The magazine began as
Interiors in November 1981. It was founded in London, England, by
Kevin Kelly, with
Min Hogg as editor. Its unusual interiors and literate style set it apart from other interior titles, and within two years the magazine had been bought by Condé Nast (acquisition led by Bernard Leser) and it began publishing internationally under the name
The World of Interiors (as there was already an American competitor named
Interiors. Since 2001, it was edited by Rupert Thomas, who had joined the magazine in 1991 and had been its deputy editor since 1997. In 2012, the magazine launched a special fashion issue. In October 2019, the magazine launched the online directory The World of Interiors Index, which lists dealers, gallerists, and upholsters. However, in 2024, Bowles became creative director-at-large and the magazine's editor Emily Tobin took on the editor-in-chief position. The magazine's offices were formerly on the second floor of
Vogue House. ==Content==