Customer Reviews

John Fowler: Prince of Decorators

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3 star:		(4)
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With a remarkable memory for the smallest detail, imagination, and an appreciation of beauty, John Fowler was called "the Prince of Decorators." He may well have deserved that sobriquet, but in this lushly illustrated 240 volume we also learn that he was not a prince of a fellow.

Early in his career Fowler worked as a painter for Thornton Smith, commercial decorators. It was there that he learned to paint "the Chinese wallpapers that were so fashionable at the time", and also how to grime and distress furniture. Later, in 1928 or 1929 he set out to work on his own, often freelancing for other decorators. Following a series of commissions, a 1938 House Garden article placed Fowler among England's leading decorators. Rising from a salaried painter to this position in a decade was quite a feat.

More success followed as he joined Sybil Colefax in 1938. He was 32; she who enjoyed stature as a society hostess was 64. However, their alliance was dramatically affected with the outbreak of war when decorating all but stopped. After Sybil Colefax's death the firm of Colefax & Fowler was acquired by Nancy Lancaster, a Virginian whose work is thought of as "English style." She was to teach Fowler much about comfort and scale, "how large houses could be used and enjoyed in the modern world."

Fowler, who died in 1977, had an enviable client list. He transformed some of the most famous houses in England, and was commissioned by Buckingham Palace. The style created by the team of Colefax & Fowler endures today, English Country House Style represents not only decoration but a way of life. Many try to emulate it but none capture it as did John Fowler.

Those with an interest in twentieth century design will treasure this keepsake volume.

- Gail Cooke

I'm addicted to "house books", just as I'm addicted to houses. John Fowler has always been someone whose work I admire, and this book does an excellent job of charting his background and development as a designer. It's not necessarily a book you'll buy to get ideas for curtains from - but you'll understand better why his rooms were more comfortable, suitable and attractive than anyone else's before or since.

I was dissapointed with the lack of quality "full page color photos" inside this book. One can not get a sense of the cozy details in Fowler's designs, in the pics represented within. I found the book mostly a biographical story rather than an inspirational journey through Fowler's career. Don't be fooled by the intimacy presented on the cover...once inside you might be surprised by the lack of warmth.

OH, HOW I WISH TODAYS "INTERIOR DESIGN" GRADUATES AND MANY PRACTITIONER'S COULD OWN THIS BOOK AND DEVOUR ALL THE PHOTOS FOR THEIR CLASSIC BEAUTY!! THIS WAY THEY WILL KNOW WHAT GOOD DESIGN IS. THE INTERIORS DO STAND THE TEST OF TIME AND WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO LIVE...IN THIS DAY AND AGE IT IS ALMOST UNAFFORDABLE ON A LARGE SCALE TO DUPLICATE WHAT GENIUS JOHN FOWLER DID. IT CAN BE DONE ON A SMALLER SCALE.

RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME WE LIVE IN AN ERA OF THAT HORRIBLE 50'S 60'S AND 70'S MODERN, WHICH IS SO COLD AND UNINTERESTING; AND LIKE A JACK DENST WALLCOVERING,THE LOOK IS DATED IN A MATTER OF MINUTES.

EVENTUALLY THE PENDULUM WILL SWING BACK TO GOOD DECORATING; WITH WARMTH. I WISH WE COULD GET BACK TO REALLY BEAUTIFUL DECORATING AND STOP THIS MADNESS OF PROMOTING TARGET AND WALMART CHEAPNESS.

JUST THROWING A BUNCH OF "STUFF" TOGETHER WITHOUT A PLAN AND A COMMON DENOMINATOR DOES NOT MAKE SENSE..THERE ARE TOO MANY SO CALLED "STARS" OF THE TV WORLD THAT PROMOTE BAD DESIGN AND DO NOT REALIZE THEY ARE MISGUIDING THE PUBLIC. THEY ARE JUST IN IT TO MAKE THEMSELVES FAMOUS....RIDICULOUS!!!

I recently ordered the book, Prince of decorators which was about John Fowler, a famous interior decorator. I knew he was a great decorator but I learned so much more from this book. I have to admire his skill and talent especially during the war years when any kind of supplies were limited or of poor quality. Mr. Fowler not only was extremely talented but he had a creative imagination that is beyond belief. Amy one who can take army blankets, dye them and make beautiful elegant formal fancy drapes out of them has to be admired for his talent and imagination. He was the type of decorator who could walk into a room, memorize every bit of it and not need to see it again and still remember every single detail of that room. He could also see in his mind how a room would look completely finished, especially huge rooms that are hard to decorate even with today's availability of most anything we could possibly want.
I was surprised that he was also an expert in mixing paints to get the exact color he wanted, some times using unexpected ingredients to make his paints. He didn't have the use of the paints we are so accustom to using today. Talent like this is rare and only comes from being born with it.
This was a totally delightful book on the history and talent of John Fowler and the large colorful pictures of some of the rooms he decorated in his life time, well, they say a picture is worth a thousand words and in this case that holds true. Mrs. C.

This book is informative, but many pictures are in black and white and fail to show detail. Fowler's forte was decorating on the cheap; a disciple of reclaim, repurpose, reuse. Good ideas for today.

I found this book to be interesting from a historical point of view, more than as an "interior design" book.

I bought this book as a companion to the one I have on Colefax and Fowler. Have always admired the work of the firm. Enjoyed reading more about John Fowler and the projects he worked on.

Book's pictures are of poor quality and worse still, small in frame. Not worth the asking price.

John Fowler has and will continue to inspire the way I decorate my home...this book is full of lovely illustrations and photos and a very interesting read