The Bible of British Taste: Stories of Home, People and Place

Based on the hugely popular blog, magazine, and Instagram account of the same name, The Bible of British Taste explores the meaning of traditional British style. Rejecting the pristine and predictable in favour of the lived-in and characterful, this is an aesthetic created from art, antiques, the reused, found and hand-made and the layers of history laid down by generations of home makers. As author Ruth Guilding puts it: ‘My personal mantra for the descriptions of people and their houses in this book roughly seems to be that old stuff is good, and perfection is boring.'Taking her contexts from William Morris, the Bloomsbury set and today’s leading artistic makers and innovators, Guilding explores the meaning of ‘home’ and our everlasting preoccupation with domestic taste, self-presentation and decorating styles, With hundreds of images of remarkable gardens and interiors, domestic icons and folk art narratives, and featuring renowned tastemakers– from Sir Roy Strong and Jasper Conran to Luke Edward Hall, Bridget Elworthy of the Land Gardeners and Ben Pentreath – The Bible of British Taste shines a new light on the quirky charms of unconventional British style.With unrivalled access to some of Britain’s most extraordinary homes, this is the definitive guide to the nation’s most distinctive interiors – a book that belongs on every design lover’s shelf. Read more