Polish your design knowledge with these stunning coffee-table books

Organised along geographical lines, this volume spans the globe, showing residential spaces by continent that are selected on the criteria of originality, character and personality.

The broad spectrum of homes illustrated uncovers recurring themes over the decades as lifestyles evolve, as well as the overlap of design disciplines so prevalent in the interior world — set designers, fashion designers and furniture designers have all explored residential milieux.

In its pages you’ll find spaces by anyone from Charles and Ray Eames, Oscar Niemeyer, Gio Ponti and Kelly Wearstler to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Giorgio Armani, Tony Duquette, David Hicks and John Lautner — a who’s who of design across the world.

GIO PONTI. ART EDITION

Edited by Karl Kolbitz, published by Taschen

One of the original multi-hyphenates, Gio Ponti was a man of myriad talents — as this doorstopper of a coffee-table book attests.

WOMAN MADE: GREAT WOMEN DESIGNERS

By Jane Hall, published by Phaidon

Showcasing a wide range of women designers over time — some of whom were the first of their gender to be able to embark on such a career — this beautiful edition is the “most comprehensive, fully illustrated book on women designers ever published”.

Featuring more than 200 female product designers from 50 countries, from the early 20th century to the current day, it celebrates excellence across product genres.

Presenting famous trailblazers such as Ray Eames and Florence Knoll and contemporary icons such as Faye Toogood, Patricia Urquiola and India Mahdavi, it collates and illuminates the fascinating and overlooked history of women in the field. South African designers Mpho Vackier and Mia Senekal also feature.

The format (with a key product illustrating a short text on each) demonstrates the volume and variety of the objects produced by women over the decades and exposes, more than ever, the fallacy that men have been more prolific in the design world.

• This article was originally published in The Edit Living, an upmarket décor magazine sent to select Sunday Times print subscribers. Click here to subscribe.

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