Furniture Books

My first encounter with this publication was through our local library. As an avid reader and collector of endless ideas for my home, I found this book to be inspirational. Okay, so my mundane painting classes did not create a Rembrandt, but I still can pull off these interesting projects with a little cunning imagination. For those of us who lack painting skills you can choose a few alternatives for making these items come to life. My choices would be decoupage and/or stencilling. For those with a gifted paintbrush these projects would be fantabulous. One or two of these cleverly executed pieces would be great accent pieces in a home.

This series by the Furniture Society overall is wonderful. It is kinda like an annual newsletter about the major trends in the studio furniture world. The photos in this year's edition present the theme, varioius materials, very well.

The book is a compliation of different articles. And the articles are quite varied. For example, there is an article on "Old Brown Furniture", a review of 18th century furnture from Rhode Island. And there is an article called "Furniture as Prop in the Social Theater of Life". There is an article about the design of inexpensive furniture used in dormitories and articles about furniture that is so 'arty' that it will never used as furniture.

If you are interested in studio furniture, you will definitely find something to like in here. You probably won't enjoy every article but the book is still quite useful.

I have 25+ titles dealing with antique furniture and Four Centuries of American Furniture is, in my opinion, in the top three...a true "text book" of American furniture study. In this revised edition, Fitzgerald covers, in great detail, American furniture styles from the earliest settlers through the mid 20th century. Each period is covered in great depth, providing detailed info on the various regional style differences,how each one evolved, which countries influenced American furniture, as well as the many social and economic changes that influenced each style. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in antique American furniture.

"Frank Lloyd Wright's Furnishings," by Carla Lind, is one in an excellent series of "mini-books" about the work of this great architect. This volume is devoted to the various items that went inside the houses designed by Wright. The book reveals Wright to be not only a skilled architect, but also a master of interior design.

This book contains many of the praiseworthy features of other volumes in the series: a concise text by Lind, a treasury of wonderful full-color photographs, and an interesting series of sidebar quotes from Wright and others. The book covers many topics: bedroom furniture, dining room chairs, office furniture, lighting fixtures, cut stone decorative panels, and more. Lind also makes mention of some of the craftspeople who collaborated with Wright on these furnishings. Overall, this little book is a fine tribute to the work of an architectural visionary.

Frank Lloyd Wright began designing furniture over 100 years ago and yet this is the only comprehensive book on his 75 years of work. The book offers contemporary and historical views of many Wright interiors featuring the furniture in the original context for the most part. Much of this furniture has now been removed from the houses. Several of these pieces are on view in museums but much of it went into private collections. The range of views of the furniture is unique to the kind of book that Heinz has become well-known for. He finds views that can show features and arrangements of parts that other photographers seem to be blind to. When Heinz includes more than one example of a chair, either by using two chairs of the same design but faced front and side, or by including several designs [as in the Dana House] or with the designs of others [with Mackintosh, Stickley and the Greene brothers] they tell more than any text or caption could. The large page format is also helpful in showing the detail of each example. The types of wood and grain directions as well as finishes and textures assists in the analysis of the work. Heinz even goes outside the title definition of the book and includes associated examples of Wright's work as the chapter on rugs and textiles shows well. This may be the only concentration of Wright's textile designs. This is refreshing, to see the originals. in light of the "interpretations" that are now in the marketplace confusing the issue and the real genius of Wright's work. Interiors and Furniutre is a great companion book to Heinz's Glass Art which was issued at the same time and by the same publisher as this volume. This will be the definitive work for many years to come.

When I first saw this book in London just after it was first published it took my breath away. Being an ardent admirer of everything to do with 18th Century France my knowledge was already fairly extensive on this topic, however nothing prepared me for this lavish volumne filled with wonderfully researched information and the most glorious illustrations, often of pieces never publicly photographed before. I dont believe there has ever been a more comprehensive study on all the major Furniture Makers and Styles of French Furniture through the Golden Period of Pre revolutionnary France in the 17th and 18th Centuries. This book is still the number one reference material for all things to do with this highly creative period of furniture design in France, a period never equalled for creative design, innovative use of distinct materials by different artists, and with unsurpassed attention to detail in execution.

"French Furniture Makers" provides extensive chapters devoted solely to all the major furniture makers from the earlier 17th century masters such as Pierre Golle and Andre Boulle who were responsible for the first furnishings of Louis the Fourteenth's newly built Versailles, right through to the eve of the Revolution with Reisener's sublime creations for Queen Marie Antoniette. Each chapter is accompanied by eyefilling colour photos of examples of each master's work whether they be in public collections like the famed Wallace Collection, Louvre Museum or Palace of Versailles, or in numerous private collections. Many of the pieces also have photos provided of the masters furniture marks or historic inventory numbers from the Former French Royal Furniture Collections.Much time and research has also gone into mentioning the very active guilds that existed in France whether they be for gilders, wood workers or those involved in upholstery. Information is also passed on about the importance of the proper placement of furniture within the whole interior decoration of the french upper class home at this time. For any student of this period or for those who just love French arts in general this breathtaking book makes very informative and enjoyable reading.

For any lovers of Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century French Furniture and Decorative Arts this is a volumn that you cannot afford to pass up. It is one of my most treasured books in my extensive collection on furniture and the decorative arts and of France in general. The beauty of this book is that it can be enjoyed by those with little knowledge of this era of furniture making as well as by the seasoned student of this period like myself. I constantly discover new things when I reread it and marvel at the work it has taken to assemble all the information and photos contained here. A book I cannot recommend highly enough and the very best book on the furniture of Pre-Revolutionnary France. A true treasure.

The most valuable furniture probably of all time was created in 18th century France, though many of the artists were foreign, they all worked in Paris for the French King and Court of Versailles. Pierre Verlet,was the greatest expert on 18th century French furniture, this book is simply splendid.Updated with recent photos and research it is a priceless book for lovers of great French furniture!!!

As a miniaturest I realy recomending this book.
There are lot of ideas with very clear instuctions, for the beginners
and for those who has experience.
wonderful photos that make you happy to start the work in your doll's
house .
you will learn lot of new techniques.

Whether you're a furniture designer, interior decorator, or just like to be "in the know" about putting together your own house, this book provides a visual encyclopedia of styles and design periods, and details all the elements that go into a piece from types of legs and feet to decoration like fluting or ormolu. Truly an essential resource!

From the inside panel:
As Furniture & Furnishings examines and illustrates all the major items and objects of modern furniture with more than 1400 text entries and 1000 key line illustrations. The text and illustrations complement each other, so that the reader can begin with either the object or the word.

All the main types of each object of furniture are featured, together with their methods of construction, their parts and their decoration, both formal and surface.

Even more information is provided by an illustrated timechart of furniture periods, brief biographies of 70 furniture designers, and descriptions of more than 100 furniture styles.

During the 1960's there was an explosion in the creation of furnishings for the mass market especially items made from plastic. Anti-materialist youth consumers desired items that were expendable, impermanent, and fun. Furniture and Interiors of the 1960's is a colorful and exciting look at the creative endeavors of designers during this time.

Not a punch list of must have pieces needed to attain a "look", Furniture and Interiors of the 1960's puts chairs, lighting fixtures, tables into historical context and fleshes them out with the ideas that surrounded their creation. The biggest names are included: Ray and Charles Eames, Joe Colombo, Verner Panton, and David Hicks. Happily, there is also a significant emphasis on lesser-known designers and their products from France, Italy, and Japan.

Furniture and Interiors features more than 300 images, many in color, including: original photos, magazine layouts, catalogs, advertisements as well as contemporary photographs. The text is thoughtful, very informative and a pleasure to read. It also features a thorough index, well-identified photos, interesting captions, and designer bios.

Time has passed and many throwaway items have attained the highest regard, and are now on display in major museums and sought after by collectors. This book too will withstand the test of time and I strongly recommend it and the other volumes available in this series.