Popular coffee table book sizes and formats

What size and shape to make your coffee table book is a common question. When you think of what this type of book looks like, an image of a large, glossy-paged hardback book often comes to mind. Coffee table books are designed to be attractive, and generous sizing is an element of what makes this type of book an appealing, luxurious work of art in itself. That said, coffee table book sizes range from mini to oversized, with oversized books generally being the most popular.

Oversized formats are popular coffee table book sizes because they:

• Are eye-catching
• Provide ample page space to display stunning visual content at its best
• Give these books a luxurious and satisfying weighty quality

As previously mentioned, a coffee table book can be any size. However, there are universal industry standard book sizes favoured because they maximise the efficiency and cost of paper, print and production. Trends can also influence book formats and sizes, e.g. large square books were popular in the 2010s.

If you are deciding what size to make your book, here are some of the popular coffee table book sizes and formats*:

Portrait coffee table book

The portrait format is typical and the most popular size. Portrait books are vertically rectangular- long length and a shorter width.

8.5” w x 11” h (21.6 cm x 27.94 cm) is noted as being the most common coffee table book size. It is not too large and can be held comfortably in the hands.

Other notable portrait sizes are:

• 8″ w x 10″ h (20.32 cm x 25.4 cm)
• 9″ w x 12″ h (22.86 cm x 30.48 cm)
• 9.5″ x 11″ (24.13 cm x 27.94 cm)

Landscape coffee table book

The opposite of portrait, landscape books are horizontally rectangular- shorter in length and longer in width. As the name suggests, landscape book formats suit landscape images, panoramic photography, and image series that are best displayed horizontally across a single or double-page spread.

11” w x 8.5” h (27.94 cm x 21.6 cm) is the most common landscape coffee table book size. Like the portrait size, it is not too large and can be held comfortably in the hands.

Other notable landscape sizes are:

• 10″ w x 8″ h (25.40 cm x 20.32 cm)
• 12″ x 9″ h (30.48 cm x 22.86 cm)
• 13″ w x 11″ h (33.02 cm x 27.94 cm)

Square coffee table book

Square books cycle in and out of fashion. A square format can help a coffee table book stand out against the more common portrait format

Popular square coffee table book sizes are:

• 8” x 8” (20.32 x 20.32 cm)
• 11″ x 11″ (27.94 x 27.94 cm)
• 12″ x 12″ (30 cm x 30 cm)

Extra-large book formats

Extra-large art books tend to serve a specific purpose, e.g. displayed in a grand house, a museum or gallery, or are created for artistic purposes as part of an exhibition. These books are seen as decadent and cost a lot to print. The extra-large sizes typically go beyond 14″ (35.56 cm). An example of an extra-large coffee table book is The Impossible Collection of Design, published by Assouline, which comes in at a whopping 39″ x 47″ (100 cm x 120 cm).

If you are considering publishing an extra-large book, do consider the end user. Would they have the space to display it? Would they be able to hold it and flip the pages comfortably? Budget will also play a part, because the larger the book size, the more it will cost to print.

Extra-large book sizes include:

• 11” w x 14” h (27.94 cm x 35.56 cm)
• 12” w x 16” h (30.48 cm x 40.64 cm)

Irregular book formats

A coffee table book doesn’t have to conform to four straight sides. While standard book formats are cost-effective, a published book can technically be any shape depending on the topic, budget and the available production processes, e.g., a round book. Irregular-shaped coffee table books lend themselves to being limited edition collector’s items, produced for occasions such as those where the book may not be available commercially but given away as a gift or to mark a special event. Irregular shapes tend to work well for children’s books.

As you plan out your coffee table book, the format and size you choose will come down to:

• What suits the presentation of your subject
• The size, quality and amount of visuals and content
• The number of pages
• Who the book is for, how it will be used
• The message you want to convey
• Your production and print budget

*Remember: Before settling on a size, if you are self-publishing, always check with your printer because book sizes come down to the millimetre measurement based on the printing set-up. If publishing with a publisher, they should ask for your opinion on the book size and format, if they don’t make your preferences known.

If you need more information about publishing a coffee table book, head this way.

– Tapiwa

[Image credits: The images shown belong to mottss designco on Unsplash. If downloaded and used elsewhere please credit accordingly.]