English Country (Architecture and Design Library)

The English country house was originally designed as a retreat from the hustle and bustle of London life, for cultivating leisure time and sipping afternoon tea, for hunting, fishing, drawing, painting - it represents the essence of English country living. New from the Architecture & Design Library, and with informative text and gorgeous full-color photography that captures the essence of English country style, 'English Country' beautifully portrays this classic style. - Chapter one focuses on the exterior of the English country house. Thatched roofs, half-timbered walls, and diamond-shaped mullioned windows reflect classic cottage style. The splendor of the English country garden is unparalleled in all the world and this fascination with nature is characteristic of English country style, both outside - think of country homes covered in climbing ivy - and inside - think of the enduring popularity of floral fabrics and wallpapers. - The second chapter invites readers into comfortable living spaces where a sense of history is always present. Rich, wood-paneled libraries lined with books and decorated with leather Chesterfields contrast with soft, feminine parlors adorned with period furniture, Chinese porcelains, and yards of chintz. Rooms in which meals are prepared and enjoyed make up chapter three. Discover the variety of English country, from quaint and charming kitchens with plaid or gingham curtains and tablecloths to grand and opulent dining rooms with centuries-old hutches that display heirloom china, crystal, and silver. - The last chapter visits private retreats: bedrooms, bathrooms, and nurseries. Great attention is paid to bed linens, valances, curtains, and wallpaper, particularly in the bedrooms, to achieve the coziness that is typical of the English country style. Even bathrooms reflect that attention to detail, with carefully chosen accessories and accents, like an abundance of fresh flowers, that reflect the country setting.

Suffused with warm honey tones, age-darkened woods, blue-and-white patterns, floral-print fabrics, and lots of fresh flowers, the rooms in this lovely book exude the elegant "crumble-down look" that is the hallmark of English country style. In four short but fairly informative chapters, the volume surveys exteriors and gardens, general living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms, and bedrooms and bathrooms. The actual text is extremely brief (just a page or so in each chapter summing up basic characteristics of each type of room or area), but extended captions for the attractive photos discuss all the specifics, many of which can easily be extrapolated to provide ideas for the reader's own home. --Amy Handy