Old Houses


Book Description

From an unrestored masterpiece such as the Aiken-Rhett House in Charleston, South Carolina, to a farmhouse in upstate New York, inhabited only by a bird nesting in the bathroom sink, Old Houses profiles 20 houses whose peeling paint, faded fabrics, and antique furniture impart a surprising elegance and beauty. An unusual volume, this book will appeal to historians, restoration specialists, and style-conscious homeowners lookingfor new ideas form examples of the past. Over 250 full-color photographs.




Neo-Classical Furniture Designs


Book Description

Influential guide displays over 300 Grecian designs: fire screens, sofas, couches, chairs, footstools, commodes, sideboards, washstands, bedsteads,and many other items.




125 Treasures from the Collections of the National Trust


Book Description

Presented in a beautiful gift format and filled with a wealth of new photography, this engaging book aims to introduce to a general audience the National Trust's vast collections - a treasure chest of history. Arranged chronologically, starting with Roman sculpture and ending with 20th-century design, it focuses on museum-quality objects as well as important examples of decorative arts, furniture, textiles, books and items with fascinating stories behind them. Selected by the National Trust's curators from more than 1.5 million objects in its collections, the featured highlights include an ancient-Egyptian obelisk; Cardinal Wolsey's purse; the first English globe; one of the earliest surviving sofas; an incredible 18th-century dolls' house; an elephant automaton; a tent made for a sultan; a dress made of beetle-wing cases; hand-written manuscripts by Beatrix Potter and Virginia Woolf; Rodin's bust of George Bernard Shaw; rare, early colour photographs of the Sutton Hoo discovery; a sculpture by Barbara Hepworth and paintings by Holbein, Rubens, van Dyck, Rembrandt, Velázquez, Reynolds, Stubbs, Burne-Jones, Monet and Sargent. Each featured object is accompanied by an illuminating, easy-to-read caption, a timeline of key moments in the Trust's history and a list of properties housing important collections items appear at the end.




The Great British Bucket List


Book Description

If you want to ski off a cliff or swim with sharks, stop reading now. This book is about achievable adventures that celebrate the best of Britain and Britishness. The 60 mini adventures included are graded in difficulty from comically easy to mildly challenging, making them suitable for a wide range of ages and abilities. They include the most beautiful place to go for a stroll, the easiest place for a wild swim and, more importantly, the most spectacular place to have a cup of tea. Not to mention flying in a Spitfire and finding delicious food among the hedgerows. So what's on this Great British Bucket List? Well, a host of alternative UK adventures to get you out of the house. From fossil hunting on the Jurassic coast to forest bathing in Standish Woods, family-friendly music festivals to spectacular walks and lazy picnic hotspots, this essential guide is packed with must-do experiences. Discover the world of luxury eco-glamping in Devon and Suffolk. Book your tickets for the Minack, Cornwall's world famous open-air theatre. Follow in the footsteps of the Kinder Scout mass trespass in Dark Peak, or go canoeing down the Wye Valley in Wales. Besides old favourites, such as Stonehenge and Westminster Abbey, readers will find a bucket list bursting with suggestions for pleasant days out at some of the National Trust's historic houses. Whether you're luxuriating in Sissinghurst's famous gardens or moseying around Fountains Abbey, you're sure to have a uniquely British adventure.




The Country House Library


Book Description

Beginning with new evidence that cites the presence of books in Roman villas and concluding with present day vicissitudes of collecting, this generously illustrated book presents a complete survey of British and Irish country house libraries. Replete with engaging anecdotes about owners and librarians, the book features fascinating information on acquisition bordering on obsession, the process of designing library architecture, and the care (and neglect) of collections. The author also disputes the notion that these libraries were merely for show, arguing that many of them were profoundly scholarly, assembled with meticulous care, and frequently used for intellectual pursuits. For those who love books and the libraries in which they are collected and stored, The Country House Library is an essential volume to own.




Restoration Recipes


Book Description

Develop a keen eye for classic furniture and learn to properly repair, refinish, and refurbish pieces of lasting value. Restoration Recipes includes a host of traditional techniques for restoring wood, glass, metal, and leather, plus upto-date coverage of modern materials and methods. Fully illustrated, easy-to-follow instructions take you through 21 restoration projects with ease. Book jacket.