Democratic in intention and approach, the book will
argue that the home interior, as independently created by the 'amateur'
householder, offers a continuous informal critique of shifting architectural
styles (most notably with the advent of Modernism) and the design mainstream. Indeed,
it will suggest that the popular increasingly exerts an influence on the
professional.



Underpinned by academic rigour, but not in thrall to
it, above all this book is an engaging attempt to identify the cultural drivers
of aesthetic change in the home, extrapolating the wider influence of 'taste'
to a broad audience - both professional and 'trade'. In so doing, it will explore
enthralling territory - money, class, power and influence.



Illustrated with contemporary drawings and cartoons as well as photos, the
book is not only an absorbing read, but an enticing and attractive object
in itself.