A History of Interior Design (Hardcover)

~ John Pile (Author) "Living in the modern, technologically advanced world, we take it for granted that a major portion of our time is spent inside, or "indoors..." (more)
Key Phrases: aristocratic interiors, gilded details, plaster ornamentation, Middle Ages, New York, High Renaissance (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Pile delivers a focused and clearly written chronological examination of significant interiors and their associated details." (APT Bulletin, June 2002) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

Much like the history of art, the history of interior design encompasses numerous styles, movements and the international political and social developments that have informed or challenged its evolution. This lavishly illustrated interior design history will be of interest to anyone interested not only in interior design, but also antiques, furniture design, textiles, decorative objects and the general evolution of the space where we work and live.

• This second edition contains 150 new photos, 35 new line drawings, 32 more pages, making it more lavish than the first
• A companion web site filled with even more images is also new to this edition and offers great value
• Presents interior design within the context of sociology, politics, economics, geography and other arts

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 2 edition (August 27, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471464341
• ISBN-13: 978-0471464341
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #300,347 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Wonderful Mr. Pile, June 23, 2005

By	Valerie J. (West Yorks, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: History of Interior Design (Hardcover)

History of Interior Design is great. I study interior design and, without John Pile's books, this wide-ranging subject would have been far more difficult. Studying the subject "history of interior design" would have been such a struggle for me without having this book at my side. I just couldn't find all I needed on the internet. Apart from the high quality paper and excellent images, John Pile has a writing style that gets his point across very clearly. That makes for rapid reading and faster absorption of information.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars amazing resource!, July 19, 2006

By	Thomas Buch "tomscenic" (chicago) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

WOW! beautifully organized and articulated. thoughtful and well-rounded discussion of the variation and evolution of interior design. it was purchased to use as a course resource (on 20th century American consumer culture), but am now tempted to buy my OWN copy.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't like history -- but love design? Buy this book!, January 13, 2006

By	Jane Jayne (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

If you're bored with historical overviews of a discipline, you're in for a surprise. Pile brings interior design to life with vibrant examples, wonderful background detail, and the kind of information that will help you understand this arena with much more depth.