Great English Interiors Hardcover – 3 Sept. 2018

So, featuring two such luminaries, this book should have been essential reading for anyone who loves the English country house, and although it does have some charm, essential it ain't.You could, of course, argue that any coffee table-format book will not be essential, but theres something about this particular volume that's pushes it over into actively annoying. To start with, the text is often dumb in its bland yaddah, yaddah, yaddah repetition of received ideas. And sometimes it's just wrong: 'Most Tudor houses before Queen Elizabeth would have looked like Haddon [Hall].' Oh yeah? Most houses? What was the late medieval period about then? Did all of the English live in aristocratic manor houses?And then, irritatingly, we don't really get enough photographs, as an example, just four for Ham House (admittedly only one room is being discussed, but even so). Four for Burghley, and one of those is of a pair of binoculars and another an exterior shot which, if nothing else, shows the deleterious effect 19th century plate glass had on old buildings.The whole of the 20th century seems to boil down to Nancy Lancaster's 'Yallah' Room, the frankly ramshackle and woefully half-arsed bohemia of Charleston, and Jill Ritblatt's swimming pool (yawn). David Hicks is squeezed in as a sort of 60s spice, though of course he's been 'done' in more detail elsewhere, not only by himself but also by his son.It feels like a missed opportunity.Sorry, I sound so damning, but honestly go with your gut feeling. I did, I'm pretty sure I was wrong.

Overall rating is 7/10This is a fantastic book. Rather large in size but is full of useful references.The pictures are fantastic qaulity and formating is well done - really adds to the regal charm of country homes.A pet peeve is the length of the description, with some outwaying the photographs. The photographs are beauty shots so don't expect orthograthis or illustrations of grounds, furniture or explanations of styles/concapts. And, this is really just an annoyance than a peeve, but theres no visulized map of the houses featured. I feel like it'd be nice to know what houses are closer to where I live or with some guide to visiting in general.All quite decent though for an art tech student so thumbs up!

Love it! Love the photos and love reading the histories.

over the years we have acquired several books on the subject - this is one of the best

I have been enamored of English interiors all my life, and this has been one of the most impressive books that I have ever purchased on the subject. I highly recommend it.

Arrived safe and sound several days early.Content, pictures really nice quality, Book set in Historic Period Chapters, A nice book to just sit and browse through on cold, dark nights

Very good book with lot of informations and many quality pictures of interiors.

Great book