ASK KELLY

Fashion | Avedon Fashion 1944-2000 by Richard Avendon, Carol Squiers, Vincent Aletti, Philippe Garner, and Willis Hartshorn, $61.49 | Influence by Mary Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen, from $8.94 | Chanel and her World by Edmonde Charles-Roux, $40.94 | Décor | Vogue Living: Houses, Gardens, People by Hamish Bowles, $47.25 | In the Pink: Dorothy Draper by Carleton Varney, $66.50 | Parish-Hadley: Sixty Years of American Design by Christopher Petkanas, Albert Hadley, and Sister Parish, from $92.48 | Photography | Slim Aarons: A Place in the Sun by Christopher Sweet and Slim Aarons, $53.55 | A Photographer's Life: 1990-2005 by Annie Leibovitz, $31.50 | Vanity Fair: The Portraits: A Century of Iconic Images by Graydon Carter and David Friend, from $93.01

I'm so excited to be kicking off our very first "Ask Kelly" post with one of my favorite things...coffee table books! I look for two things in a great coffee table book: a great cover and great content. I'm not going to lie, my shiniest and prettiest books take center stage in my living room. But, they are also some of my favorites and are within arm's reach if I have a down moment or need some inspiration. And I can't tell you how many times a guest has commented on the selection or even browsed through one of the books...something to keep in mind.

Most of the books on my coffee table can be placed in one of these categories: fashion, décor, or photography. I buy a big range of the three because that's what I enjoy the most...always buy what you love! Especially if you're growing a collection.

Thanks so much for your question Julie and best of luck on your hunt for new coffee table books!

xo, Kelly

P.S. I often use books from consignment stores to do my "stacking"....no point in hiding a good cover!