Bookshelf: Set designer and interior stylist Sarah McNabb on her top five books

Like figure skating and expert-level baking, set design and prop styling is one of those crafts that looks mega easy but is most certainly not. Sarah McNabb used to put lovely objects in wonderful positions at Wallpaper* and is now with her skills honed, she is embarking on a freelance career doing what she does best. Her work is angular, vibrant and incredibly stylish, but always with a pinch of fun thrown in for good measure. Let’s see which books have inspired her through her career so far…

Francois Baudot: Eileen Gray

Eileen Gray is a true icon of 20th Century design. Hailing from the south of Ireland at the end of the 1800s, Eileen lived a very mysterious bohemian life between Ireland, London and Paris and is responsible for many modern design classics.

Samuele Mazza: Scarperentola

This book was a gift from a friend and provides constant inspiration, not only because of my love for shoes, but also for crazy still life photography ideas.

Jung Chang: Wild Swans

Wild Swans is a novel about three generations of females in one family in China. It starts in 1909 with the story of Jung’s grandmother in communist China through her mothers and then her own life. The book is both inspirational and educational.

Phaidon: The Photo Book

This book is a vast diary of innovative historical and political photographs – it also contains experimental photographs, before the days of digital post production. It’s the kind of book you can spend hours flicking through.

Claire Wilcox and the V&A: Vivienne Westwood

I have been a huge fan of Vivienne Westwood for as long as I can remember. The book was released as part of the Vivienne Westwood retrospective at the V&A in 2004 and archives all her collections from 1971 to 2003. The styling and fashion photography changes more dramatically than the fashion itself.