English Interiors: An Illustrated History

Writers on the decorative arts, the Gores chart a nation's response to ``the challenge of a bare wall'' in this compendium of household decoration in England, which proceeds from an example of painted walls dating from the 1330s to a brief treatment of 20th-century trends. Amply illustrated with photographs of rooms restored by the National Trust and private concerns, and, for earlier periods, reproductions of paintings, this far-reaching chronicle also covers domestic and social history as the authors offer a lucid, detailed overview of the influences and practices that have shaped English interior decoration. This authoritative, meticulously researched reference will be welcomed by readers with professional or casual interests in the topic. (Sept.)