20 Design Books You’ll Find in Athena Calderone’s Home

Armed with an intrigue for the “behind the scenes,” Athena has always sought to translate the hidden dialogue that transpires throughout the creative process. But how do you amplify the quiet spaces between inspiration and completion? Where does inspiration even come from? And why are we moved by certain things and not by others? Perhaps these are rhetorical questions that have no answers, but the pondering of such things sparks the necessary inquiry and incites the artist’s journey. Understanding how the language of a room takes form galvanized Athena’s curiosity and so she sought to unfurl the magic in her best-selling book, Live Beautiful. Other design books have also attempted to interpret this visual alchemy and there are several influential tomes Athena reaches for to pull back the curtain on their design practice and better understand the principles at play. 

For us, however, design books should be so much more than just inspirational. They should also serve as a form of creative counsel with historical facts and design advice, in addition to being aesthetically pleasing—you know our love for beauty with utility runs deep! So, we asked Athena to share the go-to design books she references often for inspiration and guidance in her work. Read on to discover 20 of her favorites and happy reading!