Principles of Decorative Design / Fourth Edition

A practical manual of decorative design that presents concise lessons for artisans on recognising and applying principles of ornament. It argues that educated taste and knowledge of historic styles, colour, proportion, and symbolism increase an object's value and utility, and it offers concrete guidance on furniture, wall and ceiling decoration, carpets, textiles, pottery, glass, metal-work, hardware, and stained glass. The text emphasises disciplined study to perceive beauty, discusses relationships between truth, beauty, power and humour in ornament, and aims to equip working craftsmen with the skills to improve industrial manufacture and decorative practice.