The best thing about this book, naturally enough, are the designs here showcased. The reproduction quality is excellent, and the format is appealing. The text is very plain-Jane and straightforward, though sometimes baffling and with occasional typos, which seems odd in a book of this minimal length. We are told in one explanation that a 'Cactus' design of wallpaper 'is described as having "a hint of freakishness".' The author had apparently mislaid her glasses: the actual advert, which is reproduced here, says quite clearly: 'Sheer delight in wallpaper decoration -- where originality of motif comes without a hint of freakishness'. That’s without, not with. Then we are told, over and over, that various items for the 1930s house were 'on sale'. I don't know about the idiom of the author's own locale, but wherever I've lived in the English-speaking countries, 'on sale' means 'at a reduced price'. What the author clearly means instead is 'for sale' -- meaning, available for purchase. These blemishes apart, this book is a lovely glimpse into the happier aspects of the 1930s.
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