The Perfect English Townhouse

Continuing her exploration of English interiors, Ros Byam Shaw visits 14 distinctive townhouses full of charm, character and style.

In Perfect English Townhouse, Ros Byam Shaw examines the timeless English style of decoration in a variety of Georgian, Victorian and contemporary townhouses. Architecturally, these tall, narrow properties present challenges. How do you make the best of a basement kitchen with a low ceiling and limited light? Or allocate space when you live on five floors? And how do you maximize any precious outdoor space?

Perfect English Townhouse features case studies of such homes, not only in London but also in the provincial towns and cities of England. Some feel like little pockets of countryside surrounded by pavements, others have a more sophisticated, metropolitan allure; some are endearingly eccentric, others more classical. All the interiors featured are inspiring, and reflect the personalities of the people who inhabit them. These are the kinds of space that most of us are familiar with, and that many of us occupy. What is unusual is how cleverly and creatively these examples have been decorated and designed.

Ros Byam Shaw is a former Features Editor of The World of Interiors and Deputy Editor of the British edition of the US fashion and lifestyle newspaper, W. She is now a freelance journalist and writes on design and interiors for The World of Interiors, House & Garden and the Telegraph, among others. Ros is the author of Perfect English, Perfect English Farmhouse, English Eccentric and Perfect French Country, as well as the bestselling Farrow & Ball Living with Colour and Farrow & Ball Decorating with Colour (all published by Ryland Peters & Small). Ros lives in Devon with her husband and dog.