Colefax & Fowler: The Best in English Interior Decorating: The Best in English Interior Decoration Hardcover – 12 Oct. 1989

I have a large number of Interiors Books and my collection is expanding all the time - thanks to Amazon and the way one can search and find recommendations based on things you have already bought or by finding information in other's reviews. Many of my books (eg those by Ros Byam Shaw or Kit Kemp and other current authors) are really lovely, interesting and inspirational with very good quality photographs. This book is lovely too but very different. It is older (1989) and was written, I think, at the zenith of the English love of Chintz. In the books I have just mentioned the text really follows the photographs. Here it is the opposite. This is essentially a history of the famous Colefax & Fowler from inception to the publication date written by Chester Jones (then a Director of the Company) and the photos illustrate the text. It starts with John Fowler - a name I was familiar with (various Farrow & Ball paints owe their names to him) but did not really know much about the details. At first I found the text about his life a little sticky - used as I am to looking at glorious pictures and shorter pieces of text. However the more I got into it the more interested I became. Other famous names (eg Sybil Colefax and Nancy Lancaster) are introduced as the story goes on. It is a proper read and gives a fascinating insight into how the whole profession of an Interior Designer as we know it today has come into being - and changed. Whilst the emphasis is on the sorts of houses that C & F were decorating (that we mere mortals only sniff at from the other side of a rope at the National Trust etc) nevertheless the principals, fabrics and styles are still relevant to today's classic English Interior whatever size it is. Perhaps with a bit of a modern twist and certainly a little less chintz for my taste (but it's all personal). There are principals and tips there if you read the text properly. Many of the photographs are very clear and large, whilst others are somewhat small, dark and difficult to make out. I can only imagine that this is a combination of older photographic technology and also perhaps a different slant on interiors (darker atmospheric corners being more fashionable then than they are now maybe?). So I have found myself peering at smaller pictures trying to see details. I have also noticed that various C & F fabric/carpet patterns etc are often mentioned but sadly not illustrated which would have been better. However, as said, this is a slightly different kind of interiors book, written in a different era together and with older technology so I can forgive these slight drawbacks. The latter part of the book gives examples of more recent C & F projects at the time of publication and the development of style, technology and the way that C & F operates is interesting to see. In conclusion then, I think this must be a Classic among interiors books. I would not recommend it as a first or even second or third Interiors book if you are simply trying to get some ideas for your home, but if you are interested in Interior Design (in particular what might be called, Classic English, French and American Interior Design - as there seem to be plenty of similarities between these) and you have already devoured a number of books on it then I would very much recommend this book - it delights, inspires and provokes much thought all at once. I bought a good second hand copy and it is exactly as described. It was also very good value (think of how much just one copy of the more expensive magazines will cost and how many adverts are in it).

A must have book from the eighties, the styles are coming round again and will be trending again! Lovely interiors and inspirational if you are looking for classic English country house style.

This book from 1989 has really stood the test of time. It’s a handsomely produced hardback with interesting and informative text and copious photographs, all in colour apart from a few which were originally black and white. The rooms featured are in the Colefax & Fowler chintzy, smart country house tradition, all grand but very comfortable looking and, to my mind, not dated at all. But I can see that for many people, particularly adherents of the fashion in recent years for plain rooms in shades of white or grey, the interiors shown would seem old fashioned and fussy.For people like myself, who live in far more modest surroundings than those included in the book, but like vintage and pattern, it’s a great source of ideas to make our homes more comfy and a little more stylish.

Classic book should be on everyone’s bookshelf.Although Colefax and Fowler styles are slightly dated now, the theory behind the decorating style formed the basis of many country house interiors. Useful book to look through If you like the Colefax and Fowler style

The book arrived on time and in excellent condition. A classic interior design book indeed one to treasure. Thank you for your prompt service.

Excellent very clean copy

Great price, great packaging and speedy delivery thank you ++++++

I wish I wish........a stunning bygone era !