History of Interior Design and Furniture: From Ancient Egypt to Nineteenth-Century Europe [Hardcover]

Robbie G. Blakemore (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471286761 | ISBN-13: 978-0471286769 | Publication Date: January 1, 1997

This book is the only current publication of a dedicated history of interiors and furniture. For designers who need stylistic information regarding historic periods, this book is very well organized and thorough. For students, this book offers the possibility of owning a history text without purchasing a general text that makes history only a small part of the information. —Marianne Beecher, Assistant Professor, Iowa State Robbie Blakemore has undertaken a monumental and ambitious project. She has accomplished her goal with zeal and good organization, along with excellent research and scholarship. —Joseph Braswell, Interior Designer, New York City

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The book is thoroughly researched, well-reasoned, and well-written volume..." (The American Reference Books Annual, March 2007) --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

From the Inside Flap

History of Interior Design Furniture From Ancient Egypt to Nineteenth-Century Europe by Robbie G. Blakemore In this long-awaited volume, Robbie Blakemore leads us on a breathtaking journey through five millennia of interior space. History of Interior Design and Furniture presents a comprehensive survey of the major historical periods of interior architectural and decorative styles. This monumental overview offers a unique approach to the history of interior space, architectural details, and furniture. The author masterfully distinguishes between stylistic terms such as Queen Anne, Rococo, and Elizabethan, underscoring the important aesthetic concerns of the societies that produced these styles. Beginning in ancient Egypt, Blakemore’s authoritative survey chronicles the ever-changing panorama of Greek, Roman, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and nineteenth-century design. From wall paintings in Pompeii to the luxurious parlors of Victorian England, special attention is paid to the relationships between interior architecture and the objects that define its spaces. But this ambitious work is more than a history of style; it places furniture and design within the broader context of social, political, economic, and technological perspectives unique to each historical period. Examining the concept of design as a historical continuum, the author traces this thread of influence across centuries, from the ancient Romans retrospective look at their Greek forerunners to the revival styles that characterize the Victorian age. Thoroughly researched and clearly presented, the text integrates enlightening facts against a backdrop of the evolution of space and the interior aesthetic over time. Over 350 elegant photographic and graphic illustrations complement the text. Stunning three-dimensional plans convey the spatial relationships that are critical to understanding the history of interior architecture, and an historical timeline chronicles the important events that shaped interior design. Explicit, cogent captions not only identify each figure but provide insightful commentary that supplements the primary text. No other book combines all of these features in a single volume. History of Interior Design and Furniture is a unique information source that fills a gap in the literature of interior design. Stimulating to the practitioner as well as the layman, this impressive book is required reading for the serious student and educator of architecture and design. Lavishly illustrated, the book is both an engaging tour of the history of interior design and a must have reference for the professional interior designer’s library.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (January 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471286761
• ISBN-13: 978-0471286769
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #277,123 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #30 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Interior Design > Style
  • #58 in Books > Arts & Photography > Design & Decorative Arts > Furniture Design

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Underwhelming and overpriced, February 1, 2002

By 

Mark Pirolo (Winston-Salem, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: History of Interior Design and Furniture: From Ancient Egypt to Nineteenth-Century Europe (Hardcover)

The text of this volume is decent and well organized but in the area that most designers are interested in, visual examples, it is sorely lacking. A very minimal section of color photographs (which jump from Roman to the Renaissance. No sign of the Gothic)and a series of low contrast black and white ones are augmented with a series of uninspired drawings. All of this might still be helpful and useful were it not for the price. There are many volumes on furniture and decor that have come on the market recently which are superior in their content and priced more reasonably.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Better for furniture/antiques dealers than designers, March 26, 2001

By 

Michael S. Cole (Kansas City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: History of Interior Design and Furniture: From Ancient Egypt to Nineteenth-Century Europe (Hardcover)

This book is a good encyclopedia of the history of interior design going back to ancient era- it catalogues the general overview for each period chronologically, explaining the function and materiality of a space or piece of furniture. The book is particularly nice for classifying particular styles of furniture and may be more suited to an antiques dealer or furniture dealer than a professional interior designer. The major problem i have with the book is that most if not all of the photographs are black and white, and it completely skips the modern era of design, pretty much ending with the turn of the 19th century. No mention of my favorites like Mies van der Rohe or Mr. Wright. This absence somehow makes this book seem incomplete.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A definitive must for ID Students studying the History, January 26, 2007

By 

waterlilly (Skopje, Macedonia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: History of Interior Design and Furniture: From Ancient Egypt to Nineteenth-Century Europe (Hardcover)

Well, I youre thinking between this and Piles' History of ID then this is a much better book. Each style is explained with great details, and black and white photos and sketches are really helpful, and in the middle of the book is about a dozen of color photos of interiors.
I used this book a lot for my studies of the history of id.
If you're looking for a book full of photos of interiors and fancy words then just don't bother buying it since you wont find them in this book