Jocasta Innes (1934–2013)

I'm going to refrain from rating this, because I am neither the target audience, nor did I read enough of the informative text to feel that my opinion is relevant. I'm absolutely confident that, for the scholar or professional designer or other member of the intended audience, this is a four or five star read. Lots of glorious pictures. Even more fascinating text - I kept having to tear myself out of it (library book, due soon!) full of history etc. Also several pages of techniques so the ambitious reader could apply her book-learning to her own home.

Otoh, I would have liked more ideas that I could use myself. And so, speaking *Just* for myself, it's three stars.

And what would have been nifty is if, amongst all the 'well-preserved' antique pieces and settings photographed, we'd had some photos of what they must have looked like when they were new. This could probably have been done by either photo-shopping, or by showing more end results of conservationists' experiments.… (more)

Leaves me torn, much of the advice is good but the tone (people who aren't meticulously clean are described as sluts - no seriously, and there's a "boys will be boys" attitude about men not being as clean-orientated as women) just put me off.

Honestly it wouldn't be a book I would give to someone feeling overwhelmed or depressed about their house.

She also enables teens not putting washing up correctly by "fixing" it herself. Personally speaking they would learn better if she left them deal with the consequences of not doing it right.

She talks about poverty but then talks about considering reducing your hairdressing visits to maybe one a month, and the book is littered with mention of au pairs. This is a book of privilege, and it didn't really sit well with me, which coloured my acceptance for some of the good ideas.

She put my back up early on in the book and I never really recovered, I actually contemplated giving up several times.… (more)