The Great Lady Decorators: The Women Who Defined Interior Design, 1870-1955

by Adam Lewis, Jeremiah Goodman (Illustrator), Bunny Williams (Foreword)

Mixing gorgeous interiors with sparkling social history, this is the first book on the visionary women whose work gave us the timeless, essential principles of modern interior decorating.

In 1904, Elsie de Wolfe was given a contract to design the interiors of the Colony Club. Their success launched de Wolfe’s career and the entire field of professional interior decoration. Soon other women followed, known collectively (for their privileged backgrounds) as the Lady Decorators. This book focuses on the extraordinary, glamorous interiors of these influential designers, as well as their decorating theory and maxims, from Rose Cumming’s electric color combinations ("Parrots are blue and green. Why shouldn’t fabric be?") to Nancy Lancaster’s refined English-country-house look ("She liked for the sun to get to . . . materials. She wanted them to go shabby and live a life of their own."). A witty and readable treatise on the principles of decorating, as well as a luxurious visual resource, this book will be an essential addition to every decorating library. Also including: Dorothy Draper, Elsie Cobb Wilson, Ruby Ross Wood, Frances Elkins, Eleanor Brown, Sister Parish, Syrie Maugham, Madeleine Castaing.

Genres: Interior Design, Design

288 pages, Hardcover

Published April 6, 2010

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Women in the late 19th and early 20th century invented the business of interior design. This book gives a short biography and a history of accomplishments of a dozen or so women who are important in this field. The book is lavishly illustrated. I found it to be a little stuffy though it may have been the subject matter and not the book itself. If you want to know how the wealthy lived read this book.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is mostly a series of biographies and professional pedigrees, seemingly well researched, but repetitive within paragraphs of the same subject, ultimately written without much enthusiasm. And while the righting of some very minor historical inaccuracies is always appreciated in any work of non-fiction, it didn't make for a compelling historiography. These women and their contribution to the world of interior design, in being lumped together to give the impression of substance, is a disservice to them, their work, and to the future readers and figurative protégés. The biggest mark against this book, however, is the fact that Adam Lewis and Rizzoli didn't see fit to describe in any small detail their creations!
I am grateful to the authors of the new individual biographical treatments that these women so deserve, e.g.,Pauline Metcalf's Syrie Maugham: Staging Glamorous Interiors. Continuing to update this niche is what will ultimately confer relevance on the designers. Still, the concept of this book is strong and it's what's earning the stars in my rating (along with the photo reproductions, which are of great quality but short supply). It would be a treat to see this reworked by another author and interior design aficionado, preferably a woman next time 'round.