Celebrating four decades of The World of Interiors, the magazine's team recently published an anthology of written depictions of interiors as a extra inside their usual offering. 40 pen-portraits of rooms, buildings and decor, spanning from 21st century novels to 18th century letters, are illustrated by words and language to paint a picture. It is as much about what is described as it is about what is left out, but most of all, the literature extracts further emphasise the impact a single room can have on our entire being. 

So moving that this compilation was, we have decided to share a few of our favourite descriptions with you, alongside imagery of some of our most swooned-after homes and dwellings. Enjoy!...

"I sit with my back to the beautiful central garden. There is no easy chair. When I am exhausted, I lie on the floor. I like the way the windows go from floor to high ceiling. No curtains. I prefer nothing or shutters. The carpet comes from Christopher Legge and is a mad Matisse Oceania of pineapples and zigzags like a pin-table. It's the kind of carpet everyone else thinks is a mistake. You need a pair of Ray-Bans. But my motto is Bugger Beige."

"Not much wall space because of the books, but a pencil drawing by Mark Alexander of his Japanese ex-girlfriend. The weight of the almost straight graphite lines could be the actual coarseness of her black beautiful hair. A masterpiece. Sometimes I work in the kitchen as well." — Writer Craig Raine describes his working space in My Room (2008).[Image of Louise Bougeois home and library.]