<<Note from the editor:>>

From Art Deco and the Bauhaus to the explosion of colour in the 60s and the return to minimalism in the 90s, this volume explores the 20th-century approach to designing interiors. It features a 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 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 a 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 between the « traditional » and the « new » looks, the book also examines the importance of image to 20th-century consumers of designed products.