A Cool Girl's Guide To Coffee Table Books
Not your mom’s college apartment.
by SYLVIE FITZGERALD ★ OCTOBER 5, 2022
As the fall semester begins, decorating your first college apartment or dorm is one of the most entertaining ways to distract yourself from the fact that school has approached. If you’re looking for a way to add something unique and personal or want to give your living space some sophisticated flair, here is a not-basic list of coffee table books that are as interesting on the inside as they are aesthetically pleasing on the outside.
This book is about the iconic image that seems to always come back trending. Not only does this have the coolest cover art, but the book includes photos and stories depicting how the Smiley symbol has influenced art and pop culture throughout the country's past 50 years. This matches the trending smiley face room decor that is making its mark this school year.
Confessions of an Heiress: A Tongue-in-Chic Peek Behind the Pose
Paris Hilton’s Confessions of an Heiress has plenty of photos for fashion inspo, tales from her life of glamor and dating, and style advice from the queen herself. If you’re a lover of the Y2K party girl and socialite aesthetic, this book is a must-have. It’s glittery, girly, and pink for the room and girl which matches the vibe.
For the fashion major or lover of the vintage catwalk, Dior’s runway collections from 1947-2017 are captured in this simple and elegant book. The history of their couture and photos of the past coolest supermodels are all included. If you’re more of a Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, or Prada admirer, Amazon sells books that have fundamentally the same looks and content but for these brands and others. If you’re thinking more about the decor, there are different colors for each book. A cute stacked trio would be chic as well.
Film babes listen up. A24 has screenplay books from a bunch of their most well-known movies. They also all include stills from the movie, behind-the-scenes photos, and other notes from the director. Lady Bird is one movie that every girl should watch in her teens and early twenties and a personal favorite. This might be the best coffee table book for conversation starters on the list.
Although this book has more of an intellectual vibe, the photography is funky and cool but at the same time thought-provoking. An inquiry into the concept of wealth during the past 25 years, Lauren Greenfield: Generation Wealth has images and stories of the “wannabe rich and famous”, although there are real celebrity appearances. It analyzes American culture and the obsession with the need to be wealthy, no matter the consequences or no matter what it takes to get there. If this screams you, Lauren Greenfield has other photography books like Girl Culture and Fast Forward that have the same energy.
This book's cover alone catches the eye of anyone and is perfect if you want some fun color in your living space. What’s inside are photos and descriptions of what they describe as “adaptive architecture for environments around the world”. It's relevant to climate change and a look into potential future architecture. For interior design and architecture enthusiasts, it has futuristic inspiration.
These books are meant to be collected, gifted, and used to tie many rooms together for years to come. However, if you’re interested in renting or buying used, websites such as eBay and Thriftbooks can get them into your hands for a lot cheaper. Now you can add a little extra to your apartment and feel a little bit like a real adult.
Cover Photo Credit: Pinterest