This is a book written to advise the turn of the 19th century woman about how to decorate her home in the 'modern' fashion, and includes illustrations and some colored plates. Part 1 covers Embroidery and includes a history of various stitches, Part 2 covers ways to decorate objects with Paint, and Part 3 is a room by room guide to adding decorative touches to the home. It has good explanations and suggestions for decorating items with the techniques covered. The design principles in this book are those of the Arts & Crafts movement, as shown by the cover, which has an embossed leather image done in an Arts & Crafts style and the opening quotation by William Morris.