For the millions of people in Britain, the United States and elsewhere in the West who live in 19th-century houses, this is a useful companion and guide. From the Victorian terraced houses of London and the great cities of the Industrial Revolution to the substantial clapboard houses of San Francisco, from brownstone to red brick, villa to mansion flat, the profile is similar. This guide contains ideas on interior design and exterior style which are suitable to houses of this particular age. The emphasis is on sympathetic improvement - working with the architecture, not against it. Windows, doors, rooflights, fireplaces - all instil character and have the power to embellish and enhance. The book is packed with design ideas and advice on how to make the most of mouldings, cornices, stained glass, panelling, iron railings and the many other features which are now so much in demand. It combines the style of an interior design book with the detailed information of an architectural history. Much of the information on Victorian features is also of value to people who own later houses, but wish to echo or adopt traditional styles - such as adding a decorative conservatory. Robin Guild is the author of "The Finishing Touch".