Edith Wharton: Decor Doyenne

By Ken Hoyt

Edith Wharton is among our national treasures. Well known for her novels observing the nuances of the society to which she was born.

Few people know that prior to her brilliant career as a novelist she had a go at writing about decorating. Her book, The Decoration of Houses, published first in 1898, is the forerunner of what has become a giant publishing niche.

In this book she called for people to reject the, then popular, superfluous ornaments of the gaudy Victorian age. Her views about comfort and ease-of-use, now generally accepted, were revolutionary at that time.

Her home, The Mount, in Lenox, Massachusetts, has recently been restored to its former grandeur. This slideshow of the homes interiors shows that Wharton adhered to her principles. Although not contemporary by modern standards the emphasis on architectural ornament and simplified lines was a break from the bric-a-brac of the day.

Now, unfortunately, the home has run into some substantial financial difficulties. Fundraising is underway to save the institution, but time is short.

The Decoration of Houses has recently been re-released. It provides a sense of history (as well as pithy remarks). The original edition is wildly expensive (even a 1907 version is fetching $85) and therefore not recommended for poolside reading.

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Tagged:
history architecture decorating

April 22, 2008

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About: My small business, Interior Advocate, provides design solutions for interiors. And I write about living...