Jennifer Sheahan: My top five interior design books

Gift ideas for the home enthusiasts in your life

Books are always an excellent gift. The living area in Jen Sheahan's home in Rathmines. Photo: Moya Nolan

A book is such a foolproof gift. They’re just the right balance of personal yet universal. There are bookshops everywhere, so it’s easy to pop out and get one last minute. 

You can easily tailor your choice to the recipient, and if you want to add a finishing touch, a handwritten note inside the front cover with a line about why you chose it for them is an easy but incredibly thoughtful gesture.

For anyone who loves interiors — which is most people, surely — a really good home interiors book is the gift that keeps on giving. They always look good on display on a coffee table, and they are easy to pick up and browse through for relaxation or inspiration. 

These are the five home interiors books I give most often, and the ones I keep returning to myself.

FOR THE PRACTICAL DESIGNER

• The Interior Design Handbook, by Frida Ramstedt

This book is never far from my reach. I reference it constantly when working with clients. The word 'Handbook' in the title is important here as Frida Ramstedt does something rare with this book — she breaks interior design down into principles that you can apply to any home. 

The Interior Design Handbook by Frida Ramstedt is never far from Jennifer's reach.

She explains how proportion, flow, light, scale, and layout actually work in an easy-to-follow and adaptable manner. It’s not a huge book, but literally every sentence is packed full of useful information. 

Ramstedt’s tone is straightforward and practical, and because it’s about principles rather than a particular style, her advice never dates. 

If you know someone who loves interiors and wants to understand how to apply design rather than simply copy trends, this is the book to give. It’s also a must-have book for anyone wanting to work in interior design or home decoration.

FOR THE ENTERTAINER

• Eat, Drink, Nap, by Soho House

If The Interior Design Handbook is the brain of interior design, Eat, Drink, Nap is the heart. This is Soho House’s manifesto for living well at home: food, hosting, comfort, atmosphere, and of course their famously cosy-luxurious design style. 

It’s full of styling ideas, recipes, behind-the-scenes notes, and photography that feels warm and lived-in rather than overly polished.

Give this to someone who loves hosting, who always has a candle burning, who obsesses over the finishing touches, and who appreciates interiors not just as spaces to be photographed but as places for gatherings, dinners, parties, and slow cooking on a Sunday afternoon. 

It’s a beautiful book to browse and a perfect one to leave out on display.

FOR THE DIY ENTHUSIAST

• Gaff Goddess, by Laura de Barra

Laura de Barra is truly a national treasure. She’s funny, practical, empowering, and brilliant at breaking down seemingly difficult DIY jobs into manageable steps — things many people were just not taught how to do. I love all three of her books ( Gaff Goddess, Decor Galore, and Garment Goddess), but Gaff Goddess is honestly a household bible. 

The Gaff Goddess by Laura de Barra is a household bible.

It is packed with clear, approachable advice for everything from fixing a leaky tap to choosing the right screwdriver, hanging shelves, maintaining appliances, and avoiding the classic pitfalls of Irish homes (damp, anyone?). 

Laura is consistently focused on quality and maintenance, and this book contains excellent advice on how to properly look after your home and your appliances such that they stand the test of time with minimal waste.

It’s perfect for someone moving into their first home, for renters who want to look after their space, or for anyone who wants to feel confident doing small household jobs without calling in a tradesperson. 

Every time I open this book, I learn something new. If your gift recipient loves a bit of DIY — or wishes they did — this one is essential.

FOR THE AESTHETIC PURIST

• At Home, by Rose Uniacke

A perfect coffee table statement piece for those who appreciate beauty. Rose Uniacke does quiet luxury like nobody else. Her work is calm, muted, architectural, and so beautifully restrained that you could spend an afternoon lost in just one of her living rooms. 

At Home is priced like a luxury item and feels like one — the photography by François Halard is breathtaking, the textures almost tactile, the journey through the home is meditative. At Home is a tour through Rose’s own home, which forms the foundation of her design inspiration. 

It is intimate and beautiful, full of understated elegance, soft palettes, natural materials, and beautiful imagery. Every photo contains a world of details, all of which were carefully considered and designed, and so every inch of this book provides plenty of learning and inspiration. It’s a wonderful book for those who appreciate visual beauty.

FOR THE CULTURED

• The Monocle Book of Homes, by Monocle

This is a great option for someone who loves travel, culture, and architecture as much as interior design. Monocle’s take on “home” is international and thoughtful — from Japanese micro-apartments to Scandinavian cottages to homes designed around community, craft, and slow living. 

The book is gorgeous to flick through but also surprisingly informative; there’s a lot to learn from the way other countries solve spatial problems or design for climate, culture, and lifestyle.

It’s ideal for the adventurous gift recipient — someone who is curious about the world and how other people live. 

It’s also a great one for repeat gifts — Monocle has a fabulous range of books, and is the only magazine I consistently subscribe to. If your intended recipient loves The Monocle Book of Homes, then you’re sorted for gift giving for years to come.