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Review
...[a] knowledgeable, thoughtful, and stimulating book, a beautifully illustrated record of a largely vanished London and... a great bargain. --London Society Journal, Autumn 2010
Product Description
Many of London’s historic houses and even greater numbers of domestic interiors have been lost to us since 1939, as a result of political and social changes, war and a tradition of continual rebuilding. But, thanks to the unique photographic archive of Country Life, this book allows us a vivid glimpse of an age that now seems impossibly remote – the era of great political hostesses in their Park Lane Mansions, of society beauties in smart Art Deco flats and of famous painters at work in the studio houses of Holland Park. The 200 images reproduced here, mostly taken between 1918 and 1939, are arranged to follow the route of a leisurely walk through the capital’s most exclusive residential districts - from the heart of Westminster to St James’s, Mayfair and Park Lane, then ‘North of the Park’ and finally west from Belgravia to Kensington. They show the vanished magnificence of the interiors of the great aristocratic houses like Norfolk House or Chesterfield House. We are taken inside Robert Adam’s Home House when it was home to Samuel Courtauld’s celebrated collection of Impressionist masterpieces and shown the monumental Classical interiors of Dorchester House shortly before they were swept away. There are also many examples of the fashionable decorative arts of the interwar years, including Lady Diana Cooper’s bathroom, ‘Chips’ Channon’s staggering dining rooms and the elegant apartment of Lord and Lady Louis Mountbatten. As well as being a unique record of some of London’s finest homes, this book is a collection of some of the twentieth century’s finest architectural photography accompanied by an illuminating commentary by a leading historian of domestic architecture. John Cornforth, who died in 2004, was a regular contributor to Country Life for nearly forty years. His other books included The Country Houses of England 1948 -1998 and, with John Fowler, English Decoration in the 18th Century.
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First Sentence
Today, Westminster and Whitehall are thought of in terms of public buildings and monuments, not private houses and domestic interiors, and it is hard to envisage this are as largely covered by the two Royal palaces that, by the time Whitehall was gutted by fire in 1698, rambled from the site of the Houses of Parliament to what is now Trafalgar Square. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Today, Westminster and Whitehall are thought of in terms of public buildings and monuments, not private houses and domestic interiors, and it is hard to envisage this are as largely covered by the two Royal palaces that, by the time Whitehall was gutted by fire in 1698, rambled from the site of the Houses of Parliament to what is now Trafalgar Square. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
One could never imagine what exists or once existed behind the facades of London's buildings.
This book catalogues the rich and exotic interiors of old London mansions. Many of these mansions have been destroyed over the last 50 years, and if the building still stands certainly the sumptious interior has been stripped to install offices or banks.
The photographs are very mysterious there is no human activity in any and this creates a tense and disturbing atmosphere.
Ideal book for anyone with an interest in architecture or nostalgia.
This book catalogues the rich and exotic interiors of old London mansions. Many of these mansions have been destroyed over the last 50 years, and if the building still stands certainly the sumptious interior has been stripped to install offices or banks.
The photographs are very mysterious there is no human activity in any and this creates a tense and disturbing atmosphere.
Ideal book for anyone with an interest in architecture or nostalgia.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the second Country Life book that I have bought and once again I am very impressed with the layout and amount of content that the book contains. Thankfully I was able to review some of the pages on amazon before purchasing the book, it's a very nice touch.
My one criticism of the book is that the number of different interiors is very limited, I'm sure that the Archives of country life must be vast. I would willing pay more for more content, but saying that the overall quality of the photographs is quite remarkable, and the written explanations complement them well.
It's quite easy to imagine what the houses would have been like when full I people, and in there heyday. It would be a nice touch to include photographs of living accommodation, and below stairs, and maybe an external shot too. It would just make the subject more relevant.
Overall though it wont be the last book from the Archives of Country Life that I will be buying.
My one criticism of the book is that the number of different interiors is very limited, I'm sure that the Archives of country life must be vast. I would willing pay more for more content, but saying that the overall quality of the photographs is quite remarkable, and the written explanations complement them well.
It's quite easy to imagine what the houses would have been like when full I people, and in there heyday. It would be a nice touch to include photographs of living accommodation, and below stairs, and maybe an external shot too. It would just make the subject more relevant.
Overall though it wont be the last book from the Archives of Country Life that I will be buying.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"London Interiors" was a great purchase! The photographs in it are stunning and of a fabulous quality- many full page- and they are always well labelled and explained.
The explanations were enjoyable to read and gave a great insight into the different parts of London, as well as explaining the history and demise of these magnificent properties.
The book is a gem to have just to refer to, or to enjoy looking at the splendid interiors (as well as occasional exterior) that this book exels in!
The explanations were enjoyable to read and gave a great insight into the different parts of London, as well as explaining the history and demise of these magnificent properties.
The book is a gem to have just to refer to, or to enjoy looking at the splendid interiors (as well as occasional exterior) that this book exels in!
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