Read it. Do it.

WORDS: Michelle Coburn

Renovating your kitchen? In search of gardening inspiration? Read on.

Ecological Design (TeNeues, R300)

In an era when product designers are faced with the challenge of combining great design with environmental awareness, this book gathers 60 creations that meet eco requirements.

As with the other titles in this series, detailed information isn’t provided but there is enough to tantalise if you want to investigate further.

From a solar motorhome to homeware made with old books, Ecological Design shows how creative we can be with what we already have.

Kitchen Design (TeNeues, R335)

Investing in a new kitchen and stuck for ideas? This book features designs by 10 European manufacturers and is divided into sections on classic and modern kitchens aimed at helping homeowners to make the most of this multifunctional space.

With wonderful designs such as the electric height-adjustable worktops by Team 7, Kitchen Design provides plenty of visual inspiration to help you to consolidate ideas on finishes and equipment.

New Technologies (Phaidon, R430)

Volume Three in the Design Classics series features the final 333 designs in the top 999 products that have shaped our lives over the past 40 years.

Some, as disparate as the Boeing 747 and Pritt Glue Stick, were chosen by design insiders for their enduring significance or that they have remained unchanged, while others, such as the iPod, are seen as tomorrow’s classics.

The combination of beautiful images and interesting facts combine to make this a great coffee-table-cum-reference book