John Fowler
The Invention of the Country-House Style

The eminent interior designer, John Fowler, was responsible for transforming some of Britain's most important historic interiors. This review of Fowler's work offers an important discussion of the treatment of historic interiors and highlights his concern to create visually successful rooms rather than to merely replicate earlier interiors.

The eminent interior designer, John Fowler, was responsible for transforming some of Britain's most important historic interiors. The 'Fowler style' was tacitly accepted as the correct style for the decoration of a period interior, despite the fact that this appearance of understated elegance and comfort was in fact entirely an American invention. This fascinating and controversial review of Fowler's work, containing full colour illustrations, offers an important discussion of the treatment of historic interiors and highlights his concern to create visually successful rooms rather than to merely replicate earlier interiors. The impact Fowler had on his contemporaries was immense and long-lasting, so much so that today the 'Fowler style' has come to be considered by some as the only style for the decoration of a country house.

Foreword Sir Neil Cossons. Introduction Helen Hughes. Working with John Fowler Peter Inskip. John Fowler and the National Trust Tim Knox
Recent investigations of Fowler schemes by Christine Sitwell
Inspired by the past? by Patrick Baty
Colour in historic houses in public ownership by Ian Bristow
John Fowler and Nancy Lancaster at Kelmarsh Hall by Marianne Suhr
Paint samples from the Entrance Hall at Kelmarsh by Ian Bristow
English Country-House style: the English Country House as it might have been but never was by Louise Ward
Index.