These coffee table books double as page turners and pieces of art, making themselves a necessary addition to any living space.&nbsp;

A good coffee table <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/make-it-ours-virgil-abloh-book-by-robin-givhan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">book</a> can serve a multitude of purposes in one's living room. As both decoration and a conversational piece, it has a way of adding color, art, and complexity to a room without much effort. A coffee table book, often a collection of photographs, art, and essays, is one of our favorite ways for a topic to be covered succinctly and tastefully. 
Some choose one single book to serve as a centerpiece, while others prefer the look of a stacked selection. Whatever the goal, this skimmable piece of art is yet another dimension to add shape to your rooms. The process of choosing which pieces to display, whether a mix of genres or one singular theme, can be an exciting journey for any decorator. But coming up with an interesting ensemble can also pose a difficult dilemma, as there is such a vast influx of such books available. 
Therefore, we&rsquo;ve done it again, sorted through the good, bad, and in between, and curated a list of coffee table books that will activate, inspire, and humor any guest who enters your living room. So, keep scrolling for our full list of <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/travel-living/best-coffee-table-books" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coffee table books</a> to add to bring to your table this coming fall 2025.&nbsp;

Il dolce far niente, an Italian phrase meaning "the sweetness of doing nothing", perfectly encapsulates a dream summer vacation. Lounging by the beach, drinks next to the seaside, nothing to do but rest and relax. Captured by Lucy Laucht, this coffee table book sets the tone of the Italian coast with picturesque waters and brightly colored umbrellas. The easy aesthetic of the Italian coastline creates a calming and delightful collection of pages, an ode to this slice of heaven.&nbsp;
Il Dolce Far Niente: The Italian Way of Summer, $40, <a href="https://www.rizzolibookstore.com/product/il-dolce-far-niente-italian-way-summer">Rizzoli</a>

'Il Dolce Far Niente: The Italian Way of Summer'

From the MoMA Design Store, Le Corbusier presents the relationship between the architect and the geography around the building sites. It is an interesting examination between the two, using his letters, sketchbooks, and other publications, which develops into a story of mutual understanding and deep involvement in one's work. The impressive creations by the Swiss-born architect are satisfying to the eye and take on an aesthetic tone, creating an interesting coffee table book that can easily evoke thought and conversation. Also from the MoMA design store,<a href="https://store.moma.org/collections/moma-publications/products/items-is-fashion-modern-hardcover"> Items: Is Fashion Modern?</a>&nbsp;is an intriguing presentation of items in fashion that have impacted culture. From jeans to the famous Birkin bag, this book offers an explanation into the importance of each object.&nbsp;
Le Corbusier: An Atlas of Modern Landscapes, $80, <a href="https://store.moma.org/collections/moma-publications/products/le-corbusier-an-atlas-of-modern-landscapes-hardcover">MoMA</a>

'Le Corbusier: An Atlas of Modern Landscapes'

Displaying the unfiltered figures of New York City in the 70s and 80s, Dustin Pittman brings the reader into the dark nightclubs and smoky scenes of the city. During a time when music, fashion, and art thrived in the social scenes, the underground subcultures running through the city shaped this time into the iconic cultural scene it is known as. From rising stars to fashion designers, Pittman photographed these figures after hours, in the intimate setting of nightclubs and exclusive events. With an authenticity that is hard to come by, this coffee table book informs as well as inspires the reader into a deeper understanding of New York.&nbsp;
Dustin Pittman: New York After Dark, $75, <a href="https://www.rizzolibookstore.com/product/dustin-pittman-new-york-after-dark">Rizzoli</a>

'Dustin Pittman: New York After Dark'

Using the guide of the 41 shows Martin Margiela produced between 1989 and 2009, this book covers the development of the influential and highly regarded designer. Although Margiela has existed under a guise of relative anonymity, his designs have changed the fashion world, with the rise of understated luxury and the continuous revelations within his brand.&nbsp;
Other famed designers, too, have had their careers chronicled in a similar way, pairing photography with discussion to create a cohesive piece. Take a look at <a href="https://www.assouline.com/products/valentino-at-the-emperors-table">Valentino: At the Emperor&rsquo;s Table</a> or <a href="https://us.isseymiyake.com/products/issey-miyake?srsltid=AfmBOorKPvQuLrQ2a3mywKNca_Ca-jZD7gFF1bb5rNpmQZoONIhbwUG0">Issey Miyake</a>, for more coffee table books centered around your favorite designers. 
Martin Margiela: The Women&rsquo;s Collections 1989-2009, $60, <a href="https://www.rizzolibookstore.com/product/martin-margiela-womens-collections-1989-2009">Rizzoli</a>

'Martin Margiela: The Women’s Collections 1989-2009'

Swedish artist Hilma af Klint observed nature with a keen understanding of the complexity of artistic expression. Taking a collection of watercolors, pencil drawings, and other realistic and abstract pieces from her summers of 1919 and 1920, this book summarizes the artist's findings into one portfolio. The artworks are displayed along with the artist&rsquo;s personal writing and multiple scholar's commentary on the portfolio. The delicate and ethereal coffee table book unfolds the beauty of nature through the eye of Hilma af Klint. 
Hilma af Klint: What Stands Behind the Flowers, $60, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hilma-Klint-Stands-Behind-Flowers/dp/1633451682">Amazon</a>

'Hilma af Klint: What Stands Behind the Flowers'

Another observation of art comes from the Whitney Shop of the Whitney Museum of American Art, titled Women Painting Women. The book features almost 50 female artists who have used other women as their muses, focusing their work around the subject of other women. Exploring themes of change, beauty, and the female body, a thoughtful exploration across these artists accompanies the portraits, making for a meaningful and thought-evoking centerpiece. 
Women Painting Women, $49.95, <a href="https://shop.whitney.org/products/women-painting-women?_pos=3&amp;_sid=174748da5&amp;_ss=r">Whitney Shop</a>

'Women Painting Women'

This book tells an interesting story of the lives, careers, and legacies of the most famous directors through the clothes that they wore. With writing from fashion journalists and designers, and over 200 photographs, A24 presents both an insightful read as well as an aesthetic centerpiece. Other coffee table books from A24 have a similar, creative aesthetic, such as <a href="https://shop.a24films.com/products/stop-making-sense-collectors-edition">Stop Making Sense</a> and <a href="https://shop.a24films.com/products/can-i-ask-you-a-question-by-jennifer-venditti">Can I Ask You A Question?</a>
How Directors Dress, $40, <a href="https://shop.a24films.com/products/how-directors-dress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A24</a>

'How Directors Dress'

This coffee table covers mountaineer and photographer Jimmy Chin's explorations of the most dangerous terrain in the world, from deserts and mountains to the glaciers of Antarctica. Behind-the-scenes photography shows the treacherous lengths that Chin went to for these images, along with stories of extreme athletes who deal with similar conditions. The pictures, coupled with stories, create an awe-inspiring tale of determination and perseverance.&nbsp;
There and Back: Photographs from the Edge, $50, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/There-Back-Photographs-Jimmy-Chin/dp/1984859501">Amazon</a>

'There and Back: Photographs from the Edge'

From Taschen, Helmut Newton Legacy chronicles the works of the photographer Helmut Newton, whose body of work spans over five decades. With pictures that have been published in fashion magazines as well as garnered criticism over their provocatively sexual themes, the artist pushed the use of photography into something new, making commentary on the political and social scene at the time. Other bestselling coffee table books from Taschen include <a href="https://www.taschen.com/en/books/style-food-travel/08024/the-gourmand-s-lemon-a-collection-of-stories-and-recipes/">The Gourmand&rsquo;s Lemon</a>, <a href="https://www.taschen.com/en/books/art/08144/hokusai/">Hokusai</a>, and <a href="https://www.taschen.com/en/books/photography/08182/bruce-weber-my-education/">Bruce Weber: My Education</a>. 
Helmut Newton Legacy, $100, <a href="https://www.taschen.com/en/books/photography/08010/helmut-newton-legacy">Taschen</a>

'Helmut Newton Legacy'

Also from Taschen, comes the abstract and introspective images of Wolfgang Tillmans, consolidated into a coffee table book titled Wolfgang Tillmans Four Books. His work has a capacity for intrigue and creates a language of its own. The nonrepetitive style and bandwidth of his skills has resulted in a collection that varies in subject, form, and visuality while remaining iconic. This edition combines his four previous portfolios into one, cumulative coffee table book that can inspire and entertain any reader.&nbsp;
Wolfgang Tillmans Four Books, $30, <a href="https://www.taschen.com/en/books/photography/41106/wolfgang-tillmans-four-books-45th-ed/">Taschen</a>

'Wolfgang Tillmans Four Books'

An incredibly thought-provoking piece, this collection of Tristan Duke&rsquo;s photography is accompanied by photograms and Duke&rsquo;s field notes from his time traveling through the Arctic and western United States. By chronicling the melting glaciers through ice lenses, his photography shows the rapidly declining ice coverage of the Arctic, pairing this with documentation of the wildfires throughout the western U.S. Together, this book creates a blaring message of the intensity and emergency state that the climate has been pushed to, bringing awareness to the global climate crisis.&nbsp;
Tristan Duke: Glacial Optics, $60, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tristan-Duke-Glacial-Optics/dp/B0D9J8NBZS/">Amazon</a>

Level up Your Living Room This Fall With These 11 Coffee Table Books

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