THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE EVER PUBLISHED TO ENGLISH FURNISHING, DECORATING AND STYLE OVER THE PAST HUNDRED YEARS. IT COVERS EVERY ASPECT OF HOUSE DECORATION FROM THE COLOUR OF THE PAINTWORK TO THE PATTERN OF THE WALLPAPER. MOST OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE MATERIAL AND DESIGN IDEAS HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM THE SILVER STUDIO COLLECTION IN LONDON; PUBLISHED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN BOOK FORM. THIS STUDIO WAS STARTED IN 1880 BY ARTHUR SILVER AND QUICKLY BECAME A LEADING INDEPENDENT COMMERCIAL STUDIO OF THE PERIOD, SELLING DESIGNS MAINLY FOR WALLPAPERS, TEXTILES AND FLOOR COVERINGS, ALSO FOR SILVERWARE, GRAPHICS AND CERAMICS. THE DESIGNS WERE AVAILABLE FROM A VARIETY OF RETAILERS AND MANUFACTURERS BOTH IN BRITAIN AND THE USA, INCLUDING JEFFREY & CO. AND LIBERTY. THE SILVER STUDIO LOOK SPREAD THROUGHOUT BRITAIN, AND SUB- SEQUENTLY AROAD, IN PARTICULAR FRANCE, BELGIUM AND THE USA. THE BOOK IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR DISTINCT PERIODS; 1880-1895 - VICTORIAN DEVOTION TO THE DELIGHTS OF HOME DECORATION, 1895-1910 - EDWARDIAN OPULENCE