Coffee table books are a chic way to decorate the home and get acquainted with some beautiful photography and powerful messages. Below, you’ll find some of our favorites – a few you may even find near and dear to your heart – plus some tips on how to use them in your home.

Along with some strategically placed objects, like a piece of coral, a bunch of fresh colorful flowers, or a pair of ornate candle holders, a few great coffee table books always seem to add that extra “wow” factor to a well-decorated surface. Not only are they great conversation starters when entertaining guests, but they’re also great fodder for passing the time on a rainy afternoon. And, if you’re at all passionate about the environment, culture, fashion, animals, art, or photography then you’ll have the perfect catalysts for enjoyable banter thanks to these great books.

1. “The Modern Natural Dyer: A Comprehensive Guide to Dyeing Silk, Wool, Linen and Cotton at Home”, by Kristine Vejar

Centered around using natural materials, this user-friendly book teaches its curious readers how to dye “yarn, fabric, and finished goods at home with foraged and garden-raised dyestuffs as well as with convenient natural dye extracts.” There are 20 different projects that cater to different crafting skill levels contained within. Whether you want to hone your dying skills, or you’re secretly in it for the gorgeous colorful photos contained within, this book would be a beautiful addition to any table.  

2. “Hungry Planet”, by Faith D’Alusio and Peter Menzel

This book explores the cultural diversity that exists when it comes to our diets. Photographer Menzel and author-journalist D’Alusio chronicled what 30 different families in 24 different countries ate for a week. This amounted to 600 meals in total, and it showed just how prevalent feast and famine really are. One family in Germany enjoyed chocolate croissants, cinnamon rolls, and beef with a $500 a week grocery budget, while a family in Mali, with 12 people in the household, lived on corn and millet with a $26.39 weekly allowance.

3. “Earth From Above”, by Yann Arthus-Bertrand

This UNESCO supported project is “the result of a five-year airborne odyssey across five continents and 60 countries, ‘Earth from Above’ is the most revealing and spectacular portrait of our world ever created.” A testament to the natural wonder, inner workings, and also the fragility of our planet, Arthus-Bertrand, renowned French aerial photographer, captured these moments in time beautifully. This coffee table book is sure to be an awe-inspiring experience.

4. “Finding Home: Shelter Dogs & Their Stories”, by Traer Scott

Scott published this eye-opening book as a follow up to her first, “Shelter Dogs.” Within these covers are the glorious, sorrowful, and sometimes hopeful black and white photographs of shelter dogs that Scott encountered as a volunteer. Alongside these pictures are the unique stories about their pre-shelter lives and what the future holds for these gentle creatures. If you’re a dog lover who wants nothing more than to save them all, then this is a book to consider.

5. “Make Garbage Great: The Terracycle Family Guide to a Zero-Waste Lifestyle“

From “a world leader in the upcycling And recycling movement,” Terracycle has published a book that’s considered the “household primer to going and staying green.” What’s different about this book, though, is that it’s chock full of more than 200 photographs and illustrations, and more than 100 tips and DIY projects that approach the upcycling subject in a very non-confrontational and user-friendly way. What’s great is that this book’s coffee table appeal means the ideas will always be handy since you won’t have to put it away on a shelf.

And, if you need a few tips on how to decorate with all of these new coffee table books (hint: layering is the secret), then consider the suggested arrangements below:

• Add color and style to a glass table by taking several books and covering the surface with about an inch in between each one, creating a grid-like “base” on which to place other items like bowls, small succulents, or a geode.

• Stack your coffee table books from largest in size to smallest in size, about four or five books in all, and then top them with something special like a treasured sculptural piece.

• Create a small vignette by using a serving tray, clear acrylic is very cool, that holds one of your favorite coffee table books, along with a few other objects that sit in the tray, too. Try a magnifying glass with a fancy handle, a small decorative box, and a golden urchin.

We hope you’re as excited about these books as we are. Share your thoughts with us on the EcoSalon Facebook page!

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Coffee table books image via Shutterstock

The post 5 Visually Stunning Coffee Table Books with Equally Powerful Messages appeared first on EcoSalon.

A picture is worth a thousand words. The expression may sound cliche, but in the conservation movement, it couldn’t be more true. In the day and age of quick soundbites and short attention spans, when it comes to promoting a cause, grabbing people’s attention is key. We need more than just hearing about things in order to care; we need to see them, and we need to be moved.

That’s one of the main reasons that pilot Tom Hutchings takes visitors to the Gulf of Mexico up in the air in his Cessna 182, knowing very well the visual power of seeing this environmental catastrophe from above. In the weeks following the Deepwater explosion, oil covered the diverse marsh landscape of the Mississippi Delta, turning a pristine habitat into an alien environment.

Hutchings flies for South Wings, a non-profit with a tagline of “conservation through aviation.” Founded in 1996, the organization is committed to connect conservation groups with pilots, providing flights at no cost.

“Do you get motion sick?” Hutchings ask as he works to take off a back hatch on the Cessna so our videographer can film through it as we fly.

“Not really,” I respond, not completely sure what I’m getting myself into. As I stare into the small cockpit wondering how I am going to cram my legs in, I realize I actually have no idea what I’m about to take on. This is my first aerial photography tour, something that I’ve always wanted to do, but never had the opportunity.

We load into the small plane and make our way down the runway, slowly lifting into the air and leaving the urban landscape of New Orleans behind. “All the waterways that you see that are straight are manmade,” Hutchings points out. And there are a lot of straight waterways. From above it’s pretty clear why levy failure during Hurricane Katrina had such an impact; this city is surrounded by water.

Soon we’re in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, flying over small islands and marshes. These days, there is in fact less oil visible to the human eye. Gone are the days when entire bays were covered in a reflective slick, but the oil’s presence and destruction is still ever present. Marshes are lined with a reddish color, evidence of oil soaked sand. In a couple of places, thin long lines of oil streak the blue water, almost as if painted on. In protected bays, oil collects and doesn’t move. As Hutchings points out, stormy weather blows it in, and there’s no way to get it out.

But it’s not just the destruction that gets to me; it’s the natural beauty. Blue water dotted with bright green marshes. Natural designs created from the various waterways. From the moment that we start flying over this diverse and rich natural landscape, it’s apparent how unique and sensitive it is; to storms, to oil and to people.

“Disaster tourism” is what some people deem projects that take travelers to areas that have seen some kind of catastrophe or devastation. Yet when you travel to a place and see it first hand, you quickly realize how connected you are to that place.

In the Gulf of Mexico, it’s apparent that even being from the Northwest, this is my backyard. It’s hard not to get emotional as I fly over this amazing place, thinking about how I would feel if a similar disaster were to happen to the natural spaces that I call home. Tears well up as I continue snapping photos, trying to capture the scope and colors of what passes below me.

“Did you even think about the Gulf of Mexico before this oil spill?” Hutchings asks me.

I think for a second. I’m embarrassed by my answer: “No, not really.” And it’s true. Besides having looked at it on the map, I realize that I’ve never really given a second thought to this region’s culture, environment and economy. But it’s a region that works its way into all of our lives, from goods that get transported up the Mississippi, to seafood that’s shipped all over the country to jazz music.

I realize that it’s all this that we’re trying to capture in photos and with video. That’s a big order. But it must be done, or we will never contemplate what our everyday actions have on people and regions outside of our immediate circles. And that’s why Hutchings continues to fly, and we have to continue to pay attention.

Aerial Tour from Uncage the Soul Productions on Vimeo.

To check out a full gallery of photos, click here.

This post originally appeared on the project PDX 2 Gulf Coast’s website and has been cross-posted.

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