Classical principles for modern design: lessons from Edith Wharton and Ogden Codman's The Decoration of Houses

Abstract

Interior designer and decorative arts historian Thomas Jayne takes on the redoubtable Edith Wharton and her co-author Ogden Codman, whose 1897 book 'The Decoration of Houses' is acknowledged as the Bible of American interior design. Wharton and Codman advocated for classical simplicity and balance, replacing the excesses of the Gilded Age. In Jayne's view, "The Decoration of Houses is the level-headed, indispensable book on the subject. It is not an overstatement to say that it is the most important decorating book ever written." How much of Wharton and Codman's advice and how many of their principles are still applicable today? In 'Classical Principles for Modern Design', Jayne argues that Wharton and Codman's fundamental ideas about the proportion and planning of space create the most harmonious and livable interiors, whether traditional or contemporary. His authoritative and engaging text traces contemporary ideas about design elements and furnishing rooms back to Wharton and Codman and shows where his design approach coincides and where it diverges from their views.