The Elements of Style: A Practical Encyclopedia of Interior Architectural Details from 1485 to the Present

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Summary: A fantastic archive of interior and exterior architecture!
Review: Any architecture aficionado will be amazed by this book! Want to know what a front door would have looked like in England in 1750? A stairway in Italy in 1530? Windows in Boston in 1910? This book has it! The b/w and color diagrams are outstanding, the text is interesting, and I consider this to be the best overall book on architecture that I've ever seen.

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Summary: Wonderful
Review: As an Architectural Illustrator in black and white media, this book has been an invaluable reference tool. As a Librarian, no Library should be without this book. The only thing that one could wish for is that it was a multi-volume set with many more pages to peruse, like a novel you don't want to end.

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Summary: RESEARCH MADE EASY-GOOD QUALITY PICTURES+DRAWINGS
Review: EVERY STYLE IS FIRST DESCRIBED IN TEXT + PICTURES, FOLLOWED BY DETAILED DRAWINGS + PICTURES FOR WALLS, CEILINGS, DOORS, WINDOWS, FLOORS, FIREPLACES, STAIRCASES, BUILT-IN FURNITURE, LICHTING, WOODWORK, METALWORK AND SERVICES (STOVES, BATHTUBS ETC.) A MUST HAVE FOR EVERY INTERIOR DESIGN STUDENT - CUTS YOUR RESEARCH TIME IN HALF - A GREAT DESIGN TOOL TO USE FOREVER - A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE - INCL. AN EXTENSIVE DIRECTORY OF SUPPLIERS AND USEFUL ADDRESSES, TERMS - EVEN SHORT BIOGRAPHIES OF ARCHITECTS/DESIGNERS THRU THE AGES. GREAT BUY FOR THE MONEY!

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Summary: Comprehensive...but better for Britain
Review: I am restoring an 1840s Greek Revival farmhouse in upstate New York, so I was eager to read this book, hoping for useful info on Greek Revival interiors. Disappointingly, the book lumps all American Adamesque, Federal-style, and Greek Revival architecture together into one meager 27-page chapter. These three styles of architecture once dominated this country for over half a century! It seems like British architecture is given more comprehensive treatment in this book. It'll look nice on the coffee table, but real early-American architecture buffs should look elsewhere.

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Summary: So Very Useful.
Review: This book shows great details of everything in any house at any point in history. A great resource for understanding the diffrent styles defining periods in history. The cutaway diagrams let you understand how diffrent elements were constructed, and how you can reproduce them. Overall, a great architectural resource.

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Summary: should be required for the scenic designer
Review: This book will save the theatrical designer a lot of time. It provides just the right amount of detail to get you going on the right track. This book is the first thing you should open when designing a period piece. My research time has been cut drastically. This is perfect for the junior high or high school teacher who doesn't have the time to spend hours and hours at the library. The drawings are wonderful. This book is worth its weight in gold.