Immortal interior design tips

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-18 00:05

Do you want to make your home more comfortable, looking for inspiration? Explore the advice of legendary design experts.

Edith Wharton's advice: keep your color palette

What she said: Edith Wharton (1862-1937) in her book "Home Decoration" said: "The fewer colors used in decorating a room, the more soothing and enjoyable the result will be."

Even before Wharton won the Pulitzer Prize for The Age of Innocence, she was a pioneer in design and advised people to stay away from overly plump upholstered furniture, dark tones, and a host of other minor Victorian influences.

The dignity of a room disappears when it fills up with trinkets.

How it works: with a restrained palette, colors recede into the background, allowing furniture and accessories to be the center of attention. So, the small number of colors allows the carvings on the table and chairs to stand out.

A few more of her tips:

About changing parts: “Few people have several sets of curtains and bedspreads and change them once a season. But such a simple technique gives an additional charm of variety. The curtains in the royal bedroom at Versailles were changed four times a year."

About rugs on the stairs: “They should be of a rich color and, if possible, without a pattern. It's annoying to see a design designed for horizontal surfaces superimposed on the ledges and indentations of the stair treads.”

On organizing space: "Decorators know that the simplicity and dignity of a room disappear when it is filled with useless trinkets."

Elsie de Wolfe tip: arrange small photos on the dresser

What she said: “Keep your photographs framed on your desk, dressing table, mantelpiece, but don't hang them on the walls,” said Elsie de Wolfe (1865-1950) in A House in Good Taste. Her self-proclaimed mission was to lighten the Victorian-weighted excesses of the early 20th century.

Small paintings on the walls look like visual noise.

How it works: Small paintings on the walls look like visual noise. However, they can emphasize the individuality, for example, of some boring table. To tidy up your collection of photographs, use frames from the same material, and also make sure that all photos are approximately the same size.

A few more of her tips:

On the scale: "You don't need to be an architect to understand that a huge leather armchair in a small room decorated in gold and cream is inappropriate, disgusting and disproportionate, like an elephant in a china shop."

On simplicity: “It’s such a relief to go back to easy, simple things and decorate the room by elimination. No matter how many rooms I cleaned of debris, this alien furniture with ornaments belonging to the "era" and knick-knacks bought to make the room look more comfortable, the spaces were freed up and began to blend in with the furniture."

Billy Baldwin's Tip: Cover the rug with a rug

What did you say: “I love the warm, cozy look of small rugs lying right on top of a large wall-to-wall rug. A small rug can have a slightly larger pattern or be embroidered or oriental,”wrote Billy Baldwin (1903-1984) in Billy Baldwin Decorates. The famous designer's clients included Truman Capote and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Layering rugs adds texture, color and dimension.

How it works: Layering rugs, like layering clothes, adds texture, color and volume. The effect is warm and calm. Start with a dense woven, low pile or sisal carpet. Complete it with absolutely any rug: thin cotton, leather with a zebra print or fluffy woolen.

Some more tips:

About the middle: “When decorating tables, avoid cluttering the center with too large bouquets. A flower in its own pot or a bouquet in a small wicker basket looks much nicer. And please, no strong-smelling flowers. I remember one dinner party at which the smell of tuberose was so strong it could knock you off your feet."

On displaying art objects: “The best places to hang pictures are unexpected places. I like to take an ordinary picture from those that hang over the sofa and hang it in the corridor, where you can see it, and not sit in its shadow. In one room, for example, I attached protective plywood to the back of a painting and inserted it into the window."

David Hicks tip: combine similar colors

What did you say: “There is a clear set of rules that apply to paints. Red to red, pink to pink, like blue, green, yellow, brown and gray,”wrote David Hicks (1929-1998) in Decorating. His clients included Vidal Sassoon and Prince Charles. Hicks was known for combining antique and modern elements.

How it works: Shades of the same color mix easily. Choose the color you like the most, and gather his “relatives” around it. If you like green, for example, paint the walls a rich khaki and match curtains in the same color. Dilute it all with a sofa in a brighter green hue. Add zest with a green patterned rug, and with botanical prints, you can add different shades of green, brown and greenish yellow.

When was the last time you renovated your home?

	Recently.
	Some years ago.
	Oh, and it was a long time ago …

Some more tips:

On the use of paint: “The best way to learn how to combine colors is to study great masters like Matisse, and also watch how fashion designers notice their combinations, like Cardin or Quant. See the color in motion. Learn to use color the way costume designers do for musicals and operas. Many large stores have showcases that show that knowing how to use color is great."

About collections: “If you are a collector and collect something like decorative eggs, beautifully shaped stones, snuff boxes and the like, collect them all on the table. They look much better grouped than scattered across the room."