In March, we introduced you to nine design books that hit the shelves. Now it’s time to take a look at the April introductions. From interiors abroad to architecture and entertaining, here’s a look at what to expect this month.

French Accents: At Home with Parisian Objects and Details (Potter Style) by Erin Swift illustrates how to choose fabulous French decorating details to create interiors with a sense of sophistication and charm. French details are the key to achieving the effortless chic of the French home, according to the author. Within these pages, readers are offered a look at the exquisite homes of renowned designers, architects and artists, simplifying the elements that define each room, such as color, art and furnishings, objects and accents, structure and texture.

The Tropical Cottage: At Home in Coconut Grove (Rizzoli) by Beth Dunlop takes readers through Coconut Grove, a seaside hideaway filled with homes that have been nurtured, preserved and artfully updated for today. These small cottages, stone bungalows, Mediterranean casitas and Caribbean-styled ranches, offer light, bright colors and cool tile floors, eclectic architecture and a welcoming atmosphere.

Elegant Rooms that Work: Fantasy and Function in Interior Design (Rizzoli) allows readers to learn the practicality of design. Known for her understated elegance, Stephanie Stokes explains how to maintain fantasy and functionality in home decor by focusing on the planning of comfortable and multipurpose spaces that include attractive storage. This design primer is organized by room type and offers solutions to the challenges of creating a livable environment—from clever and attractive storage units to libraries that convert gracefully to guest rooms and home offices. She shares her secrets for using every cubic inch while creating atmospheric environments that work in this attractive yet practical book.

Houses with Charm: Simple Southern Style (Rizzoli) by Susan Sully features photographs of a discerning selection of Southern-style residences decorated by Bobby McAlpine, Ken Tate, Ryan Gainey, Jackye Lanham, Amelia Handegan, and others located in cities such as Atlanta, Charleston, Savannah and New Orleans, as well as seaside and mountain retreats. These intimate dwellings are steeped in architectural tradition and illustrate fresh design interpretations of romantic Southern style, such as a New Orleans double-shotgun with a modern, all-white palette, a 19th c. summer cottage with updated coastal decor, and a Louisiana plantation house with handsome Creole antiques.

Shelton, Mindel & Associates: Architecture and Design (Rizzoli) by Joseph Giovannini and Michael Moran celebrates the firm’s interior design and residential architecture projects. Winners of over thirty AIA awards and recipients of the 2011 Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award for Interior Design, Peter Shelton and Lee Mindel are known for constructing unified environments where the elements of design and construction become comprehensive works of art. The firm has had a remarkable career crafting spaces infused with serenity and intelligence whether designing for Sting’s London townhouse, residences for power brokers and social leaders in New York City, Palm Beach, and the Hamptons.

Designers Abroad: Inside the Vacation Homes of Top Designers (The Monacelli Press) by Michele Keith features 22 vacation homes exquisitely captured in over 200 lush color photographs, and offers glimpses into residences ranging from a Paris studio to a Nova Scotia cliff house; a Cabo San Lucas beach abode to a former 15th c. Roman monastery. Each project is accompanied by the story of how its design was conceived and executed, and how the attributes of each country inspire the designers. Featured designers include Mica Ertegun, Alessandra Branca, Juan Montoya, Timothy Corrigan, Fisher Weisman, Thomas Bartlett and Michael La Rocca, among others. Designers Abroad inspires readers to add a touch of the exotic into their homes.

Following his successful first book David Stark Design, author David Stark has written his next title David Stark: The Art of the Party (The Monacelli Press). The renowned event planner reveals whimsical, artistic, unexpected designs often created from sustainable, industrial or low-cost materials in the 25 parties included in this book. From the New York Metropolitan Opera opening gala to Target's design pop-up shops, David Stark illustrates how he developed the inspiration for theme, color palette and thoughtful coordinated details he's known for, and which make all his events memorable.  

Designers at Home: Personal Reflections on Stylish Living (Rizzoli) is written by Ronda Carman, founder of "All the Best" blog, with a forward by Martha Stewart. The book takes readers inside the houses of renowned designers who share their thoughts on gracious living and how they bring their professional philosophies home. It presents the personal living spaces of today's design leaders including Barry Dixon's Edwardian manor in Virginia's horse country; Hutton Wilkinson’s glamorous Beverly Hills home; and Steven Gambrel’s serene Sag Harbor retreat. Each page is filled with ideas for home design and entertaining.