Lovely pictures

This is small but lovely book - A5 size and only 40 pages but filled with great pictures (colour and black/white)and lots of information. I live in a 1930s property and bought the book to see what it might have looked like on the inside years ago, and I wasn't disappointed. The photos are of normal, everyday british homes, not posh or show homes of the day. The contents include architectural styles, furnishings, technology in the home and also the garden. Those wishing to recreate their home to the 1930s era would definitely find this book useful. Its worth the price in my opinion and the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was that I think the book should have been longer.

Clear and helpful advise

John is very clear about how to tile, instructions are straight forward with handy pointers on potential problems so you can avoid them. It really does make all the difference to have this kind of advise and plan before you start. An invaluable guide if you want to get it right.

magical herbs only, but very practical guide

i will admit, it frustrates me a little that there is only magic herbal properties in this book. however, I understand that cunningham has done this so as not to confuse readers
despite this it is a book i constantly read through for all my magical herbal needs. clearly written with helpful tables, pictures and a folk name cross reference, it is my first recommendation for a magical herbal book

Complete Step-By-Step Upholstery by David Sowle and Ruth Dye

This beautiful, inspirational book seduced me into believing that I could reupholster an antique sofa of tricky dimensions.
The gorgeous photographs, clear illustrations and sensible step-by-step instructions were logical and easy to follow. The completion of each stage was satisfying and thrilling and enhanced my confidence in my ability to complete the project. to a professional level. The final result is a pleasingly luxurious and elegant sofa. I can't believe I did it myself and treasure the book that made it possible.

One of the Best Interiors books by far.....

A brilliant recent book full of beautiful photographs of french style interiors. Each chapter covers a basic tenet of the elements of french style..and yes, you have the usual, from paint colours to fabrics and furniture, BUT! what sets this apart, I feel, is the really up-to-the-minute feel of the interiors. Some books on french style are rather dated and their photos look as if they've been dragged out of some ancient archive. This one is different. There is a particular thread of style that runs through the book which I expect is specific to it's author Josephine Ryan. I believe she may have styled some of these photographs, and that is why they feel unique compared to the usual fare. She manages to avoid the cliches inherent in your average interiors book, but without losing any of the allure that makes something peculiarly french. Her style is quite spare, incredibly tasteful and very inspiring. Personally, I feel this is the best interiors book I own and I have a lot!

Looks great, not such great text

A very attractive coffe table book, full of high quality images. However, in terms of garden design and maintenance it is a little bit specialist for my taste. Overall, this is one for the garden historian rather than the gardener. Btw - a previous review questions why gardens belonging to the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) aren't included in the book. I suspect it's because NTS is an entirely seperate organisation from the National Trust for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, rather than the author not rating gardens north of the border.

Excellent reference book

I have been designing and making curtains professionally for over 25 years and bought this book in 1997. I have many books on curtain making & soft furnishings as I am constantly striving for improvement (although my customers are always delighted!!!) and this book has helped me no end with my business.
It's one of my favourites and is packed with useful information with lots of professional tips clearly outlined. The author stresses that there are no RIGID rules to curtain making as styles evolve and you can adapt the instructions to suit.
There's a brief section outlining the history of the curtain, stating that we can learn a great deal by seeing how our ancestors dealt with the problems facing us today, which I found fascinating.

The book teaches you about the different fabrics, how to work out how much fabric to use, measuring essentials, awkward windows, sewing machines & how to get the best out of them, poles & tracks, how to make pelmets & blinds of all kinds, and much, much more.
It shows traditional styles of window treatments (which never go out of fashion) and also the more contemporary, modern styles.
I have found that most customers who want bespoke soft furnishings expect them to last and therefore usually chose traditional styles anyway with an individual twist (which sets them apart from the shop bought styles)- the details that make the difference - and for that purpose the pictures and styles in this book are invaluable.
I found the instructions clear and easy to follow so I would recommend this book for the beginner or professional alike.
I can honestly say that, even though it's fairly expensive compared to some inferior titles(which I wish I hadn't wasted my money on), I have certainly got my money's worth out of this book.
For the professional - I would also recommend The Curtain Design Directory, also by Merrick and Day which is another essential reference book! Hope this helps!

Inspirational

As first time builders embarked on a hand-made earthship project we have been constantly inspired by the photos and stories in this book. A fantastic volume to leaf through for ideas and motivation, there is always something you missed last time to discover and wonder at.
Perfect for bedside, coffee table, bookshelf - wherever it'll be looked at!

A beautiful and informative book

This is a stunning book, not only for armchair gardeners but also for those seeking practical advice. There is also much interesting history about gardening in general and the gardens specifically. The photos are superb, and made me want to rush off immediately to see the gardens. I have only a small town garden, but have definitely been inspired by the planting schemes shown from castle to cottage.

Style but no substance

Firstly I don't hate this book, it is arranged well and it has lots of pretty pictures of what can be done. Unfortunatley it had no real instruction. If this was a book about how to drive it would have lots of pictures of muscle cars, high speed pursuits and stunts but give you the instructions as"you put petrol here, this pedal makes it go faster. Congratulations here is your driving licence".

move your stuff,change your life

I have numerous books on feng shui, by different authors.But this one has got to be the best yet,very easy to understand added with some humour + you can start to implement some of the things mentioned in the book straight away with things that you have in the home already, to get your Feng Shui to work immediately.An example for your prosperity corner a purple lava lamp & anything green-green to get out of the red.It is a book that you can refer to again & again.I cannot put my book down as it is now my favourite book-I highly reccomend it.

A Very Good Book on Fowler

Martin Wood's achievement is to take a vast amount of research and turn it into a wonderfully readable account of John Fowler's work. It is a well illustrated and well written book with a host of previously unpublished photographs. I recommend this book very highly to those who work in decoration, those learning about it and anyone who enjoys the beauties of interior decoration.

good reference to a beginner

Having bought my first greenhouse and full of enthusiasm and eager to grow everything, I found this book to be a great companion.
Divides the seasons, indicates suitable seeds and plants to grow, and give the absolute beginner like myself, a direction without too much information and technical plant info too soon!
thank you, my greenhouse is currently full of seedlings in February!

Colouful, clear and helpful

This is a beautiful book, full of colour photos and illustrations. Maria Thun sounds great - wish she was my grandmother. Everything she says is backed up by her own empirical research - masses of it! Anyone who trashes biodynamics should read this and feel ashamed. Her farm is like a scientific laboratory, and all her advice is backed up by solid research.

Best of all, though, this is a great 'how to' book that takes you through the seasons. Practical and good on the coffee table too!

This is a book packed with inspiration

I wish there were more books like this one. Cath Kidston's bright, imaginative style has inspired me in choosing decor in my own home and although I have recently become a junkie for interiors books and magazines, this one is my favourite! Her ideas are simple but really chic, and nothing in there is expensive to do. I hope her next book is out soon.

Excellent for beginners and experts alike

These books are just brilliant. Easy to read and even easier to understand, they explain everything you need to know about most [if not all] of the plants you're likely to try and raise at home. We borrowed a couple of these a few years ago, and have been itching to buy our own ever since. We'd only ever seen them in garden centres before [and sometimes at rather inflated prices...] Maybe now that Amazon's stocking them, we'll finally get the ones we want.

Informative and Interesting

I believe this book was out of print for a while so it is nice to have it back. Architecture students or anyone with an interest in architecture would appreciate this book. It is a good look at how humans have satisfied one of our basic needs. It is an exhaustive collection of human habitats, written in a clever and unprentious way (unlike most architecture books!). If you like this book, you may also enjoy books by Witold Rybczynski such as Home, and Looking Around.