It has been said that the 19th century was the age of industry while the 20th was the era of the product designer. This lively and informative book explores the 20th-century approach to designing interiors, featuring an evocative selection of original sketches, drawings and CAD (Computer Aided Design) printouts from the National Collection of Designs at the V&A. Furniture, ceramics, sale catalogues and other items from the V&A collections provide fascinating clues as to the relationship between initial idea and finished product.
The illustrations show the innovative and often cutting-edge designs produced by some of the leading designers of the day. Four key sections - Living Rooms, Kitchens and Dining Rooms, Bathrooms and Bedrooms - not only demonstrate an extraordinary range of ideas for the domestic interior, but also highlight the huge lifestyle changes that occurred across Europe and America during the 20th century. Looking at the tension, evident throughout, between the 'traditional' and the 'new' looks, the book also examines the importance of image to 20th-century consumers of designed products.
From Art Deco and the Bauhaus to the explosion of colour in the 60s and the return to minimalism in the 90s, this colourful look at the domestic spaces of the 20th-century is essential reading for anyone with an interest in interior design.
