The Art of the Interior: Timeless Designs by the Master Decorators

This lavishly illustrated volume is a tribute to the designers who have made a lasting contribution to the history of interior design around the world, elevating the interior to an art form. John Saladino and Jacques Garcia are renowned contemporary designers; the clean lines and light-filled interiors of the former contrast with the luxurious, richly colored spaces created by the latter. But who were the leading designers in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and which elements of their legacy remain relevant in interior design today? Respected interiors specialists Barbara and Rene Stoeltie chart the evolution of interior design from the seventeenth century to the present day and share their selection of significant designers from the last four hundred years. Arranged chronologically, the text places the designers in their historical context and details the primary elements that characterized their style or revolutionized taste in their day. The photographs provide a visually evocative overview of the designers’ key works, illustrating the overall impact of the room and the details that make each space memorable. These portraits of the designers and their chefs d’oeuvres demonstrate the aesthetic principles and creativity that shaped the history of interior design. From eighteenth-century interiors by Dennis Severs to Billy Baldwin’s elegant yet livable home design, or from Madeleine Castaing’s eclectic creations that blended antiques with art to the gracious curves and pastel hues of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s art nouveau Hill House, and from Bill Willis’s interpretation of Orientalism in Marrakech to the clean and graphic lines of Andree Putman’s sleek interiors, this volume abounds with inspiration.