'Tis the season: Best books for gifting

Stuck for a last-minute gift idea? A gorgeous coffee table book makes a perfect present for design fanatics. We looked at some of the best, most beautiful volumes, and picked a few of our favorites, all of which feature gorgeous photography and inspiring ideas. And if you decide to buy one for yourself? We won't tell anyone.

The Tile Book: History, Pattern, Design

Good design comes in all shapes and sizes. In the case of The Tile Book: History, Pattern, Design (Thames & Hudson, $29.95), it's all about small and square. The perfectly proportioned 7-by-7-inch 304-page hardcover book is filled with 320 color illustrations tile design from 13th century religious designs to 19th century whimsical patterns to 21st century freeform art. Compiled by Here Design, with a foreword by Terry Bloxham, assistant curator of ceramics and glass at the Victoria and Albert Museum, this tiny tome is packed with inspiration. 

Creative Spaces: People, Homes, and Studios to Inspire

Discover how a collection of artists, designers, and tastemakers style their homes and studios with Creative Spaces: People, Homes, and Studios to Inspire (Chronicle Books, $35). Written by Ted Vadakan and Angie Myung, founders of Los Angeles-base lifestyle brand Poketo, the book illustrates 23 creative spaces that range in size from corners and closets to entire homes. The 272-page hardcover book is filled with photographs, interviews, and extra insights, including sketches and even a recipe, all of which serve to create a delightful portrait of artists as interior designers of their own lives and spaces.

Beige Is Not A Color

Dive into the colorful, exuberant, vibrant world of Carlos Mota, a creative consultant who's documented his world in his new book, Beige Is Not A Color (Vendome Press, $75). The oversized, 320-page book is a collection of 280 of Mota's favorite images from all over the world, full of shocking pinks and bold reds and bright blues and every hue in between. There are photographs from Mota as well as some of the world's most prominent designers and photographers, each showcases a spectacular use of color, from tiny tablescapes to street scenes, flowers, feathers, fabrics, and of course plenty of rooms to droll over. Interspersed among all the artwork are quotes about color and its impact on design. This beautiful collection will inspire, surprise, and delight design lovers of all stripes.