The Fairchild Dictionary of Interior Design 2nd Edition

Book excerpt: The 2nd Edition of The Fairchild Dictionary of Interior Design presents design terminology from both historical and contemporary viewpoints—from antiquity to the 21st century. Furniture and its components, lighting principles and fixtures, materials, fabrics, construction devices, accessories, woods, styles, and periods all contribute to the language of design. Design is the continuous reuse and revitalization of forms to create meaning for each generation. There is no design that cannot find its way back in history. By integrating the historical evolution of design into the very definition of design terms, The Fairchild Dictionary of Interior Design places the fundamental, accumulated understanding of interior design in the broadest and most comprehensive of contexts.