Tag: Best Interior Designers

Elsie de Wolfe, often hailed as one of the most iconic interior designers, revolutionized interior design in the early 20th century. Renowned for her innovative approach, she transformed spaces with light, airy designs.

Most Iconic Interior Designers: Elsie de Wolfe

“I’m going to make everything around me beautiful – that will be my life”

 

Elsie de Wolfe, also known as Lady Mendl, was born in 1865 in New York and led a glamorous life as a prominent figure in European café society. Often referred to as the “grand dame of modern decorating,” she is widely credited with pioneering the profession of interior design and is considered by many to be the first modern professional decorator.

Her career began in the theater under the guidance of theatrical agent Elisabeth Marbury. Though her acting received modest attention, it was her impeccable fashion sense that captured the public’s eye. Women admired her carefully curated outfits and began to emulate her style, establishing de Wolfe as a fashion icon of her era. In fact, she was named the “best-dressed woman in the world” in 1935.

But who exactly was Elsie de Wolfe, and what lasting impact did she leave on the world of interior design?

Elsie de Wolfe, often hailed as one of the most iconic interior designers, revolutionized interior design in the early 20th century. Renowned for her innovative approach, she transformed spaces with light, airy designs.

Elsie de Wolfe: The Woman Who Invented Interior Design

Known and revered as America’s first decorator, Elsie de Wolfe changed the course of interior design forever. Her influence is still felt today — in every bright, airy and feminine space that rejects heavy drapes and dark furniture. Even decades after her passing, her legacy lives on through the casual elegance she championed.

Elsie once described herself as a “rebel in an ugly world”. At a time when late Victorian interiors were weighed down with clutter and gloom, she brought in simplicity, comfort and light. Mirrors, chinoiserie, soft color palettes and whimsical flourishes became her signature. She believed in “plenty of optimism and white paint, comfortable chairs with lights beside them, open fires on the hearth and flowers wherever they belong, mirrors and sunshine in all rooms”.

In 1913, she published The House in Good Taste, a guide to decorating that became an instant hit and remains a design classic today. De Wolfe was the one who proved that pale color schemes, painted woodwork and floral chintz could be not only stylish but timeless. She introduced the use of painted trellis as wallcovering, animal-print carpets and mirrored walls — elements still used by designers around the world.

Interior of Elsie De Wolfe' music pavilion looking out on to the pool , The Villa Trianon, painted by William Bruce Ellis Ranken
The Villa Trianon painted by William Bruce Ellis Ranken

Elsie De Wolfe’s Career

In 1887, de Wolfe formed a partnership with Elisabeth “Bessie” Marbury, a prominent literary agent. Together, they transformed their shared residence on Irving Place by replacing the dark, heavy furnishings typical of the Victorian era with lighter, more inviting decor. This successful endeavor inspired de Wolfe to pursue interior decoration professionally. In 1905, she secured her first major commission to design the interiors of the Colony Club, New York’s inaugural social club for women, with the support of architect Stanford White and her influential social circle.

The triumph of the Colony Club project catapulted de Wolfe into high demand among affluent clients, including notable figures such as industrialist Henry Clay Frick. By 1913, her burgeoning reputation enabled her to establish a substantial studio on Fifth Avenue. De Wolfe’s design philosophy emphasized simplicity and suitability, advocating for interiors that were both elegant and comfortable. She favored light fabrics, pale color schemes, and practical furnishings, often incorporating mirrors to enhance natural light and create a sense of spaciousness. Her work not only revolutionized interior aesthetics but also laid the foundation for interior decoration as a recognized profession.

Elsie de Wolfe, often hailed as one of the most iconic interior designers, revolutionized interior design in the early 20th century. Renowned for her innovative approach, she transformed spaces with light, airy designs.
Tea House, New York

Hollywood’s Favourite Designer

Fleeing Paris ahead of World War II, Elsie de Wolfe settled in Los Angeles, where her refined and airy aesthetic captivated the film industry’s elite. Her clientele included notable figures such as Countess Dorothy di Frasso, for whom she designed a Beverly Hills villa. De Wolfe’s influence extended beyond private residences; she also served as a set decoration adviser for films like The Razor’s Edge,further cementing her status as Hollywood’s goto designer during its golden age.

Notable clients: The Colony Club, Hope Hampton, Anne Vanderbilt, the Duchess of Windsor, Condé Nast.

Elsie de Wolfe, often hailed as one of the most iconic interior designers, revolutionized interior design in the early 20th century. Renowned for her innovative approach, she transformed spaces with light, airy designs.
Marlene Dietrich Home, Beverly Hills

Elsie de Wolfe’s Most Famous Designs

Elsie de Wolfe, often hailed as one of the most iconic interior designers, revolutionized interior design in the early 20th century. Renowned for her innovative approach, she transformed spaces with light, airy designs.
Colony Club, New Work
Elsie de Wolfe, often hailed as one of the most iconic interior designers, revolutionized interior design in the early 20th century. Renowned for her innovative approach, she transformed spaces with light, airy designs.
Villa Trianon, Versailles
Elsie de Wolfe, often hailed as one of the most iconic interior designers, revolutionized interior design in the early 20th century. Renowned for her innovative approach, she transformed spaces with light, airy designs.
Adelaide Frick's Boudoir, New York City’s Upper East Side
Elsie de Wolfe, often hailed as one of the most iconic interior designers, revolutionized interior design in the early 20th century. Renowned for her innovative approach, she transformed spaces with light, airy designs.
Marlene Dietrich Home, Beverly Hills

You May Also Like

Handcrafted with meticulous attention to detail with high-quality materials by Portuguese Artisans, the Dudley sofa exudes a sense of sophistication that can enhance any living space. Structured in smoked walnut wood, it’s a perfect addition to any home, offering both comfort and a touch of refined style.
Dudley Sofa by Wood Tailors Club
Crockford Sofa: Structured in walnut wood upholstered in linen, with carefully handcrafted rattan details.
Crockford Sofa by Wood Tailors Club
Carefully handcrafted in black stained ashwood or in walnut wood and upholstered in linen, the Johnson Armchair provides a majestic look.
Johnson Armchair by Wood Tailors Club
The timeless George armchair is handcrafted in black stained ashwood with rigorously expertise by Portuguese artisans, and its round seat is upholstered in bouclé and velvet. Along with carefully selected wood, George is enriched with the rattan on its back, giving it a classy touch.
George Armchair by Wood Tailors Club

And you? What do you think of Elsie de Wolfe’s design style? Do you like it?

Stay tuned to our Journal for exclusive insights, expert advice and timeless elegance.

 

You might also like: Rustic Canyon Residence: A Tribute to Richard Neutra Design

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOKINSTAGRAM,  AND PINTEREST.

wodden sofas

Wooden Sofas That Stand Out In Any Décor

wodden sofas

The wooden sofas can be a perfect option because their soft curves fit perfectly against your body making them ideal for cuddling up with loved ones or simply enjoying some time alone while watching TV or reading a book. In addition, wood sofas come in various sizes which allows them to work with even small spaces like an apartment or studio without overcrowding it.

And it’s also a central piece to bring to your décor charm and comfort. That’s because the wooden sofas are a versatile piece of furniture that harmonizes with different styles of decoration ranging from rustic to contemporary, and always adding a natural and sophisticated touch to the environment.

When it comes to ecofriendly building materials, wood is a top choice. Not only is wood beautiful and versatile, but its also an excellent way to help the environment while constructing or remodelling a home.

Wood has been used in construction for centuries due to its durability and strength. In addition to being strong and attractive, wood can also be renewable in addition to the aesthetic value.

Being it a modern model or with classic features, the wooden sofas are the only charm, standing out among the other elements of the interior design. And when it’s neutral, it blends perfectly with any type of room, balcony, and other interiors. Wooden sofas are incredibly versatile and have the power to add character to a room in ways that few other pieces of furniture can.

Not only does wood look good in your homeit feels good too! For being versatile and harmonizing well with various colours, it’s increasingly sought after today, whether by those looking for rustic style, relaxed decor or lovers of industrial aesthetics. Plus, if you ever want to change up your decor style in the future, wooden sofas can easily be changed with new fabrics or accents.

Research shows that simply having natural elements like wood around us can reduce stress levels by providing calming effects on our bodies and minds.

So now, check out the selection of different models and formats of wooden sofas that stand out with their beauty and functionality in any décor:

1- Wooden Sofas – Color Upholstered

If you‘re looking to make a statement with your living room furniture, then a colourful upholstery sofa is the way to go. These vibrant and eyecatching pieces of furniture are a great way to add depth and interest to your overall decor.

A colourful upholstery sofa can also help make a piece unique; no two sofas will look the same when using bold patterns and colors. This style has been trending in home decor for some time now, so if you’re looking for something fresh and modern that’ll still be relevant in years to come.

See how the wood sofa fits perfectly into this decor. Following the color palette through the upholstery and the wall and giving the space authenticity and personality.

wodden sofas

Dudley Sofa by Wood Tailors Club

2- L-shaped Design in Wooden Sofas

As we already said one of the great advantages of wooden sofas is their versatility. This piece for example has two-in-one, due to its L-shaped design, you can seat or lay in the L part. And can it be use easily in separating environments.

wooden sofas

Designed by Harrison and Nicholas Condos

3- Rattan Details in wooden sofas

When it comes to sofas, wood has been the traditional goto material for centuries. But today, designers are looking for ways to update their creations and make them even more eyecatching and one way theyre doing that is by incorporating rattan into their designs.

Lightly and subtly this wooden sofa brings comfort to any room. Being in perfect balance with the atmosphere that this interior design offers, either through the rattan details or through the tone of the wood. Incorporating rattan into your sofa design will ensure you stay right on trend as this combination of materials has become a staple of contemporary interior decorating styles.

Rattan brings a unique look and texture to wooden sofas that cant be found with other materials. Whether its weaving around armrests or used as an upholstery option, rattan provides an eyecatching accent that instantly elevates any sofa design.

Not only does it look great but rattan is also extremely ecofriendly, making it the perfect choice for anyone looking to give their furniture a green makeover.

4- Set Wooden Sofas + Armchair

Another good option is to bet on wooden sofas sets. The sets can contribute a lot to your décor, since the most used to come with a sofa and armchair that can be distributed in the room without loosing the harmony.

wooden sofas

Image Credit: Nathan James

5- Easily Allocated

This is a wood chaise longue model. It doesn’t take up much space, can be more easily allocated in not-so-large rooms. A perfect corner to relax, read a book or watch your favorite. For those wanting to give their living space an extra bit of personalisation and make it feel moreyou‘, a chaise longue is the perfect addition.

Chaise longues (or lounge chairs) are having a major moment in home decor. Not only do they provide great comfort while also making a stylish statement, but they are often made from natural materials and sustainable fabrics, so you can have peace of mind that your new addition is both beautiful and environmentally friendly.

And because chaise longues usually stand out on their own there‘s no need to spend time trying to find coordinating pieces that fit in with them which is great news if you‘re not big on matchymatchy styling.

FINALLY, WHAT’S YOUR OPINION ABOUT ARMCHAIRS? ARE YOU SO IN LOVE AS WE ARE? IF YOU WANT TO KEEP BEING INSPIRED, STAY TUNED TO OUR BLOG SO YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE TRADE SHOW AND DÉCOR IDEAS.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOKINSTAGRAMYOUTUBE, AND PINTEREST.

Living room and dining room integrated

Get Inspired: Ideas of Combined Living Room and Dining Room

Nowadays, is becoming very common the projection of living room and dining room combined into interiors.

The reason for this, is the fact that the combination of environments allows a decorative flexibility and can also optimize the functionalities of the room.

Even in larger spaces, the combination of the living room and dining room facilitates circulation and also provides interaction between people.

So, if you want to upgrade your home, combine the living room with the dining room can be an option.

The tip, in this case, is to use elements that contribute to the rooms aspect making them modern, light and cozy.

Therefore, in this article we selected some practical tips on how to decorate combined living rooms and dining rooms. As well as some showrooms to inspire you by the decoration of combined environments.

1. Furniture organization and arrangement in combined Living Room and Dining Room

Living room and dining room integrated
Living room and Dining room integrated-elliott-sideboard-2 (1)

By Wood Tailors Club

It’ s important to give some attention to the furniture organization and arrangement. As much as they are combined, it’s still necessary to distinguish the living room area from the dining room area. For it, it’s possible to use sofas and shelves, as rooms separators

2. Use mirrors in combined Living Room and Dining Room

Mirrors are a good option to make environments seems bigger. For this reason, mirrors are more advisable for smaller spaces, to avoid the feeling of tightness that combined rooms can bring. So, use mirrors in your decor, in addition to increasing space, it also can increase clarity when placed close to windows. 

3. Bet on big windows in combined Living Room and Dining Room

Living room and dining room integrated
Living room and dining room integrated-Woodworth bookcase

By Wood Tailors Club

Windows are the key to bring light and spaciousness to environments. From the moment we combine two rooms, we need to invest in aspects that bring the feeling of open space to the room, to avoid a confuse decoration or with too much information. That’s why windows can be really good option when used in combined living and dining room.

4. Follow a Color Pallete

Living room and dining room integrated
Living Room and Dining Room- Edward dining table

By Wood Tailors Club

The choice of colors is also an important aspect when combining rooms. Since the living room is sharing the same space with the dining room, to follow a color palette can bring more harmony between the environments.

The idea isn’t to make them look the same with same colors. But let visible that the rooms combination was planned and that the environments, besides being different, are related to each other.

FINALLY, WHAT’S YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE COMBINED LIVING ROOM AND DINING ROOM? ARE YOU SO IN LOVE AS WE ARE? IF YOU WANT TO KEEP BEING INSPIRED, STAY TUNED TO OUR BLOG SO YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE TRADE SHOW AND DÉCOR IDEAS.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOKINSTAGRAMYOUTUBE, AND PINTEREST.