This article forms part of the Decorative and Applied Arts Encyclopedia, a master reference hub providing a structured overview of design history, materials, movements, and practitioners.
Rather than trend-driven publications, these books have been selected for their longevity, scholarly value, and relevance across disciplines.
Material Culture in the Social World
Tim Dant
A foundational text for understanding objects as social actors. Dant examines how material culture mediates everyday life, offering essential theoretical grounding for the study of decorative and applied arts beyond aesthetics alone.
The Design Encyclopedia
Mel Byars & Terence Riley
A comprehensive reference covering designers, movements, materials, and objects across modern design history. Particularly useful as a desk reference for applied arts terminology and cross-disciplinary connections.
The Craftsman
Richard Sennett
An influential meditation on making, skill, and material intelligence. Sennett’s work is essential reading for anyone interested in craft traditions, workmanship, and the ethics of making within modern design culture.
The Classical Language of Architecture
John Summerson
Although architectural in focus, this concise classic is indispensable for understanding proportion, ornament, and classical vocabulary—concepts that deeply inform furniture, interiors, and decorative form.
Scandinavian Design
Charlotte & Peter Fiell
A clear and authoritative survey of Nordic design traditions, situating furniture, interiors, and applied arts within broader social and cultural contexts.
A History of Interior Design
John Pile & Judith Gura
A standard reference work tracing the development of interior environments from antiquity to the present, integrating architecture, furniture, textiles, and decorative objects.
World History of Design, Volume 2
Victor Margolin
Part of Margolin’s landmark global survey, situating applied and decorative arts within broader social, political, and technological systems.
The Grammar of Ornament
One of the most influential works ever published on ornament and pattern. Despite its nineteenth-century origins, it remains central to the study of surface decoration and decorative systems.
Decorative Arts: Style and Design from Classical to Contemporary
Judith Miller
A broad and accessible overview of decorative arts styles across periods and media, useful for comparative study and visual reference.
The Penguin Dictionary of Decorative Arts
John Fleming & Hugh Honour
A concise but authoritative dictionary covering terminology, styles, materials, and historical movements across the decorative arts.
Curated Reading List
A consolidated version of this selection is available via our Amazon Ideas List for readers who prefer a single reference point.
View the complete Essential Reading list →
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