Attitudes towards the conservation of old houses have changed over the past twenty years. We have learnt to value the worn or imperfect original more that the glossy fake restoration, but where we must replace some part of the building or refurnish, we try to get the details right. When it comes to 'soft' furnishings, which contributed so much to the appearance of nineteenth and early twentieth century interiors, too often we abandon and attempt at historical accuracy in their design or in their methods of construction. SOFT FURNISHINGS 1830 - 1930 is a guide to the use, design and constructions of curtains, drapery, casecovers, blinds and trimmings for nineteenth and twentieth century houses. Elizabeth Wright has drawn on may obscure sources, such as nineteenth century sewing manuals, contemporary novels and surviving examples to bring this comprehensive survey of soft furnishings, with detailed instructions for their recreation. This book provides an extensive resource for anyone needing accurate information on the history of interior decorating, the furnishing of period rooms, the restoration of houses or the craft of needlework.