Robert Adam is perhaps the best known of all British architects, the only one whose name denotes both a style and an era. The new decorative language he introduced at Kedleston and Syon around 1760 put him at the forefront of dynamic changes taking place in 18th-century British architecture. His later claim that his practice with his brother James had effected 'a kind of revolution' in design was no idle boast. Their style dominated the later Georgian period and their influence was widespread, not only in Western Europe but in Russia and North America. But for such a well-known figure, much of Robert Adam's art still remains poorly understood. This new study, based on papers given at a Georgian Group symposium in 2015, looks afresh at many aspects of the Adam brothers' oeuvre, such as interior planning, their use of colour, the influence of classical sources, their involvement in the art market, town planning and building speculation, and Robert Adam's late picturesque drawings and castle designs - all within the context of the Adam family background and their personal and working relationships. The Scottish architecture of Robert and James's older brother, John, is also assessed. There are essays by established Adam experts as well as contributions from a younger generation of historians and postdoctoral scholars, one of the book's aims being to stimulate further research on the Adams' contribution to British architecture, art and design.

"Most of Adam's enormous body of work was in pre-existing houses; the challenges of remodelling stimulated his inventive imagination, and he became a master at turning awkward situations to advantage. Harris has mined archival sources, including the large collection of drawings from the Adam office at Sir John Soane's Museum in London, and fully examined the houses themselves to discover exactly what Adam did in each project and why. Taking into account later alterations and renovations, Adam-revival additions, and so-called accurate restorations of the last twenty-five years, Harris brings to light how much of Adam's original work was conditioned by circumstance and how much was left to invention.".

With one hundred essays from one hundred interior designers, spanning stylistic genres from classic to modern, on subjects as varied as "Collecting," "White," "Portals," and "Layering", this book highlights the knowledge, experience, expertise, insight, and work of established design legends, as well as members of the new guard, spanning over four decades of work. Unique in the quality of its contributors, this book will be a landmark publication in the field, helpful and inspirational for the home decorator, as well as students of design and design professionals. Poised to become the essential book on design, Interior Design Master Class collects the expertise and knowledge of the best interior designers working today. Opening Interior Design Master Class is like sitting down to the best dinner party you’ve ever attended. A classic in the making, the book features one hundred essays by America’s top designers—from established design legends to members of the new guard—that explore in detail the process of designing a home, from the fundamentals to the finishing touches. Grouped by theme, the subjects range from practical considerations (Bunny Williams on "Comfort," Etienne Coffinier and Ed Ku on "Floor Plans") and details (Victoria Hagan on "Light," Rose Tarlow on "Books") to inspiration (Jeffrey Bilhuber on "America" and Charlotte Moss on "Couture") and style (Kelly Wearstler on "Glamour," Thomas O’Brien on "Vintage Modern"). Each piece is paired with images of the designer’s work to illustrate the principles being discussed, annotated with informative captions.Unique in the quality of its contributors, this is a book that readers will refer to again and again for advice and inspiration, an invaluable resource for practical tips and thought-provoking design. Select Contributors and their Topics: Vicente Wolf on Teachers; Barry Dixon on Relationships; Barbara Barry on Awareness; Amanda Nisbet on Intuition; Madeline Stuart on Trends; Suzanne Tucker on Archaeology; Bobby McAlpine on Intimacy; Stephen Sills on Aspirations; Mark Cunningham on Symmetry; Richard Mishaan on Portals; Campion Platt on Proportion; Cindy Smith and Jane Schwab on Editing; Juan Montoya on Scale; Amy Lau on Commissions; Suzanne Kasler on Style; Thomas O’Brien on Vintage Modern; Alan Wanzenberg on Modernity; Alexa Hampton on Tradition; Kelly Wearstler on Glamour; Anthony Baratta on Exuberance; Tom Scheerer on Luxury; Suzanne Rheinstein on Nuance; Timothy Corrigan on Welcoming Spaces; Bunny Williams on Comfort; Miles Redd on Reinvention; Martyn Lawrence Bullard on Sex; Mario Buatta on Color; Darryl Carter on White; Alessandra Branca on Red; Alex Papachristidis on Layering; Victoria Hagan on Light; Thad Hayes on Quality; Kathryn Ireland on Textiles; Windsor Smith on Communication; Nancy Braithwaite on Collecting; Kathryn Scott on Patina; Timothy Whealon on Antiques; Rose Tarlow on Books; Thomas Jayne on Provenance; Emily Summers on Sourcing Furniture; Thomas Pheasant on Inspiration; Sandra Nunnerley on Jazz; Penny Drue Baird on Paris; Jeffrey Bilhuber on America; Robert Couturier on Fashion; Ann Pyne on Poetry; Alan Tanksley on Destinations; Charlotte Moss on Couture

Providing a pictorial survey of Robert Adam's distinctive architectural style, this book looks at the architecture, furniture and interior design from some of his most notable town and country houses.