Coffee table books are little design love notes for your home. They don’t just sit pretty (although they’re very good at that)—they spark conversation, reflect your personality, and instantly give your space that “effortlessly styled” feel. At Milkshake Living, we’re all about those joyful little touches that turn a house into a happy place.
Whether you're layering them on your coffee table, shelving them with your favourite prints, or using them to prop up a cute candle, these vibrant books are a one-way ticket to instant decor magic. Even better? You can shop them all in Australia.
Here are our favourite colourful coffee table books for 2025—from luxe to budget-friendly, with plenty of personality in between.
1. Assouline Byron Bay by Shannon FrickeA love letter to Australia’s most iconic beachside town, this stunning sky-blue hardback is sunshine in book form. Filled with dreamy photography and local stories, it’s both wanderlust and coastal calm wrapped into one chic package.
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2. Kmart Luxe Travel SeriesThe best budget dupe on the block! These travel-inspired coffee table books feature dreamy destinations like Palm Springs, Maldives, French Riviera and more. With their bold spines and glossy pages, they look high-end without the price tag.
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3. Ken Done: Art, Design, Life by Amber Creswell BellNobody does colour like Ken Done. This book celebrates the iconic Aussie artist through decades of work that’s joyful, nostalgic, and unmistakably bold. It’s basically happiness in hardback.
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4. Vivid: Style in Colour by Julia Green & Armelle HabibA must for any colour-lover. With interiors bursting in everything from lush greens to coral pinks, Vivid is the ultimate styling inspo for people who love their homes bold, not beige.
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5. Slim Aarons: The Essential CollectionThink poolside glamour, mid-century holiday homes, and vintage jetset vibes. This book is packed with iconic photography and makes any room feel just that bit fancier.
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6. Gray Malin: DogsWhimsical, stylish, and packed with pups on beaches and gondolas and everything in between. This one adds a fun pop of personality and is perfect for dog lovers with an eye for design.
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7. Yves Saint Laurent CatwalkThis glossy pink showstopper is as much fashion history as it is decor. With runway looks from the '60s through to the 2000s, it's a visual feast of colour, fabric and iconic design moments.
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8. PANTONE: The Twentieth Century in ColorA celebration of colour trends across decades, this book is a rainbow archive of everything from '60s mod brights to '90s muted neutrals. It’s bold, graphic, and totally Milkshake-worthy.
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Styling tip from Milkshake Living
Play with stacks! Mix colours, heights, and topics. Pop a little ceramic bowl, scented candle, or your fave Milkshake Living art print beside your book pile to tie the look together. -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Need help choosing art to match your new books? Check out our Print Collections for pieces that pair perfectly with your home’s new pop of personality.
Let your coffee table tell a story—one full of colour, style, and charm.
happy living,
the milkshake living team.
