Five Art and Design Books for Your Summer Reading List

The Enchanting Interiors of Bunny Mellon: Paintings by Snowy Campbell, with a foreword by Charlotte Moss

Featuring luminous paintings by artist Snowy Campbell, this long-awaited volume provides an inside look at philanthropist and style icon Bunny Mellon’s flair for design and her homes’ elegant interior spaces. Hired by Mellon in 1970, Campbell documented the Mellons’ residences in New York City; Upperville, Virginia; and Washington, DC, showcasing rooms layered with blue-chip art, fine antiques, and personal treasures arranged with effortless sophistication. With a foreward written by Charlotte Moss, the book, a project originally launched by Mellon and featuring contributions from design luminaries and text from society writer James Reginato, celebrates her singular ability to balance grandeur with comfort. The result is an artistic tribute to exquisite taste, timeless decorating, and a life rich in connoisseurship. $60, Rizzoli.

Jenny Sais Quoi: Adventures in Vintage & Personal Style, by Jenny Walton

In this vivid visual diary, artist, designer, writer, and Vogue vintage shopping columnist Jenny Walton invites readers into her world of color, nostalgia, and unique aesthetics. Mixing collages, essays, illustrations, paintings, and photographs, the author traces her evolution from fashion student to street-style star to international tastemaker, revealing how vintage clothing became a source of confidence, joy, and self-expression for her. Along the way, Walton shares thoughtful advice and stories on everything from how to shop secondhand to designing a personal palette focused on individuality instead of trends. Playful design details, like the eye-catching trompe-l’oeil cover and interactive mix-and-match pages, make this collection a celebration of personal style that’s as creative as the author herself. $54.95, Monacelli.

Courtesy photos

Summer by the Sea: Cottages from Watch Hill to Little Compton, by Thomas A. Kligerman, with photographs by Read McKendree

Renowned architect Thomas A. Kligerman turns his lens to Rhode Island’s storied seaside cottages in this vibrant exploration of the shingle style, often called the “architecture of the American summer.” The book begins in Watch Hill and winds along the Atlantic coast, tracing the evolution of these relaxed yet refined homes from 19th-century masters such as Calvert Vaux to modern architects including Peter Bohlin and Gil Schafer. Alongside historic and vernacular cottages, some held by the same families for generations, Kligerman includes his own Weekapaug retreat, designed as an homage to childhood summers. Lush photography captures breezy porches, layered interiors, and landscapes that make up this enduring idyllic setting. $64.95, Monacelli.

Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art, edited by Sonnet Stanfill and Lydia Caston

This richly illustrated volume revisits Elsa Schiaparelli’s life and legacy. The visionary Italian fashion designer, who blurred the line between art and her craft, was celebrated by Cristóbal Balenciaga as the “only real artist in couture.” Infusing her designs with surrealist wit, she collaborated with figures such as Salvador Dalí and Man Ray. From the controversial lobster dress in Wallis Simpson’s trousseau to the daring tennis culottes worn by Lilí Álvarez at Wimbledon, Schiaparelli creations were as provocative as they were wearable and attracted a devoted circle of Hollywood and high-society clients. Today, her bold visual language endures in Daniel Roseberry’s work for Maison Schiaparelli, proving her lasting influence on fashion’s avant-garde. $70, Abrams.

Flowering Outdoors: Gardens & Parties: Inspiring Floral Touches for Outside Spaces and Entertaining, by Margot Shaw, with Lydia Somerville

In this lush guide to al fresco living, author and Flower magazine editor Margot Shaw gathers leading tastemakers to share fresh ways of bringing flowers into exterior spaces. From city balconies and country patios to mountain retreats and seaside terraces, designers including Meg Braff, India Hicks, and Zezé provide ideas for styling these spaces with beautiful blooms housed in metal urns, terra-cotta containers, and other pots. In addition to inspiration for hosting garden parties with finesse, the book includes a practical primer on garden elements such as architectural details, furnishings, and statuary that shape inviting open-air “rooms.” The result is a visual feast and a practical handbook for seamless entertaining. $50, Rizzoli.