Photo: Lara Robby/Studio D

Geoffrey Bawa: The Complete Works
By David Robson and Geoffrey Bawa
Bawa is a Sri Lankan architect who pioneered resort-style architecture and the inside-out concept that's been so prevalent in my own work.
— Jamie Durie, landscape designer, Sydney, Australia

An Illustrated History of Interior Decoration: From Pompeii to Art Nouveau
By Mario Praz
History is like a mirror—we can learn so much about how we live today by looking at interiors over the centuries. Mario Praz does this beautifully, starting with the ancient world right up to the late 19th century.
— Sara Bengur, interior designer, New York City

In the Pink: Dorothy Draper, America's Most Fabulous Decorator
By Carleton Varney
Draper broke the rules—with big, bold patterns; overscaled furnishings; whimsical colors—while maintaining elegance and sophistication. She created opulent spaces with a story.
— Jaime Rummerfield and Ron Woodson, interior designers, Los Angeles

Industrial Design
By Raymond Loewy
Raymond Loewy was one of the reasons I decided to dedicate my life to design. He influenced everything from large-scale NASA projects to Coca-Cola bottles. He demonstrated that design is not just a creative act; it is a poetic, political, and social act. Design, he said, is for everyone.
— Karim Rashid, furniture designer, New York City

The Inspiration of the Past
By John Cornforth
When we started our business, of all the books we looked at, only this one analyzed the formal aspects of interior design from a practical standpoint. It's filled with photos of fully decorated rooms. We studied it for hours.
— Ellie Cullman and Tracey Pruzan, interior designers, New York City