Inside London - Peter Aprahamian

This revealing book marks a unique photographic record of 100 of London's most interesting period interiors, selected by a leading architectural historian. While researching period locations for Merchant Ivory's film Maurice, Joe Friedman was astonished to find so many hidden gems - the result of his work is this splendid book.

Specially-commissioned photographs capture the varied atmospheres of this buzzing metropolis: from gentlemen's clubs, hotels, restaurants, shops, pubs and hospitals to town houses. Each photograph is accompanied by a short text that not only describes the key features of architectural and design interest but also uncovers related historical anecdotes.

Some buildings have never been photographed before, such as the Art Deco barber shop in the basement of Austin Reed or the tiled and mirrored halls of Cooke's eel and pie shop in the East End. Delightfully intact interiors such as James Smith's umbrella shop in Bloomsbury and the perfectly preserved Victorian interior of the Linley Sambourne house in Kensington are presented beautifully. Inside London stands as testament to the UK capital's treasure-trove of interior decoration.