Customer Reviews

Authentic Decor: The Domestic Interior 1620-1920

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Authentic Decor: The Domestic Interior 1620-1920, is far more than a history of the evolution of the domestic interior. Written by Peter Thorton, of the Victoria and Albert Museum, it shows first and foremost that an interior is a reflection of its owner. Everyone is well represented in its 408 richly illustrated pages, from the poor, to the middle classes, to the rich & the grand. Much valuable insight is to be gained from reading this book. I have kept it on my coffee table for years and have guarded it with my life, because people are so engrossed by it. I hope that somebody will use all of their powers of persuasion to convince Viking Penguin, Inc. to re- issue this stunning & informative book!

This is an essential tool for anyone interested in historic European (incl. England) interiors. From a discussion of spatial relationships, to room arrangement, to the minutiae of room decor - ceiling to floor- Thornton describes interiors from 1620 to 1900 with fluidity and wit. The book reads like a good novel, but the information is rock-solid.