Reviews

This book offers a wealth of living spaces full of charming details that evoke the grace and intimacy of past eras. More than 140 remarkable color photographs illustrate how furniture, finishes, surfaces, curtains, accessories, draperies, beds, and tableaux can be transformed to create a mood of warmth, allure, and comfort. The text explains how the designers of romantic spaces have drawn upon elements from many periods and locales, from ancient Greece and Rome to 19th-century Europe. Such objects as miniatures, mirrors, clocks, and tapestries can soften spaces and make them more personal. Materials such as silk, embroidery, and lace add to the sense of escape, luxury, or pleasure. A directory of suppliers supplements this useful and enjoyable text. Recommended for the general reader and for design collections.-- Margaret Jean Owens, Santa Ana P.L., Cal.