With April designated as national decorating month it seems the perfect time to reflect on an insightful book written in 1897 entitled, “The Decoration of Houses” by Edith Wharton.
The book sparked a Renaissance in American interior design. This guide pioneered new thought, perhaps the most important book of its kind ever published.
The original text can still be purchased without revision as an authentic classic.
The book was co-authored by American architect Ogden Codman, Jr., who achieved recognition as a revivalist architect of the first rank. Together they shattered the then fashionable historical traditions. The book is about simplicity and balance. The practical approach is perfectly useful more than a century later.
The historic manual changed the way Americans viewed decor and the use of rooms in their homes. The book suggested that every inch of space need not be disguised with “clutter.” The focus was not on period charm, but rather offers examples of design rooted in architectural principles. Black-and-white photographs illustrate the authors’ ideals of classic beauty.
Wharton is best known for being the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Literature. Her novels and short stories realistically portrayed the lives and morals of the late 19th century. Interestingly, being a woman writer was frowned upon, during that time period, especially by those in privileged society.
The Mount is a magnificent estate Edith Wharton designed and built in 1902 as a writer’s retreat in the beautiful Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts. Edith Wharton used the principles described in her first book as the basis for decorating this home. The Mount’s main house was inspired by the 17th-century Belton House in England, with additional influences from classical Italian and French architecture.
Edith Wharton and her husband, Edward, lived in the Mount from 1902 to 1911. The home is now open to the public for tours welcoming over 50,000 visitors each year. The home is open mid-May through October. Call 413-551-5111 to book a tour.
Her book “The Decoration of Houses” can still be found online for purchase.
— Marla Ballard’s Master of Disguise appears each Thursday.