGee, and even my own book, Vintage Nest.
Updated October 2025: New books are added regularly. Keep checking back for the latest design ideas and guidance for beginners.
Best Interior Design Books for Beginners (Quick Picks)
If you’re short on time, here are my top starter recommendations:
- The Art of Home by Shea McGee – Best inspirational design book
- Vintage Nest by Linda McDonald – Best for vintage & thrift decorating beginners
- Homebody by Joanna Gaines – Best for discovering personal style
- Styled by Emily Henderson – Best for color theory & styling shelves
How to Choose the Right Interior Design Book
With so many interior books available, it helps to know what kind of guidance you need.
Practical Tips vs. Inspiration
Some books (like Cozy Minimalist Home) give you practical advice step-by-step. Others (like The Art of Home) are more inspirational design books—beautiful to display on a bookshelf or dust jacket, while sparking fresh design ideas.
Different Styles
Are you drawn to farmhouse charm, traditional design, or minimalism? Books like City Farmhouse Style and Cozy White Cottage are great for anyone exploring different styles while finding their personal style.
Specific Topics
Some books focus on color theory, architectural design, or storage solutions, while others are more like an ultimate guide with broad home design advice. Beginners often benefit from having a mix.
The Best Interior Design Books for Beginners
As I read through these books, I realized how beginner-friendly they are. Each one offers practical tips and design ideas to make your home feel welcoming.
Here are my top recommended interior design books for beginners, each with its own unique twist, from inspirational design books with gorgeous photos to helpful guides full of practical advice.
Vintage Nest by Linda McDonald
Let's begin with my new release, Vintage Nest. Written from over 30 years of experience as an interior designer who sprinkled vintage decor in design, Vintage Nest is filled with 100 thrift, vintage, and antique finds with decorating ideas.
Each page includes practical tips, creative ways to use reused, secondhand, and vintage decor, and guidance on how to use them in your home decor. It’s designed to be a helpful book for beginners and for anyone who wants to make their home feel cozy without spending a fortune.
If you want to read abou why i wrote this vintage decorating book click here or if your ready to shop click below.
Read the story behind my vintage decorating book here—or click if you’re ready to Shop Vintage Nest here
Homebody by Joanna Gaines
This interior design handbook is all about discovering your personal style. Joanna breaks down interiors with practical advice, design ideas, and room-by-room guidance. It’s a good book for high school grads in their first apartment, new homeowners, or anyone who wants a home that feels intentional.
Styled by Emily Henderson
Emily’s book is packed with color theory basics, practical tips for arranging sofas and shelves, and creative ways to finish a room. Beginners will love her guidance—it feels like design school explained in a friendly, approachable way.
Click here to get Styled by Emily Henderson
The Art of Home by Shea McGee
This inspirational design book is filled with timeless interiors and the latest design trends. Shea blends architectural design details with practical advice, showing readers how to make their home both beautiful and functional.
Feels Like Home by Marion Parsons
Marion, also known as Miss Mustard Seed, shares practical tips and traditional design ideas to make a house feel like home. Beginners will appreciate her helpful guidance, and her book is gorgeous enough to sit proudly on your coffee table.
There are so many things I am excited to share about Miss Mustard Seed's Feels Like Home book. In addition to being spot on with her design advice, there are many gorgeous photos of the vintage farmhouse-style designs.
The quality, texture, and colors in her book are spectacular, and once finished reading, it will be perfect to use in your home decor. Last, I highly recommend this book as a gift as well. Add it to your mother's day, bridal, wedding, and housewarming gift ideas.
The Inspired Room by Melissa Michaels
Melissa offers design ideas broken down room by room. This is a helpful book for beginners who want clear, practical tips that make interiors feel personal and inviting. Plus it makes a beautiful coffee table book.
There are many outstanding design elements in this book. It teaches good design skills in a simple way that you can carry throughout your life. Loads of creative decorating techniques and thinking outside of the box.
Add The Inspired Room to your collection or give it as a gift.
Cozy Minimalist Home by Myquillyn Smith
Minimalist but cozy. Myquillyn’s practical advice helps you focus on what matters most, with guidance for creating interiors that feel open, restful, and welcoming.
To my surprise, this book goes much deeper than you think. The author helps you think about changing your lifestyle to live in a home that serves you more than you become a prisoner to stuff.
And then, between the lines of each page, Myquillyn walks you through making your own home a freeing space.
I think this would make a wonderful gift to anyone who wants more than just decorating. A desire to scale down and make some home-style changes. Cozy Minimalist Home is the perfect ticket.
City Farmhouse Style by Kim Leggett
Perfect for anyone who loves antiques or traditional design. Kim shares creative ways to mix old and new, showing how natural elements and vintage pieces can make interiors warm and inviting.
If you are a lover of antiques or anything vintage, then you will adore this book. Each page is beautifully written and adorned with photos of old and new homes filled with vintage and antiques.
Antiques have a way of making an ordinary house feel so cozy and special. Kim's book really brings out this beauty!
This book is one of the best interior design books for beginners because it shares the beauty of decorating with anything old, whether it is an antique or not.
City Farmhouse Style would be an excellent gift for Christmas and would be fun paired with a small antique item.
Update: Kim has done it again, and this time she takes her readers even deeper into the world of decorating with antiques. You will be inspired by her book called Home Stories.
Home Stores by Kim Leggett
She shares the beautiful stories behind her vintage antique pieces, along with tales behind her friend's furniture and decor, too. I have a feeling that after you read her book, you will fall in love with antiques if you haven't already.
Cozy White Cottage by Liz Marie Galvan
Liz’s book is full of achievable design ideas and practical tips. Beginners will love how simple her projects are and how quickly they bring a homey feel to any space.
While at the Country Living Fair, my daughter and I came across Cozy White Cottage and fell in love!
Out of all the books I personally read and reviewed, I was unable to review this one in time. However, my sweet Instagram friend Heather, Farmhouse for 8, just finished the book and graciously shared a photo and a review.
This is what Heather had to say about Cozy White Cottage.
“From what I have read so far, I have liked Cozy White Cottage. It gives very simple and achievable ideas that anyone can apply in their home to give it those cozy welcoming vibes! It's filled with great photos, and it's a quick go-to spot for creating those feels everywhere in your home.”
Months later, I have read this book, along with her second book in the series, Seasons. Both are fantastic books, easy to read and packed full of designer tips.
Shop Cozy White Cottage here or Cozy White Cottage Seasons here
A Touch of Farmhouse Charm by Liz Fourez
This one leans more DIY, but it’s a field guide for farmhouse decorating with hands-on projects. Each project is beginner-friendly and offers practical advice for making interiors feel special.
I was surprised in a good way when I opened A Touch of Farmhouse Charm. I was expecting to read another book on decorating, with many beautiful photos, but this book is actually a DIY project book.
I absolutely loved it! Each project is perfect for any farmhouse style lover!
Liz's home, which is featured in the book, is so pretty. I was so inspired by all the projects, which seem doable to anyone from beginner to intermediate, that I wish I had more time to do one to share with you all.
The book is organized and laid out nicely, which is why I considered it one of the best interior design books for beginners.
So, if you know a DIY lover, then A Touch of Farmhouse Charm is perfect for a Christmas or anytime gift.
The DIY Home Planner by KariAnne Wood
Think of this as a planner meets design school. It’s interactive, filled with guidance, and reminds you that you can create interiors that reflect your personal style. An excellent pick for newlyweds, new homeowners, or anyone who wants structured support.
When you are decorating your home, having a planner is a very good tool. So if you choose one or more of the other books, consider this one as well.
The DIY Home Planner caught my eye some time ago when I was visiting a Kirkland's store. It is more than your average home decor book. It serves as a guide and assistant for your home decor planning.
KariAnne has a way with words. You will find her writing easy to read and pleasant, as she reminds you that you are amazing and can do anything you set your mind to.
I think this book is the perfect gift for a newlywed couple, a home buyer, a Christmas, or a birthday gift. What a great gift for your daughter or son when they move into their first home.
Other Beautiful Design Books to Explore
I couldn't leave out more fun books recommended to me that may not be interior design books for beginners, but are worth sharing. So, these books are beautiful but lean more toward lifestyle and entertainment than beginner interior design guidance:
- Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon (entertainment + recipes)
- Heart and Home by Victoria Duerstock (faith + decor reflections)
- Patina Living by Steve & Brooke Giannetti (advanced design ideas)
- Natural Living Style by Selina Lake (inspiration with natural elements)
- Pottery Barn series (room by room ideas)
Let's break down a few I personally have read:
Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon
What a fun book! If you grew up in the South, then you will love this book! It is deeply rooted in southern tradition and charm.
Whiskey in a Teacup is about hospitality and making a home. There are loads of fabulous recipes and even more ideas for dinner parties and so on.
I don't want to say anymore because I do not want to spoil the fun! But I list this as a good read because it goes beyond home decor and into hospitality, recipes, and more.
Shop Whiskey in a Teacup here. A thoughtful gift idea for housewarmings, Christmas, or birthdays
Heart and Home by Victoria Duerstock
This beautiful book is filled with home decorating tips and daily devotions tied together.
Heart and Home will feed your soul and help you create a warm and inviting home to all who enter.
Each page is threaded with gorgeous pictures of homes from Instagram accounts that have a love for decorating and meaningful devotions to draw you closer to the Lord.
I was overjoyed to find many of my Instagram friends' homes inside the book. It's what made this book even more special. Heart and Home would be a heartwarming gift for anyone, from a friend to a sister.
FAQs About Interior Design Books
What is the best interior design book for beginners?
If you want one helpful book to start with, I recommend Homebody by Joanna Gaines. It’s practical, easy to follow, and beginner-friendly.
Which beginner book explains color theory?
Styled by Emily Henderson is one of the best books for understanding color theory and styling basics.
Are inspirational design books useful for beginners?
Yes! Inspirational design books like The Art of Home spark ideas and make interiors feel fresh, even if they’re not step-by-step handbooks.
Is there an ultimate guide for interior design?
Vintage Nest works as a beginner’s ultimate guide to decorating with thrift and vintage finds, while Homebody is a broader interior design handbook.
Final Thoughts
Well, I started this quest for the best interior design books for beginners years ago when I met Kim Leggett of City Farmhouse Style at the Country Living Fair. From there, my Instagram community shared their favorite titles, and I discovered even more inspirational design books along the way.
Overall, these books are easy to read, filled with practical advice, and full of design ideas that will help you create a home that reflects your personal style. I hope this updated list is a helpful guide—and maybe you’ll even find the perfect book to gift as a housewarming present or display on your bookshelf.
If you are more fond of decorating magazines, I have a post featuring the 10 favorite home decor magazines. Curious if your favorite is on the list.
I hope this list has been helpful! Do you have a favorite interior design book? Share it with me in the comments below—I’d love to hear.
Happy Decorating!
Written by Linda McDonald, an interior designer with over 30 years of experience helping families create timeless, welcoming homes.
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