This book explores and explains the fundamentals of interior design. Because it does not emphasize current trends and fashion, its value will be long lasting.
Generally, there is some good stuff in here, but the emphasis is placed heavily on philosophy. While I think there were some practical concepts and guideines to take away here, the desire to make this book applicable in any time period makes it pretty vague and a lot less helpful to someone without a ton of design experience. Admittedly, the low rating is as much based from expectation as it is actual content.
I powered through most of this book before I decided to call it quits. Design is interesting to me. For some reason Abercrombie’s writing was not. I thought the book’s thinnness indicated a concise, accessible read, but I found it too... philosophical—in a way that meant it was for people who would give their whole lives to this work. I’m not one of those people.
I appreciate the change in perspective this book triggered. I am now looking at interior design through the various lenses, the building blocks that differentiate spaces.