Filled with hundreds of ideas drawn from tradition, this work is both a confident style statement for the enthusiast of English design, and a reference work for the home decorator.

Discover the world of decorating in the classic English style as revealed by Roger Banks-Pye, one of Colefax & Fowler's most innovative and talented designers. Roger Banks-Pye was one of the most sought-after interior decorators of his time. Design director at the doyen of interior decoration Colefax and Fowler, his work appears traditional at first glance but is in fact spiced with innovation, originality and irreverence. This classic volume shows the decorator at work in a selection of the private homes he transformed with flair and panache, from a London studio apartment decorated on a shoestring to a Scottish hunting lodge where money was no object. This book is a record of the spaces he created and there are accessible, practical and creative ideas to be picked up on each and every page. Inspirational Interiors allows a privileged glimpse into his unique world of style.

"Classic English Interiors is a sumptuous showcase for a distinctive style that is now as popular in Manhattan as in the country houses of England." "Written by The Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill, the book is divided into two parts. The first half reveals the private and the public side of Blenheim Palace, her ancestral home, explores the country houses of Oxfordshire from which Lady Henrietta drew much of her inspiration and features selections from Woodstock Designs portfolio. Her fascinating text reveals life behind the scenes in some of Britain's most beautiful country houses. Hundreds of specially commissioned photographs show how she has translated the confident sweep of classic English style to produce homes of great elegance; comfortable family spaces; fresh, simple schemes and smart, stylish ones." "Classic English Interiors is also an immensely practical book. The second part is an extensive Designer's Lexicon - an inspirational pictorial survey of halls and stairs, windows of all shapes and sizes, seating areas, fireplaces, dining areas, kitchens, walls and floors, beds and bedding, bathrooms and lighting. Here one will find hundreds of ideas for everything from wallpaper friezes to dried flower arrangements; from choosing rugs to displaying cherished collections." "Classic English Interiors is both a confident style statement and an invaluable reference work for the home decorator."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

For Alessandra Branca, living means living comfortably. Growing up in Rome, Branca was always surrounded by exquisite art and architecture. She learned early on that beauty is meant to intermingle with everyday life, and to this day her interior designs, while abiding by classical principles, comfortably accommodate her clients’ lifestyles. “You can’t just do something that looks pretty,†? she says. “It has to work.†? In this book, the designer—based in Chicago—generously reveals her step-by-step creative process, offering invaluable guidance to anyone who wants a home that is both gorgeous and livable. Beginning with her own Chicago townhouse and interweaving insights drawn from several other prominent projects, she shows how she assesses each space’s form and function, selects foundation elements, chooses furniture and lighting, and, finally, incorporates decorative elements that reflect the resident’s personality. Illustrated with 200 lush photographs, the book offers a welcomes introduction to Branca’s enchanting and livable interiors.

This comprehensive guide to the best of three centuries of the most enduring decorating styles explains and illustrates the distinguishing characteristics from both the European and American periods, from the Baroque through to the end of the nineteenth century.

Published on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the dealer Hyde Park Antiques in New York City, this illustrated volume celebrates the sophistication of classic English antiques and interiors. The more than 150 exceptional objects featured here come from Hyde Park Antiques' collection, which are showcased among scores of illustrations of period interiors, drawings from cabinetmakers' pattern books, as well as contemporary interiors from the world's luminary decorators. Recommended for both the serious collector and the more casual admirer of traditional English style and design.