AROUND HOME : The Craftsmanship Revival in Interior Design : BY J. RONALD REED WITH STEPHANIE CULP (Henry Holt & Co.; 1988)

CRAFTSMANSHIP IS BACK in vogue, thanks in part to a heightened design consciousness, the historic preservation movement and, simply, the appreciation of materials lovingly wrought. As the authors note in an introduction that serves as an engagingly brief history of interior design, interest in craftsmanship has been cyclical and at present is a positive reaction of sorts against the standardization and mass production of recent decades. That stated, the authors methodically review craftsmanship by the medium--metal, paint, stone, and marble, tile, wood, plaster and glass. Each is put into a historical perspective, followed by how it is worked by today’s artisans and a selection of what they and others have produced. Helping considerably is a profusion of illustrations. Not for the hobbyist, the book gives good pointers of how better to appreciate high-quality workmanship, augmented by a listing of crafts people, companies, guilds and associations that could offer help. ($29.95)