A childhood spent in the Baroque splendour of Blenheim Palace gives Henrietta Spencer-Churchill all the authority she needs to discuss classic design styles from Medieval to present day. In this gloriously illustrated work, she reveals the best of those designs, highlighting how individual elements can be incorporated into our homes today. She emphasises the importance of complementing the architectural with the furniture and furnishings to present a style easy on the eye and in keeping with the age of the house. Country cottages, palaces, manor houses and Victorian homes are all featured, accompanied by a history of the style of the time and gentle instruction on how the rooms depicted have been put together in such a way as to make them perfect partners with the house itself. With the easy availability today of reproduction furniture and mouldings, even houses which have lost touch with their origins can be restored to bring back their original feel. Architectural salvage and antique markets unearth features for those with a more perfectionist mind. But repro or original, the art, as Henrietta stipulates over and over, is to stay in tune with the home's initial style. A high-beamed Medieval hall was not designed for a plethora of heavy Victorian furniture and artefacts. Similarly Victorian houses were not designed for minimalist tastes. Careful study of the individual designs will result in a more natural and beautiful look for your period home. Ostensibly aimed at owners of period homes, the book will also appeal to those who appreciate the finer things in life. The visual feasts of Andrew Wood contain a wealth of inspiration for those just looking for classic design ideas.