Rise of the Decorator + Women in Interior Design

Delia Tacheny
INT 332 - History of Interiors II

The Rise of the Decorator

As we studied last week, the Art Deco movement had its primary influence in the area of interior design, arts, and furniture. That being said, the Art Deco movement and its eclecticism opened an entire field of jobs in interior decorating. As early as 1900, interior decorators were being hired, primarily by the wealthy who had statuses to maintain and display. While interior decorating was a job held by both men and women, interior design as a whole is an industry where women have almost always dominated. As it is Women's history month, this blog will focus on all the women who have made influence in interior decorating + interior design, both historically and currently. 

Women in Interior Design

Two of the more influential women in Interior Decorating were Elsie de Wolfe and Dorothy Draper, both living from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s. 

Elsie was an American actress who eventually found her way as an interior decorator. She despised Victorian design and specialized in restoring Victorian interiors into light + bright spaces using French furniture. She believed in the value of a practical, comfortable, beautiful home. She published "The House of Good Taste" in 1913, and truly felt that a home should represent the woman of the household. 

Dorothy was another American decorator with no formal education, but she was definitely a funky woman with a fun and appealing style. Dorothy loved the use of dramatic blacks + whites, modern baroque styling, and clear vivid colors. She grew up as a wealthy socialite which led to her interests in hospitality; she enjoyed large projects with vibrant solutions.

As we continue into the interior design world, four more women stand out: Francis Adler Elkins (1888-1953), Petra Blaisse (1955 -), Clodagh (1950 -), and Laura Day (1972 -). 

Francis Adler Elkins studied the world of design through her European adventures with brother David Adler. She loved the color palette of blue, yellow, and white, and appreciated the use of pattern. Petra Blaisse is a British designer who studied at the Art School in London and in Groningen. She actually studied everything from interior design, architecture, textiles, and landscape architecture. She loves high-tech and fashion-based fabrics and materials as well as large scale curtains and screens. Clodagh is an American designer from Ireland who specializes in biophilic design; she loves to use Feng Shui principles to achieve a tranquil setting and aid overall human well-being. Laura Day studied at the New York School of Design, and currently works as a residential designer in New York. Her style is fresh + classical traditional, and she loves flipping houses.

I'm honored to be part of an industry with such creative and vibrant women.

One Step Further: Joanna Gaines

Joanna Gaines is known for fixer upper, her love for farmhouse sinks and shiplap, and her home brand at Target. Yes... Joanna Gaines is maybe a bit of an overused name in the world of Interior Design, but have you ever heard her story?

Joanna Gaines is yes, an interior designer, but she's also a writer, a mother, a wife, and an overall creative human being. Joanna didn't actually study interior design, or anything related; she attended Baylor University and graduated with a degree in Communications, intent on being a Broadcast Journalist. Born and raised in Kansas, it was eventually an internship in New York that sparked her love for the quaint and beautiful. She ended up in Real Estate after meeting Chip, and then they began their journey of flipping houses together. 

Chip and Jo highly value the family lifestyle and the importance of "home" hence them launching an entire brand and company called "Magnolia." That being said, one fun fact is that they do NOT have a TV in their home at all. They fill them and their kids' time with other hobbies such as cooking, gardening, art, etc. 

Chip and Jo have become extremely influential in the world of design and lifestyle, and I can't help but think that they will for sure be in a History of Interior Design textbook someday. They inspire me because design is so much more than surface appearance for them -- it's a value and a lifestyle.

Sources:

Joanna Gaines: 8 Facts You Need to Know About the HGTV Host - TVovermind 

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