Although the interiors found in aristocratic houses have received much attention over the years, little has been written about how the interiors of middle-class homes have evolved. This attractive and deeply informed book traces the developmentin word and pictureof vernacular British interiors.

The book is a greatly expanded and revised version of Ayress earlier work The Book of the Home in Britain and deals with a wide range of subjects, including heating and lighting, details of doors, doorways and staircases, and the use of color. Embellished with illustrations from early sources and the authors own line drawings together with photographs of surviving interiors and their details, the book provides evidence for the treatment of historic interiors and inspiration for schemes of decoration today.