"Where land is scarce and valuable, homes tend to be arranged vertically rather than horizontally, sometimes semi-detached but more often in terraced rows. Continuing her exploration of accessible English decorating, in Perfect English Townhouse, Ros Byam Shaw examines the inimitable and timeless English style in a variety of Georgian, Regency, Victorian, and more recent townhouses. Architecturally, these tall, narrow properties present challenges. How can you make the best of a basement kitchen with a low ceiling and limited light? How best to allocate space when you live on five floors? And how you do you maximize any precious outdoor space? The book features case studies of 14 such homes, in London and in towns and cities around England. All are full of character, stylish, and visually pleasing, and show a range of solutions to the problems of urban design and living. Some feel like little pockets of countryside surrounded by pavements, others have a more sophisticated, metropolitan allure; some are endearingly eccentric, others more reserved and classical."-- Dust jacket.