Buckingham Palace: The Interiors book

Interior designer and artist Ashley Hicks presents his photographs and description of the interior design of Buckingham Palace, home to the British royal family since 1837. An important representation of Regency, Victorian and Edwardian styles, the palace is the work of notable architects such as John Nash and Sir Aston Webb. Hicks records formal spaces with vibrancy, capturing the magnificent rooms decorated with treasures from the Royal Collection.

Starting on the Grand Staircase, Hicks leads us through the state rooms, which include the White Drawing Room and the Blue Drawing Room, both of which overlook the palace gardens; the Ballroom, which plays host to twenty inaugurations each year; and the Throne Room, used by Queen Victoria for spectacular costume balls in the 1840s. The long, lighted Picture Gallery is filled with important works of art from the Royal Collection by Rembrandt van Rijn, Peter Paul Rubens, Nicolas Poussin, Anthony van Dyck, Johannes Vermeer and Canaletto, among others. Decorative furnishings from George IV's exotic Brighton Pavilion add a whimsical touch to many of the rooms.

Hardcover, 23 x 30.5 cm, 256 pages.