Rise of the Decorator & History of Women in Interior Design



In the late 1800s and early 1900s, changes were made to the way rooms were decorated. Back then, women did it at home. Now, it's a real job that pays money. This change happened around the same time as the rise of the decorator, a person who plans and styles the interiors of buildings. As women got more jobs outside the home, many of them turned to decorating because it was a creative and comfortable job. 


         
                            Living Room                                                    Modern Living Room


 Elsie de Wolfe was one of the first people who decorated for a living.  She didn't like how dark and crowded Victorian houses looked. She changed things by adding more open room, lighter colors, and comfortable furniture. She made the rooms look clean and cozy. A lot of people thought her ideas were more important because she wrote about them.  Another important person was Dorothy Draper. Her style was big and bold, with lots of bright colors, big patterns, and fancy details. It was clear from Draper's work on hotels and public buildings that decorating wasn't just for houses. It was clear from the way she dressed that painters could handle big, important jobs.


      
                                    Dining Room                                        Modern Dining Table

 As more women followed in their footsteps, they opened design schools, companies, and wrote books and articles about home decor.  Their work helped make interior design a well-known job.  Not only did these women care about making rooms look nice, they also helped make this a new job where skill and imagination were valued.  The designer job opened up new job opportunities for women and changed the way we think about rooms inside our homes today.


 

                                   Hotel Lobby                                               Modern Hotel Lobby

One Step Further

Petra Blaisse is a Dutch artist who works in building design, interior design, and landscape design.   Her design business is called Inside Outside.  Her use of big curtains, moving walls, and natural materials can change the way a room looks and feels.  Her plans often link the inside and outside of a building, which makes rooms feel open and flexible.  Petra is a great example for women who want to work in design because she has shown that smart design and creative ideas can lead to big success.  Her work has made it easier for more women to get into and lead in the fashion world.


   







Comments

  1. Professor VanderNoordaaApril 5, 2025 at 9:41 AM

    Rebeca,
    Great summary of "The Rise of the Decorators". You provided us with excellent images and current examples. Petra Blaisse was a perfect woman to look further into. 50/50 points

    ReplyDelete

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