Call me biased, but as a design journalist, I’m always interested to see what’s new at the Rizzoli Bookstore.
A visit there reveals that 2025 has been an exceptional year for design publishing—a year when bold, kaleidoscopic interiors sit comfortably alongside spare, architecturally restrained spaces on the same shelf. The diversity is refreshing: whether a designer favors maximalist color or minimal lines, there’s a book celebrating that vision.
I’ve chosen twelve titles that stood out to me—each a compelling case study in design philosophy, and each one an ideal gift for the design enthusiast in your life.
Penny Drue Baird’s fifth monograph, PowerHouse, showcases 12 distinctive American homes shaped by their owners’ visions and guided by Baird’s preternaturally-chic aesthetic. Each project—from mountain retreats to coastal sanctuaries—demonstrates Baird’s philosophy of individualism, in which personal fantasy is beautifully realized through masterful collaboration and tasteful understatement.
In his debut monograph, Martin Brudnizki examines color as the protagonist of interior design. From London’s glamorous Annabel’s to Parisian-inspired Manhattan restaurants, the celebrated designer demonstrates how strategic color choices transform spaces into emotionally resonant, visually unforgettable environments. Each chapter in My Life In Color explores a single hue, unlocking the storytelling power of palette in exceptional design.
Timothy S. Adams’s architecturally grounded homes honor craft, place, and timeless design principles. From lakeside retreats to traditional manors, each project showcases his masterful use of natural materials—wood, stone, copper—as rendered in bespoke details. Rooted in historic precedent yet designed for contemporary living, the houses in Tradition Made New underscore the value of good taste, creating enduring spaces meant to delight for generations.
Ray Booth’s rooms merge tranquility with bold strokes, blending historical references and contemporary elements into uniquely timeless spaces. From a dramatic Los Angeles hillside to a Nashville brick-and-metal sanctuary, the coast-to-coast projects in The Expressive Home exemplify Booth’s architectural sophistication married with a fearless approach to design—spaces that push boundaries while remaining deeply soulful and welcoming.
The pages of Hendricks Churchill’s second book, Distinctly American reveal twenty years of design collaboration rooted in tradition and rural American vernacular. Drawing inspiration from Shaker minimalism to Arts and Crafts integrity, the firm creates eclectic, historically informed interiors that transcend fleeting trends. Each project—from Connecticut country houses to Greenwich Village apartments—showcases a sophisticated understanding of regional architecture and landscape.
Corey Damen Jenkins’s second monograph, Design Reimagined, celebrates his signature maximalist vision: unapologetic color, pattern play, and classical architecture reimagined with modern flair. From an Upper East Side penthouse to a Hamptons retreat, these ten high-octane projects bear witness to Jenkins’ mastery of layered luxury. Room-specific insights reveal how the designer transforms spaces into dynamic, deeply personal sanctuaries.
Marking nearly a decade of Amy Astley’s tenure at Architectural Digest, her new book AD at Home celebrates homes as reflections of the people who inhabit them. This curated collection features boldface names from fashion, music, film, and art—from Dakota Johnson’s California modernism to RuPaul’s glamorous villa—revealing how diverse aesthetics and personal style create beautifully individualized spaces across the globe.
With his second monograph, Interiors, the legendary designer David Kleinberg invites readers into eleven refined residential projects spanning New York, Washington, DC, Aspen, Palm Beach, and London. His signature approach—marrying antiques with contemporary design, covetable art, and refined furnishings—creates spaces of uncommon sophistication that eloquently reflect each client’s lifestyle and character.
Studio Sofield’s Work, is a landmark debut monograph chronicling three decades of visionary design across homes, hospitality, and retail. From Ralph Lauren’s Montauk estate to Laurel Canyon experiments, the firm’s work blurs boundaries between art and craft, history and present. This 656-page slipcased volume—printed in Italy on premium stock—celebrates design that delightfully reshapes reality itself.
Brittany Bromley’s debut, Relaxed Elegance, celebrates her signature blend of classic elegance and joyful modernity. From Park Avenue penthouses to Palm Beach retreats, her interiors marry bold pattern and saturated color with juxtapositional restraint. Richly annotated with practical insights, this volume reveals how Bromley infuses spaces with cheerfulness, comfort, and undeniable polish—design that feels both refined and lived-in.
In At Home, Alfredo Paredes, architect of Ralph Lauren’s iconic retail vision, reveals how to craft homes that marry sophisticated elegance with approachable comfort. Through four personal residences, he shares his creative process: extracting singular inspiration—a shirt’s stripe, vintage leather—and transforming it into cohesive, masculine spaces. Dark woods, rustic textures, and earth tones converge in rooms that feel both timeless and thoroughly modern.
Defining Elegance, Marshall Watson’s second monograph, celebrates understated elegance grounded in historical knowledge and architectural sensitivity. From Connecticut seaside homes to Napa Valley barn renovations, his interiors achieve quiet luxury through gracious proportion and harmonious restraint. Now revealing his personal Manhattan apartment and East Hampton retreat, Watson demonstrates how anyone can discover their own design harmony through thoughtful, layered detailing.
To purchase any of these titles, click on the book covers or links throughout this article—they’ll take you directly to the Rizzoli Bookstore’s website. Full disclosure: I prefer supporting independent booksellers (and especially Rizzoli, since they publish my own work.)
But that penchant aside, the bookstore’s curation of design books is genuinely exceptional.