What’s on our Bookshelf: Australian Design
If you’ve ever thought…
“I love interiors… but I can’t put my finger on why they work.”
Coffee table books are a bit of a shortcut. They are predominantly visual and purposefully large, so that you eye needs to dart around the page, the same way your eye might scan a room in reality. With an entire internet of books out there, we’re doing the hard yards for ya in a bit of a dive as part of the “What’s on our Bookshelf” design diary series.
The best way to build your own palette, your own aesthetic, your own theme…is simply to expose yourself to many different images, objects, poems, songs, really anything that you believe creates the right feeling within you. Get yourself some hardcover visual design pleasure and start listening and taking note of that gut instinct reaction. Pop them into your phone notes if you see something you want to copy, it can help you feel more confident when shopping for furniture.
P.S. If you’d like even more of a shortcut just take our Style Quiz.
We started close to home with Australian design/designers. These first six books teach different parts of the puzzle—colour, materials, styling, art, and that distinctly Australian charm. We’ve included who each book is best for, what you’ll learn, and one thought exercise (or practical if you’re feeling brave) you can try straight away.
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Adelaide Bragg & Robyn Lea
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Best for:
Anyone who wants timeless Australian style without turning their home into a showroom
Renovators and decorators building a cohesive look across multiple rooms
Our Eucalyptus Grove or Cattle Plains theme
What it teaches:
How Australian homes balance polish + warmth
The quiet power of restraint: fewer, better materials and well-chosen pieces
Try this at home (5 minutes):
Choose one hero material you love (oak, linen, travertine, clay, leather).
Identify 3 places you can repeat it (lamp base, dining chairs, cushions, art frame). Repetition = instant cohesion.
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Juliette Arent & Sarah-Jane Pyke
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Best for:
Anyone who’s stuck in “safe neutrals” but wants colour that still feels grown-up
People who love design, art, and storytelling (and want their home to reflect it)
Our Red Centre or Great Blue Barrier theme
What it teaches:
Colour isn’t just “blue vs green”—it’s undertones, mood, and balance
How to build rooms that feel intentional, not accidental
Try this at home (5 minutes):
Pick your base neutral (warm / cool / balanced).
Add two supporting tones (timber + stone, clay + linen, etc.).
Choose one accent colour that appears in only 2–3 places. Done.
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Amber Creswell Bell
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Best for:
Anyone choosing art and thinking, “I don’t know what works in my house.”
Homeowners who want a room to feel finished without buying more furniture
All our themes!
What it teaches:
How abstract art influences a space through movement, scale, and colour energy
Why art is often the simplest way to create a “designed” home
Try this at home (10 minutes):
Measure the wall above your sofa/bed.
Your art should be roughly two-thirds the width of the furniture below it (give or take).
Getting scale right is 80% of the battle.
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Jessica Lillico & Sean Fennessy
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Best for:
Country lovers, acreage dreamers, and anyone drawn to natural, grounded homes
People who want modern design without losing soul
Our Cattle Plains or Red Centre theme
What it teaches:
The Australian gift: modernism that belongs to the land
Why honest, “imperfect” materials (mud brick, recycled timber, textured plaster) age beautifully
Try this at home (5 minutes):
Do a “gloss audit.” Walk your space and note anything overly shiny (high-gloss paint, reflective surfaces).
Swap just one element to matte/soft (linen cushion, textured throw, matte ceramic lamp). You’ll feel the difference immediately.
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David Flack, Amy Astley, Evan Roberts, Ian Roberts, Anson Smart
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Best for:
Maximalists-at-heart who want personality without chaos
Anyone trying to master layering, pattern, and collected pieces
Our Far North Rainforest theme
What it teaches:
How to mix eras, objects, and textures so a home feels curated, not cluttered
That bold design still needs structure (scale, repetition, editing)
Try this at home (10 minutes):
Use the “one loud, one quiet” rule on any surface:
Keep one statement (art / sculptural vase / patterned object)
Pair it with one calming anchor (plain tray / neutral book stack / simple bowl)
If everything shouts, nothing lands.
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Amber Creswell Bell
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Best for:
People who love texture, handmade pieces, and homes with soul
Anyone whose space feels “almost there” but slightly flat
Our Coastal Dunes or Great Blue Barrier theme
What it teaches:
Why ceramics (and handmade objects generally) add depth and warmth
How shape + glaze + imperfection can soften a modern room beautifully
Try this at home (10 minutes):
One matte (ceramic / stone)
One soft (linen / wool)
One warm reflective (aged brass / timber)
Add them together on one vignette (console, coffee table, shelf) and your space instantly reads richer.
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