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

Blakemore, Robbie G.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0442019564 ISBN 13: 9780442019563

Publisher: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1996

Synopsis

At last, in a single volume, here is a sweeping, historical survey of interior design, decoration, and furniture. Starting around 3200 B.C., at the height of artistic development in ancient Egypt, Professor Blakemore takes us on a beautifully written and illustrated journey across five millennia of stylistic periods. Unique in its comprehensive approach, this book is a much needed addition to the existing literature on the history of interior design. 100 color illus., plus line drawings and halftones.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

History of Interior Design and Furniture, Second Edition presents a comprehensive survey of the major historical periods of interior architecture and decorative styles. Now full color throughout, this monumental overview is a breathtaking journey through five millennia of interior space, architectural details, and furniture.

The updated Second Edition masterfully distinguishes between such styles as Queen Anne, Rococo, and Elizabethan, while emphasizing the critical aesthetic elements of the societies that produced these recognizable styles. Starting in ancient Egypt, this 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.

This impressive work offers more than just a history of style—it examines furniture and design from the broader social, political, economic, and technological perspectives exclusive to each historical period. By examining design as a historical continuum, this insightful book traces the thread of cultural influence across centuries, from the ancient Roman's retrospective look at their Greek forerunners to the revival styles that characterize the Victorian age. Thoroughly researched and clearly presented, this book integrates enlightening facts against a backdrop of the evolution of space and the interior aesthetic over time.

More than 450 elegant photographs and over 175 new illustrations—many covering furniture types such as beds and storage—support the authoritative text inside. Stunning three-dimensional plans convey the spatial relationships that are essential to understanding the history of interior architecture, and a historical timeline chronicles the important events that shaped interior design. Explicit, cogent captions not only identify each figure but also provide insightful commentary that supplements the primary text. This edition is also complete with a new, comprehensive glossary of terms as well as companion Web site.

History of Interior Design and Furniture, Second Edition is a unique and welcome addition to the canon of interior design literature. Stimulating to the practitioner as well as the layman, this grand Second Edition is required reading for the serious student and educator of architecture and design alike.

From the Back Cover

"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

Edition details

• Publisher: Van Nostrand Reinhold
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0442019564
• ISBN 13: 9780442019563
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 392