"A Bulfinch Press book"--title page.

Includes bibliographical references (page 218) and index.

"Since the beginning of trade between East and West, discerning Europeans and Americans have looked to the Orient as a source of exotic and beautiful objects, materials, textures, and colors. A wide diversity of Oriental artifacts, motifs, and color schemes has enriched the vocabulary of Western design. Now, the increasing accessibility of many of the countries of Asia has opened up an even greater range of objects and designs that can be used as effectively in Western interiors as in the traditional interiors of Korea, Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and China. 'In the Oriental Style' is a demonstration and celebration of Eastern elegance as a decorative style. It begins with a kaleidoscopic examination of "style" in the Orient, including the airy openness of Thai architecture, the efficient use of space in Japanese dwellings, and the refined craftsmanship of Chinese textiles and ceramics. The variety of antique and contemporary styles in the East is enormous, yet it is the exuberance of this variety that makes Oriental arts and crafts such an exciting field for the innovative Western designer. The authors illustrate extensively the ways in which the elements of Oriental design can be adapted for Western interiors. Much of the book is devoted to Western interiors that draw their inspiration from Oriental decorative schemes. Attention to details, furnishings, and a myriad of individual pieces -- ancient dragon finials, Chinese porcelain, Thai silks, Burmese lacquerware, carved rosewood, sleek Japanese high tech -- demonstrate how the selection and arrangement of the simplest objects can dramatically enhance a Western house, apartment, or garden. There is no single "Oriental Style," but from the fascinating spectrum of Asian cultures presented, here is an exotic blend of styles that lend themselves wonderfully to the ingenuity in interior design so lavishly illustrated in these pages."--,taken from book jacket front flap.

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