Furnishing the Home of Good Taste: A Brief Sketch of the Period Styles in Interior Decoration with Suggestions as to Their Employment in the Homes of Today

In Short

Lucy Abbot Throop's decorating guide bridges historic European design and the practical needs of early twentieth-century American homes. Moving chronologically through major decorative periods—from the high splendor of the Italian Renaissance and French royal courts to the refined cabinetry of Georgian England—the text explains how architecture, social customs, and craftsmanship shaped interior spaces. Throop then translates these historical principles into actionable advice for modern readers, offering detailed guidance on color harmony, window treatments, lighting layout, and furniture selection to help create balanced, restful, and deeply personal living spaces.

The Story

The narrative follows a clear, two-part progression from historic precedent to practical domestic application. It begins in the Italian Renaissance, tracing how home life transformed as domestic spaces shifted from fortified medieval structures to comfortable, artfully decorated palaces. As the ideal of the home took root, decorative arts flourished through carved marble mantels, inlaid wood doorways, painted ceilings, and noble structural proportions.

From Italy, the focus shifts to France, detailing how royal authority dictated taste across consecutive eras. Under Louis XIV, the "Sun King," interior decoration achieved a massive, majestic splendor designed to project state power, grounded in white-and-gold paneling, rich tapestries, and massive mirrors. The Regency and Louis XV periods introduced a reaction toward gaiety, intimate salons, and elaborate rococo curves, before giving way to the restrained, classical elegance of Louis XVI. This latter style championed the straight line, tapering fluted legs, soft enamel finishes, and balanced proportions.

The survey then crosses the Channel to examine the evolution of English domestic design. Starting with the heavy, richly carved oak furniture of the Tudor and Jacobean eras—exemplified by massive four-poster beds and architectural chests—the text tracks the gradual reduction of ornament toward functional elegance. The arrival of mahogany in the eighteenth century sparked a golden age of English cabinetry. The distinct contributions of master designers take center stage: Thomas Chippendale’s inventive splat-back chairs and masterful carving; Shearer’s pioneering serpentine sideboards; George Hepplewhite’s delicate spade feet, satinwood inlays, and oval motifs; the classic architectural grace of Robert Adam; and Thomas Sheraton’s early rectangular chair backs and exquisite painted satinwood.

Having established this historical foundation, the book transitions directly into the modern home. Throop shifts from historian to practical advisor, laying out foundational principles for contemporary interior design. She argues that a home must be viewed as a unified whole rather than a series of isolated rooms, emphasizing the need for vistas and continuous color harmonies drawn from nature. She provides detailed technical instructions on choosing plain over distracting patterned wall surfaces, placing artificial lights at eye level rather than relying on harsh overhead fixtures, and selecting appropriate window draperies. Finally, the narrative addresses specific room types—from formal urban reception areas to suburban country houses and cozy bedrooms—showing how high-grade period reproductions can be thoughtfully combined to construct functional, harmonious spaces.

How It Unfolds

The rise of domestic beauty The journey opens with the Italian Renaissance, where home life evolves away from medieval fortresses toward comfortable palaces filled with carved marble, painted ceilings, and inlaid doorways.

The reign of French magnificence The chronicle moves through the French courts, showing how Louis XIV imposed grand grandeur, Louis XV introduced gay curves and intimate salons, and Louis XVI restored classical restraint with straight lines and fluted legs.

The golden age of English cabinetry Attention turns to England's design evolution, tracking the shift from heavy Tudor oak to the light, masterfully carved mahogany and inlaid satinwood creations of Chippendale, Hepplewhite, Adam, and Sheraton.

Harmonizing the modern interior The focus shifts to contemporary application, outlining how to build continuous color schemes inspired by nature and select plain backgrounds that highlight fine furnishings.

Executing the practical details The final section provides actionable guidelines for household assembly, detailing proper window curtain draping, balanced wall lighting, and the selection of honest period reproductions over cheap, glossy department-store pieces.

The People

• Louis XIV: The French "Sun King" whose seventy-two-year absolute reign established state-run workshops like the Gobelin works, imposing a magnificent, dignified, and solid style of decoration across France.
• Thomas Chippendale: The London master cabinet-maker whose genius, sharp carving, and business savvy blended Dutch, French, and Chinese influences into a distinct English style celebrated for exquisite splat-back chairs and balanced proportions.
• George Hepplewhite: The English designer known for lightness, subtle elegance, spade-footed straight legs, satinwood inlays, and refined oval-backed seating.
• Thomas Sheraton: A brilliant yet contentious craftsman whose late eighteenth-century designs favored rectangular chair backs, delicate satinwood veneers, and reeded legs before his later work deteriorated into heavy Empire styles.
• Robert Adam: The influential architect and designer whose classical restraint, delicate painted satinwood furniture, and tailored pedestal sideboards deeply shaped his contemporary cabinet-makers.

In Its Own Voice

"It is the same law that makes us want cake when we have had too much bread and butter."

Throop uses this down-to-earth analogy to explain how interior decoration naturally swings back and forth between austere restraint and lavish ornament across historical eras.

"A house should be looked at as a whole, not as so many units to be treated in a care-free manner."

This core principle highlights the necessity of planning connecting rooms with continuous color harmonies and aligned vistas rather than treating each space as an isolated project.

"In choosing new 'old' furniture, do not buy any that has a bright and hideous finish."

Throop offers a sharp warning against cheap modern manufacturing, urging homeowners to seek hand-rubbed oil or wax finishes that honor traditional craftsmanship.

What It's Really About

Underneath its historical surveys and practical decorating tips, the book argues that true taste relies on structural logic, restraint, and historical continuity rather than expensive trends or ostentatious displays. Throop contends that domestic interiors directly reflect the values of their time, showing how absolute monarchies produced imposing grandeur while democratic, modern eras favor individual comfort and functional simplicity. The text advocates for living spaces built on balance, proper scale, and organic color relationships drawn from nature. By mastering the core principles of past design epochs, a homeowner can avoid chaotic fads, discard hideous mass-produced imitations, and construct a serene environment that brings lasting quietness and beauty to daily life.

Why Read It Today

This text appeals to interior design enthusiasts, antiques collectors, social historians, and anyone restoring an older home who wants a clear, accessible primer on period furniture. Reading it feels like taking a private tour of architectural history with a firm, knowledgeable, and wonderfully opinions-driven guide. Throop strips away high-brow pretense, explaining complex design movements in direct, conversational prose that makes historical contexts easy to grasp.

While modern readers may find her strict stance against modern abstract styles—such as her outright dismissal of "Cubist variety" patterns—distinctly dated, her core advice remains surprisingly timeless. Her practical insights on lighting placement, window proportions, and unifying color schemes are just as relevant to contemporary homes as they were a century ago. What stays with you is her unwavering conviction that a home should never be a cluttered museum or a trendy showroom, but a carefully considered sanctuary where every object earns its place through utility, good proportion, and honest craftsmanship.