One of the world's best collections of period designs is brought together as an invaluable resource for designers of all kinds, from fabric, textile, wallpaper, and stained glass designers to graphic and fashion designers. This collection of more than 500 designs covers wallpaper, textiles, furnishings, costume, tiles, and ceramics. The designs range from medieval through renaissance and the 19th century right up to the 1970s; from classic French 17th-century wallpaper through William Morris pomegranate designs to 1950s children's wallpaper. The book is arranged by type of design and motifs—geometric, floral, abstract, figurative—to make it as accessible to designers as possible. A full index at the back helps readers find the right motif, style, or pattern. Though the designs have a strong English flavor, there is also a healthy dose of the best European and Asian designs that have reached the unsurpassable National Trust collection.