The Woman that made Interior Design a Profession
Historically, architects were always responsible for designing a building in its entirety, including the interior. With the advancement of industrialization and the increasing specialization of jobs, architecture split into two separate professions. Whilst architects continued to be responsible for a building's structure and outward appearance the new specialized discipline of interior design focused on the decoration of a building’s interior. The profession developed as a reaction to a growing demand for skilled workers in this discipline. The need for knowledge regarding room planning, colour theory, curation of materials and furniture, as well as lighting ultimately led to the creation of interior design. This process developed during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Elsie de Wolfe is regarded as the most prominent figure within interior design during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She founded her own design studio in 1905 and established herself as one of the first professional interior designers. Her career started when interiors were still strongly influenced by the Victorian era. De Wolfe’s stylistic principles highlighted lightness, freshness, and a distinctly feminine aesthetic in place of intrusive patterns and heavy curtains.
Her influence spans many different projects such as the Colony Club in New York the first female social club, as well as the Villa Trianon in Versailles, her personal residence. De Wolfe skillfully combined different elements such as wallpapers, rugs, mirrors, and antique furniture to create a warm and modern atmosphere.
Relevant Projects
• Der Colony Club, the first female social club in New York. The most famous room was the tea room which resembled a garden pavilion.
• Villa Trianon in Versailles, which served as Elsie de Wolfe’s personal residence. Her bathroom on the second floor of the building was the most inspiring room within the building. The bath was twice the size of the adjoining bedroom and was decorated with antique furniture and a plethora of art pieces to create a room that focuses on relaxation, comfort, and well-being. This was further enhanced by a fireplace made from black-green marble that matched her bathtub.
• Marlene-Dietrich-Villa in Beverly Hills, where De Wolfe combined wallpapers and rugs with mirrors and gold ornaments on the furniture which created a warm and modern atmosphere through the brilliance of her curations. In one of the rooms, the images of animals help to create an exotic touch.
Apart from her work as an interior design, Elsie de Wolfe also was a successful writer. Her book “The House in Good Taste“ published in 1913 was a best seller and allowed to public to discover her unique design philosophy.
Elsie de Wolfe’s legacy within interior design is diverse and inspiring. Her innovative style, the accentuation of personality and individuality, the conjunction of functionality and aesthetics, and her pioneering female perspective have all left a permanent impression on the world of design and interior design. Her focus on timeless elegance keeps her work relevant to this day and continues to inspire us to interjoin innovation, individuality, and timeless beauty within interior design.
