So much – if not all – of our modern design sensibility is predicated on what came before. Design history is very much alive in the present, and nowhere more so than at Wallpaper*, where we have a particular penchant for the modern and the 20th century.
Whether you want a confident grounding in the basics or to drill down into a specific movement, period or discipline, these books are all brilliant reference points (if interior design is more your thing, check out our reading list on the topic). They also happen to look the part: handsome volumes that earn their place on a shelf, coffee table or the design library you're so meticulously curating.
Eight essential reads for anyone serious about design history
This richly illustrated celebration of over 200 women product designers from more than 50 countries sets out to challenge the traditionally male-dominated narrative of design history. Featuring figures such as Ray Eames, Eileen Gray and Faye Toogood, it presents key works alongside corresponding texts in an A-Z format – both a visual survey and an accessible reference highlighting overlooked contributions and the lasting impact of women in design.
Combining detailed texts with rich illustrations, this comprehensive A-Z guide profiles 300 designers who shaped the mid-century modern movement across furniture, ceramics, glass and textiles. Featuring icons like Alvar Aalto, Charles and Ray Eames and Florence Knoll alongside lesser-known figures, it reveals the global scope and cross-disciplinary creativity of an era whose aesthetic remains so enduringly popular.
A definitive reference for the mid-century movement, this book explores hundreds of furniture designs from the late 1930s to early 1970s, examining each object's form, materials and production techniques. With extensive illustrations and insightful commentary, it captures the innovation and optimism of the period.
A broad survey tracing the evolution of interior design across the 20th century, from the Arts and Crafts movement to the present day. Covering major styles including art nouveau, Bauhaus and postmodernism, it situates interiors within their social, political and cultural contexts. With over 200 illustrations, the book explores how shifting tastes and technologies have always shaped modern life.
This volume charts the evolution of colour in design over the past century, exploring how vibrant palettes transformed furniture and decorative objects. Featuring 250 objects and profiles of key designers, it begins with Bauhaus experimentation and follows colour's rise as a defining design element, combining visual examples with commentary to reflect cultural shifts and expanding creative possibilities.
Presenting 1,000 of the most influential design objects ever made – from 1663 to today – this volume includes everything from mundane but fundamental everyday items to iconic masterpieces by the likes of the Eameses, Charlotte Perriand and Dieter Rams. A comprehensive overview of design innovation throughout the ages, it is an essential reference for understanding the evolution of products.
Spanning five centuries, this essential survey showcases over 500 groundbreaking design objects that have shaped our lives. Each entry pairs an image with text detailing the object's designer, function and historical significance, ranging from anonymous inventions to works by Le Corbusier and Philippe Starck – highlighting design's enduring role in culture and innovation through the ages.
A rich volume exploring the major movements, designers and ideas that defined 20th-century design. Organised as an accessible A-Z reference, this book spans everything from art deco to high-tech, featuring influential figures such as the Eameses and Dieter Rams, offering a visually engaging account of a century of transformation in design.