John Beresford Fowler (1906–1977) was Britain’s most influential interior decorator of the twentieth century and the principal architect of the English Country House Style. Through his work with Sibyl Colefax and later Nancy Lancaster at Colefax & Fowler, he transformed the practice of interior decoration by combining historical scholarship with comfort, informality and understated elegance. His mastery of colour, textiles, painted furniture and architectural interiors established a style that became internationally recognised and continues to influence interior designers worldwide. In parallel with his private commissions, Fowler made a major contribution to the conservation and interpretation of historic interiors through his advisory work for the National Trust.